"Good evening everyone from Addis Ababa. It is an absolute
pleasure to join you and to be sharing this panel with some
real champions for global climate action.
So happy to be here as part of this event.
The momentum behind zero emissions is building.
We’ve seen in the last year countries coming forward with
their net zero commitments. Of course I welcome what the US
administration has said in terms of climate action.
Last year we also saw Net zero commitments from business
and local government double.
And the Race to Zero membership increased to almost 1400
companies, many of them very large, global companies.
And that is all in the midst of a global pandemic.
But we know the reason for doing this is such action is
absolutely vital.
Reaching net zero is essential if we are to meet the aims
of the Paris Agreement and limit global temperature rises.
And we all know that the science on the catastrophic
consequences is clear if we do not.
We’ve seen around the world increasingly extreme
temperatures.
Rising sea levels. Droughts. Floods. Other events.
And the resulting devastation on people and nature.
The progress that we are seeing to avert this crisis with
these commitments to net zero is of course very welcome.
And I want to thank everyone who has set out net zero
targets.
But we know that to achieve a zero global economy, every
single sector in business must play their part.
And that requires us to cooperate even more than before.
To coordinate our efforts, sector by sector. And we need to
get each sector to a tipping point.
And we must reach a critical mass, where the transition to
clean ways of working takes off and develops a momentum of
its own. And then rapidly becomes the norm.
And that is why enhancing international collaboration is
one of my key priorities as COP26 President.
And it is why I am absolutely delighted that we, alongside
our brilliant High-level champions, Nigel Topping and
Gonzalo Munoz, are launching the Race to Zero Breakthroughs
today.
They are both doing extraordinary work and I absolutely
applaud them for that.
The campaign shows that more than 20 major sectors
precisely how they can get to their tipping points. How
they can reach that tipping point. And when they need to do
so.
Whether that is the power sector delivering 60% of
renewable energy by 2030.
Or a fifth of top asset managers committing to align their
portfolios with the Paris Agreement within the next five
years."
Now these are rigorously researched targets, they’re
developed with sectoral experts with business, governments,
and civil society, we can all unite around these targets.
Each of these groups has a crucial role to play.
Whether that is developing policy to encourage the change,
or galvanising public support for action, or committing
their business to leading the way.
I urge all leaders across society, but particularly within
the business community, to commit to taking action, and
taking that action now, and reaching these breakthroughs as
soon as possible.
Because - and I think this is the good news - if every
sector plays its part, and passes that tipping point within
the next decade, we will see the global economy accelerate
towards net zero by 2050.
And thereby of course, helping to make the Paris Agreement
a reality.
And forging what we all want to see - a clean and
prosperous future for our planet.
We can do it. Let’s go for it.
Thank you.
