Climate Ambition Summit (CAS)

On September 20, 2023, the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit took place at the UN Headquarters in New York. The goal was to speed up efforts to address climate change in preparation for the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Surprisingly, China, the US, and India—ranking as the top three contributors to global greenhouse gas emissions, making up 42% collectively—chose not to participate in the summit. Their absence raised concerns as these countries play a significant role in the global efforts to combat climate change.

About

The CAS is a big international event that focuses on dealing with the urgent problem of climate change.
At CAS, you’ll find leaders from government, businesses, finance, local authorities, and civil society. These are the folks who aren’t just talking but are actually taking action to fight climate change.
CAS is all about showing off the leaders who are the first to step up and make things happen. They bring real actions, policies, and plans—not just promises. The goal? Speeding up the process of making our global economy less reliant on carbon and making sure climate justice is served.
The heart of CAS is to stick to the Paris Agreement’s rule of keeping the temperature increase to 1.5°C. Why? Because going beyond that could lead to some serious consequences. So, the leaders at CAS are all about preventing that by capping global warming at 1.5°C above what it was before we started all this industrial stuff.

Participants at the Summit

Representatives from 34 states and 7 institutions had the chance to speak. This included our neighbors Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Pakistan, along with growing economies like South Africa and Brazil.
The big players, like the European Union, Germany, France, and Canada, also had their say and talked to the audience.

Criteria for Participation

Countries needed to share their updated plans before 2030, showing what they’re committed to doing to tackle climate change. This includes setting targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and laying out their plans for switching to cleaner energy sources.
Everyone was encouraged to promise not to start any new coal, oil, or gas projects. Instead, they were asked to come up with plans to gradually move away from using fossil fuels and focus on increasing the use of renewable energy.
Countries were asked to make commitments to support the Green Climate Fund, which helps communities affected by climate change. Additionally, they were expected to share their overall plans for adapting to the changing climate and building resilience in their economies.

Highlights of the Summit

Brazil is stepping up its climate game by going back to its original 2015 climate goals. They’re pushing for even more ambitious measures and a shift away from fossil fuels.
Nepal is aiming to achieve Net Zero emissions by 2045, speeding up their timeline from the previous goal of 2050. Thailand is also in the race, targeting Net Zero by 2050, and Portugal has set a goal to become carbon-neutral by 2045.
All the big players in the G-20 group are being urged to up their game. They’re being asked to commit to more aggressive National Determined Contributions (NDCs), which means making real cuts in emissions by 2025.
The summit is making a big deal about climate justice, especially for communities hit hardest by the climate crisis. These are the folks on the front lines who are getting hit the worst.
Canada, which was heavy into expanding fossil fuels in 2022, is changing its tune. They’ve announced a plan to cap emissions in the oil and gas sector.
The European Union and Canada want everyone to get on board with global carbon pricing. They’re pushing for at least 60% of emissions to be covered by this, which is a big jump from the current 23%. This could generate a whopping USD 95 billion.
Germany is taking a leadership role by launching the International Climate Club, a joint effort with Chile. Their goal is to clean up industrial sectors and promote green growth.
The Climate Adaptation Summit is stressing the importance of having solid plans for dealing with the impacts of climate change. They want comprehensive strategies that cover the whole economy, focusing on adaptation and resilience.

What are India’s Climate Commitments?

Emission Reductions: In 2022, India stepped up its climate game by promising to cut the intensity of its emissions by 45% compared to 2005 levels by the year 2030. This is a solid 10% more than what they committed to back in 2016.
Green Energy Boost: India’s got big plans for 2030 – they want to generate a whopping 50% of their energy from non-fossil fuel sources. Think solar, wind, and all that good stuff!
Carbon Sponges: To combat climate change, India is on a mission to soak up 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 (you know, the bad stuff) by 2030. It’s like they’re turning the country into a giant carbon sponge!
Net-Zero Ambition: Looking ahead, India’s eyeing a cool target – net-zero emissions by the year 2070. They’re basically aiming to balance out all the emissions they put into the air with some serious green goodness. It’s like a carbon balancing act!