The Climate Ambition Summit is a high-level event convened to mobilize action and ambition on climate change. It serves as a platform for governments, businesses, and other stakeholders to announce new commitments and initiatives aimed at addressing climate change and accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy.
The first Climate Ambition Summit was held on December 12, 2020, to mark the fifth anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Agreement. The event was co-hosted by the United Nations, the United Kingdom, and France, in partnership with Italy and Chile. It brought together world leaders from governments, businesses, and civil society to showcase their commitments to enhancing climate ambition.
Key objectives of the Climate Ambition Summit include:
- Raising Ambition: Encouraging countries to enhance the ambition of their climate action plans and commitments, particularly in light of the urgency of addressing climate change and the goals of the Paris Agreement.
- Announcing New Commitments: Providing a platform for governments, businesses, and other stakeholders to announce new climate commitments and initiatives, such as increased targets for emissions reduction, investments in renewable energy, and support for adaptation and resilience efforts.
- Building Momentum: Generating momentum and political will for increased climate action ahead of major international climate conferences, such as the annual Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC.
- Showcasing Leadership: Recognizing and showcasing the leadership of countries, businesses, cities, and other actors that are taking ambitious action on climate change and driving progress towards a sustainable future.
The Climate Ambition Summit is part of broader efforts to galvanize global action on climate change and build momentum for the implementation of the Paris Agreement. It complements other international climate initiatives and events, such as the UNFCCC COP meetings, the Climate Action Summit, and the Global Climate Action Summit, by providing a platform for showcasing progress and catalyzing further action on climate change mitigation and adaptation.