Chairs’ Summary: July 24th HAC Ministerial Meeting

1.       The ministers of the High Ambition Coalition convened on July 24th, following the G20 environment ministers’ meeting and ahead of the COP Presidency’s 25-26 Ministerial meeting in London. Their message was clear: we have a collective responsibility to stay within the 1.5°C temperature goal, and the ministers of the HAC remain united around ambition at COP-26 and beyond. Ambition today means not only meeting 1.5°C, but also building resilience so that all countries can survive a 1.5°C temperature rise. We must ensure that the finance flows are scaled up to tackle these challenges.  The three pillars of the Paris Agreement must receive focus and resources commensurate with the scale and urgency of the problem. The impacts of the climate crisis are not theoretical, and our ambition must not be either. Our work must be reflected not only in ambitious outcomes within the UNFCCC process, but in tangible results for our people’s lives.

2.       Ministers recognized that the 1.5°C temperature goal risks slipping from our grasp if we fail to take urgent action and halve global emissions by 2030. Calls emerged for:

a.       NDCs and long-term greenhouse gas reduction strategies that align with 1.5°C. These are particularly important from G20 members, which have committed to delivery of NDCs ahead of COP-26. The G20 makes up 85% of global emissions, but have so far, even with the addition of the latest submissions to the UNFCCC, lagged woefully below the necessary 45% reduction by 2030. If its members deliver 1.5°C aligned NDCs before November, this would go a long way to getting us on the right pathway to 1.5°C.

b.       Translating ambitious pledges to a credible pathway to 1.5 through national policies, including on coal phase-outs, halting fossil fuel subsidies, and a just transition to a green economy. Accountability for delivering the emissions reductions countries have committed to is key. 

3.       Acknowledging that all countries, rich and poor, are feeling the devastating impacts of climate change today, ministers agreed that adaptation is a critical pillar of success at COP. There were strong calls for an urgent increase in adaptation funding to enable countries, particularly those most vulnerable, to build resilience. This included a scale up of adaptation funding to reach greater balance between mitigation and adaptation funding, and further considering how best to achieve the global goal on adaptation.  The importance of access to and the quality of finance made available for adaptation efforts was also noted. Finally, National Adaptation Plans were recognized as critical tools for building resilience.

4.       On finance, ministers agreed that that the 2009 commitment to $100 billion annually is a floor, not a ceiling, and a credible plan for delivery ahead of COP-26 is important for retaining credibility and demonstrating solidarity, particularly with vulnerable countries and their populations. Ministers also noted the importance of aligning multilateral development banks with the public interest, and investing their resources in a green and sustainable future. Ministers also agreed that discussions on a post 2025 finance goal must be ambitious and sufficiently meet the needs of developing countries.