Tipping point or turning point: Global solidarity for an inclusive, resilient recovery

As the world grapples with the unprecedented humanitarian and economic crisis caused by COVID-19, developing countries have been hit hardest while already facing the most extreme impacts of climate change. An inclusive and climate-resilient recovery is dependent on global solidarity and leadership to catalyse a paradigm shift towards sustainable development for all. As the world’s largest dedicated climate fund supporting developing countries to respond to the challenges of climate change, GCF is a vital player in climate-resilient recovery and in implementing the Paris Agreement and SDGs.

Committed to both adaptation and mitigation, GCF can tailor investments to address the specific barriers faced by developing countries and avoid exacerbating debt burdens. By offering a range of financial instruments, GCF makes climate projects in developing countries low-risk, bankable, and attractive to investors. 

COVID-19 presents us with a tipping point or a turning point, a unique threat or a unique opportunity. On the one hand, a high carbon recovery would widen inequalities and forgo the goals of the Paris Agreement and the SDGs. On the other hand, ambitious leadership fostering green economic stimulus measures would bring the world to a turning point where we can achieve a trajectory of inclusive, sustainable growth and limit temperature rise to 1.5°C.

Against this backdrop, GCF is organising a leadership dialogue on global solidarity for an inclusive, resilient recovery. On 18 September, Heads of State and Ministers from developing and developed countries will come together, share ideas and collaborate to set developing countries on transformative investment pathways by leveraging the catalytic role of GCF.

High-level speakers will include: 

• H.E. Mr. Ivan Duque Marquez, President, Republic of Colombia
• H.E. Ms. Mia Mottley, Prime Minister, Barbados
• H.E. Ms. Leonore Gewessler, Federal Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, Austria
• H.E. Ms. Arlette Soudan-Nonault, Minister of Tourism and Environment, Republic of the Congo
• H.E. Mr. Simon Stiell, Minister for Climate Resilience, the Environment, Forestry, Fisheries, and Disaster Management, Grenada
• H.E. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth and Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, United Kingdom
• Ms. Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
• Mr. Yannick Glemarec, Executive Director, Green Climate Fund

Insights from this event will inform the High-Level Initiative on Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond, convened by Canada, Jamaica and the UN Secretary-General.

Thank you to our high-level speakers and to all who joined @theGCF #UNGA75 Leadership Dialogue! It was a rich discussion by countries sharing plans to #recoverbetter and expressing a strong commitment to #ClimateAction.#ICYMI Watch the discussion here ▶️ https://t.co/tulps0zEg1 pic.twitter.com/VJ2Kbq7vCE

— Green Climate Fund (@theGCF) September 18, 2020