Denmark to take up a leading position at UN Climate Action Summit 2019

NordenBladet – The UN Secretary-General has requested Denmark to take up a leading position towards the UN Climate Action Summit in New York, 23 September 2019. Specifically, Denmark is due to lead the energy transition track in order to advance sustainable energy. A particular focus will be on clean energy investments in emerging economies and least developed countries.

An accelerated global energy transition is urgent, if the world is to live up to the ambitious targets of the Paris Agreement. To reach our common goals, developed countries, major emerging economies as well as developing countries must carry out significant transformations of their energy sectors. Particularly the world’s poorest countries can benefit from cooperation and exchange of best practice in order to improve a sustainable development.

At the UN Climate Action Summit, 23 September 2019, the nation states, multilateral development banks, private companies and investors as well as the civil society will exchange best practices and solutions to ensure a focus on increasing climate ambitions and accelerating the green transition. Denmark has been requested to lead the track on promoting the transition of the energy sector towards sustainable energy at a global level. This is recognition of the Danish global climate engagement and development cooperation as well as our front-runner position within green transition.

The energy transition track will be co-led with Ethiopia and the organisation Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL). Together, we will focus on the sharing of best practice, concrete solutions and partnerships within renewable energy, energy efficiency, access to energy and sustainable development.

With the Danish engagement in the summit, we build on last year’s successful P4G Summit in Copenhagen as well as many years of experience with development cooperation, including efforts to support reorganisation and improvement of energy sectors in both emerging economies and least developed countries – thus improving global climate and the development of these countries.

“In Denmark, we are proud to take up this leading role and proud to promote our ideas and concrete solutions that has the potential to scale up and increase benefits within energy transformation. We need faster action through innovation, public-private partnerships – as experienced at P4G – and private investments to reach the Paris Agreement. Especially, we need this innovation in the developing countries, where we see the greatest challenges. Denmark is a frontrunner in this area”, says Minister for Development Cooperation, Ulla Tørnæs.

The energy sector is responsible for approximately 80 pct. of the global CO2 emissions. Therefore, a green transition of the energy sector is essential. This is an area, where Denmark has significant experience, including with mobilisation of private investments. Denmark has initiated a Clean Energy Investment Coalition to ensure ambitious commitments in clean energy from governments, international organisations and the private sector.

“The urgent need to address climate change requires a global transition of the energy sector. Therefore, we need massively increased investments in modern and green technology. In this area, we can draw on many years of Danish experience with securing a cost efficient transition towards a sustainable energy system”, says Minister for Energy, Utilities and Climate Lars Chr. Lilleholt (V).

In the months to come, the Danish government, with support from Denmark’s Special Envoy for Climate and Energy Ditlev Engel, will work to engage countries, international organizations, investors and civil society in the Danish energy track towards the UN Climate Action Summit 2019.

Facts

Denmark has been appointed to lead the track on “Energy Transition” at the “Climate Action Summit 2019” in New York, 23 September 2019.
The energy sector is responsible for approximately 80 pct. of the global CO2 emissions. Therefore, a green transition of the energy sector is essential to achieve the targets of the Paris Agreement.
Through the Clean Energy Investment Coalition, Denmark is working towards securing better framework conditions for investments in clean energy. This is essential for the green transition to succeed.
P4G is a global, trade-oriented initiative aimed at accelerating green transition and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in growth and development economies by bringing together the private sector, public sector and civil society to create public-private partnerships. Focus is on finding solutions to be scaled up and thereby contribute to systematic changes.

Source: um.dk