From the UNGA - National and Local Leaders Climate Change Initiatives

Chile

President Sebastián Piñera:

· Clean renewable energy

· Efficient public transportation

· Forest conservancy

China

Foreign Minister Wang Yi:

· The withdrawal of certain parties (from the Paris Agreement) “will not shake the progress” toward combating climate change

· Green and low-carbon developments

· CO2 per GDP 45.8 percent from 2005 level, overshooting target 5.2 billion emissions

· 1.2 million e-vehicles

· National emissions trading market being developed

Costa Rica

President Carlos Alvarado Quesada:

· Has launched a decarbonization plan

· Extending a moratorium to keep fossil fuels underground with no end date

· Removed taxes on e-vehicles, recharging stations are being installed and 500 percent growth in electric fleet

· Mobilizing over $30 million a year from taxes, investing into mainly forests

· Over $5 billion has been invested in infrastructure: hydroelectric/thermal, wind

· 52 percent recovered forest, aiming for higher

· 30 percent zero emissions for public transport by 2035

· Two electric trains to be fed by clean renewable energy

Denmark

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen

· Doubling up earmarked funds for green research

Djibouti

President Ismaël Omar Guelleh:

· Renewable energy transition by 2030

· Would like to see a simplification of access to the green fund

Finland

President Sauli Niinisto:

· Use of coal ending 2029

· Use of fossil fuels ending 2030

France

President Emmanuel Macron (see related Sept. 23 article on rainforests):

· France has banned new oil exploration on its soil

· Trade is a factor of peace and poverty, and trade needs to align with the climate agenda

· Has doubled its green fund contributions

Greece

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis:

· “Ancient Greeks had no access to scientific knowledge. We do now and yet have failed to act”

· Will shut down brown coal by 2028.

Guatemala

President Jimmy Morales:

· Conserving forests

· Contributes only 0.04 percent of pollution, but one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change

· Increased wastewater treatment plants

· Over 200 biofilters, filtering out solid floating waste in its rivers; preventing pollution of beaches and oceans

· In comprehensive protection of natural resources: single-use plastic bags, straws

Iceland

Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir

· Vanishing glaciers

· Clean energy transformation

· Doubling green fund contribution

Indonesia

Vice-President M. Jusuf Kalla:

· Decreasing emissions 29 percent and targeting up to 40 percent with international support by 2030

· Nature-based solutions: restoration of greater land and peatland

· Restoring coastal areas

· Energy transition, removing fossil fuels policy

· Scaling support of financing renewable energies

Ireland

Prime Minister Leo Varadkar:

· Carbon budgeting will be implemented next year

· Banned fracking

· Sovereign wealth fund divested from fossil fuels

· Carbon tax

Jamaica

Prime Minister Andrew Holiness:

· The global financing system requires immediate transformation to help tackle climate change, and it must be science-based and technically supported

· The country has been looking at the Paris Agreement Capital Transition Agreement and risk-scenario analysis tools

Montreal

Mayor Plante

· By 2050, two-thirds of the world population will be in cities

· Already committed to combat climate change through C40 and a mayors’ coalition network

· Protection of biodiversity

· Protecting our green spaces despite financial pressures

Netherlands

Prime Minister Mark Rutte:

· Phasing out all coal by 2030

· Implementing a national climate agreement

· Supporting developing countries

Norway

Prime Minister Erna Solberg:

· Released a study about how the oceans can be sustained

· Protecting biodiversity

· Scaling up ocean-based research and making COP24 “BlueCOP”

Pakistan

Prime Minister Imran Khan:

· Has planted 1.1 billion trees in the last five years

· Pakistan contributes less than 1 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions

Qatar

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani:

· National measures to develop technologies by 2030

· As FIFA 2022 host, will be the first carbon-neutral tournament with solar-powered stadiums and energy-efficient cooling systems

· Contributing $100 million to help small island and developing nations to catch up in their battle to fight climate change

South Korea

President Moon Jae-In:

· Will explore stronger measures for transition to a low-carbon economy and Korean sustainable goals

· Doubling contribution to the Green Climate Fund

· Proposed international joint research and technical support for improving air quality

Turkey

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan:

· Generating 30 percent of renewable energy

· More than 4 billion trees planted throughout Turkey

· Railways use to increase 5-10 percent

· Bike routes to be expanded

As reported by BluePass: Independent Coverage of the UN