By Charles Ike-Okoh
FRI 23 APRIL, 2021-theGBJournal- President Muhammadu Buhari will today join 40 world Leaders invited by the U.S President Joe Biden, the host, to the Leaders Summit on Climate.
The invitation is in recognition of the President’s demonstration of strong climate leadership, and his commitment to charting innovative pathways to a net-zero economy.
The President is one of 4 African leaders invited to the Summit live streamed for public viewing. The other is Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba, Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta. A small number of business and civil society leaders are also participating in the Summit.
The Leaders Summit on Climate will underscore the urgency, and the economic benefits, of stronger climate action. It will be a key milestone on the road to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) this November in Glasgow, according to a statement by the White.
The Summit is major political turning point for the U.S. after former President Donald Trump jettisoned Climate issues from his and the U.S. agenda.
President Biden took action his first day in office to return the United States to the Paris Agreement. Days later, on January 27, he announced that he would soon convene a leaders summit to galvanize efforts by the major economies to tackle the climate crisis.
In recent years, scientists have underscored the need to limit planetary warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius in order to stave off the worst impacts of climate change. A key goal of both the Leaders Summit and COP26 will be to catalyze efforts that keep that 1.5-degree goal within reach.
The Summit will also highlight examples of how enhanced climate ambition will create good paying jobs, advance innovative technologies, and help vulnerable countries adapt to climate impacts.
Key themes of the Summit will include:
Galvanizing efforts by the world’s major economies to reduce emissions during this critical decade to keep a limit to warming of 1.5 degree Celsius within reach.
Mobilizing public and private sector finance to drive the net-zero transition and to help vulnerable countries cope with climate impacts.
The economic benefits of climate action, with a strong emphasis on job creation, and the importance of ensuring all communities and workers benefit from the transition to a new clean energy economy.
Spurring transformational technologies that can help reduce emissions and adapt to climate change, while also creating enormous new economic opportunities and building the industries of the future.
Showcasing subnational and non-state actors that are committed to green recovery and an equitable vision for limiting warming to 1.5 degree Celsius, and are working closely with national governments to advance ambition and resilience.
Discussing opportunities to strengthen capacity to protect lives and livelihoods from the impacts of climate change, address the global security challenges posed by climate change and the impact on readiness, and address the role of nature-based solutions in achieving net zero by 2050 goals.
The Summit which began Thursday ends today.
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