UN Deputy Secretary‑General: Accelerate Emission Cuts and Scale up Climate Finance

Climate and Environment

As UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said in her keynote speech at the opening of the Pre-COP31 meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on Wednesday, conclusive evidence indicates that the world will breach the 1.5°C warming threshold, at least for a period of time. She called for honouring commitments under the Paris Agreement, stepping up efforts, and limiting the extent and duration of the temperature overshoot to the minimum possible.

Reduce emissions, boost fair transition

Ms Mohammed stressed that the world must cut emissions at a faster pace, with major economies taking the lead. At COP28 in Dubai in 2023, leaders agreed to transition away from fossil fuels, triple renewable‑energy capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030. These pledges need to be delivered, and COP31 can align national commitments and investments with scientific findings.

She noted that Fiji and other countries across the region are taking the lead, committing to 100 % renewable‑energy supply within a decade. The “Light‑up the Blue Pacific” Initiative has emerged as a unifying model for collective climate action.

She also pointed out that COP31 needs to deliver substantive progress under the “Just Transition Mechanism” and bring tangible outcomes for developing countries. Immediate funding is required to achieve the target of mobilising at least USD 1.3 trillion per year in climate finance for developing countries by 2035.

Strengthen Adaptation and Resilience

Amina Mohammed stated that preparations must be stepped up for more disasters, particularly in regions where vulnerability, inequality and environmental degradation are most acute. Early-warning systems, resilient infrastructure and investments in blue and green economies can help communities withstand climate shocks and rebuild in the aftermath.

She underscored that adaptation measures represent investments in growth, inclusion, security and stability, and form an indispensable component of sustainable development and the Sustainable Development Goals. Ocean priorities must be fully integrated into climate‑finance, mitigation and adaptation agendas.

Developed countries must honour their pledge to triple adaptation finance by 2035. Grant‑based, predictable funding should be prioritised for Small Island Developing States and least‑developed countries. Small Island Developing States steward nearly 30 percent of the world’s oceans, yet they lack predictable, streamlined finance needed to safeguard these global carbon sinks.

Fair funding

According to Ms Mohammed, developed countries have pledged USD 300 billion annually for climate support in developing countries. The time has come to honour this first‑step commitment and build further upon it. The Baku‑to‑Belém Roadmap charts a path toward the annual USD 1.3 trillion climate‑finance target by 2035. Multilateral development banks can contribute by de‑risking private‑sector investments.

She pointed out that to achieve the goal of “leaving no one behind”, innovative financing and stronger incentives are required. For Small Island Developing States, development financing criteria need to shift from income‑based metrics to vulnerability‑based ones.

Ms Mohammed stated that COP31 can bring these elements together, honour existing pledges, and deliver larger‑scale, higher‑quality and more accessible finance.

Uniting UN climate support

The United Nations stands with every climate‑vulnerable country. Through the UN 80th‑anniversary initiative, the United Nations is consolidating climate‑support capacities across its entire system.

She thanked Pacific nations — notably Fiji and Tuvalu — as well as Türkiye and Australia, for keeping the process solution‑oriented. She stated that urgent action must be taken to ensure every child born today in the Pacific Islands can grow up, thrive and live securely on the islands they call home.

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