By 
By Usman Aliyu
Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary, UN Climate Change says none of the Sustainable Development Goals will be possible unless the climate crisis is under control.
Stiell made this claim in his address to Chatham House titled “Two Years to Save the World.”
The executive secretary advocated new national climate plans, popularly known as Nationally Determined Commitments that is bold.
The new plan, he said, must be a jobs jackpot and economic springboard to boost countries up that global ladder of living standards.
“In the face of crop-destroying droughts, much bolder climate action to curb emissions and help farmers adapt will increase food security, and lessen hunger.
“Cutting fossil fuel pollution will mean better health and huge savings for governments and households alike.
“For those who say that climate change is only one of many priorities, like ending poverty, ending hunger, ending pandemics, or improving education, I simply say this: none of these crucial tasks – indeed none of the Sustainable Development Goals – will be possible unless we get the climate crisis under control,” he insisted.
Stiell noted that the transformative potential of bold climate action – in tandem with steps to advance gender equality – was one of the fastest ways to move away from business as usual.
“In fact, business-as-usual will further entrench the gross inequalities between the world’s richest and poorest countries and communities that unchecked climate impacts are making much worse.
“These inequalities are kryptonite for cooperative global climate action, and every economy, every country and its people pays the price of that.
“To start curing this global cancer of inequality, we need to enable bold new national climate plans by all nations that protect people, boost jobs and drive inclusive economic growth.
“And we need them by early next year. The next generation of national climate plans must be investment plans for sustainable and strong economies,” he said.
While every country must submit a new plan, he explained the reality that G20 emissions accounted for around 80 per cent of global emissions.
“So G20 leadership must be at the core of the solution, as it was during the great financial crisis.
“That’s when the G20 came of age and showed major developed and developing economies can work together to avert global economic catastrophes, he said.
The UN chief urged every global citizen to be part of the energy transition in the world, saying every voice makes a difference even more now than ever.
He asserted that parties would need to agree on a new target for climate finance that meets developing country needs, when they coverge for COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, later in the year.
“But it’s not enough to agree on a target. We need a new deal on climate finance, between developed and developing countries.
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