LEADERS’ VIEWS
Sir Keir Starmer Prime Minister, United Kingdom Responsible leadership
[meeting of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change], consistent with limiting warming to 1.5 degrees, and we’ll support others to do the same. I know that finance is at the heart of this. So the UK will continue to be a leading contributor to international climate finance. That includes supporting nature and forests because this is vital for biodiversity and reducing emissions, and it includes funding for climate adaptation, because those who did not cause this crisis should not be left to cope with the consequences. And the UK will also continue to be a leading contributor to
A fter 20 years of gains in tackling poverty, disease and ill-health, war is one of the main reasons that progress has stalled. That is a catastrophe made by human hands. It has weakened the cause of cooperation, sowed political division between north and south, and turned the geopolitical dial away from the rule of law towards brute force and aggression … We recognise that our success in Britain can never be separated from events beyond our shores. Global challenges rebound on us at home. And to grapple only with the effects of war, poverty, climate change, pandemics or irregular migration when they arrive on our doorstep is to set ourselves up to fail. We must work with others to solve these problems at root, to tackle the causes … We are returning the UK to responsible global leadership. Because I think the international system can be better. We need it to be better … This starts with addressing the rising tide of conflict and preventing a regional war in
development – committed to returning to 0.7%, when fiscal circumstances allow. But let’s be frank – public finance will never fully meet the needs. So we must use it as a multiplier to unlock much greater levels of private investment. And we have already started this work … First, we must change the international financial system to deliver a fairer deal for developing countries. We will use our seat on the boards of the IMF [International Monetary Fund] and World Bank to argue for a bolder approach, to tackle unsustainable debt which is compounding poverty and inequality, depriving the sick of healthcare and children of education. We must tackle the barriers to investment which choke off the flow of private finance. And we must put a price on the true cost of emissions through a new levy on global shipping with the proceeds going to tackle climate change and cut emissions even further. Crucially, we need to accelerate reform of the Multilateral Development Banks so that they shoulder more risk, unlocking hundreds of billions more to help the poorest and build
the Middle East … And we must stand up for international law. That’s why we are so resolute in our support for Ukraine. They are exercising their right to self-defence as provided for under the UN Charter and recognised by 141 members of this assembly. We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes … The entire framework of arms control and counter-proliferation – painstakingly constructed over decades – has begun to fall away. Iran continues to expand its nuclear activity in violation of its international commitments. Incredible new technologies like AI [artificial intelligence] are being deployed for military use without agreed rules. These are difficult challenges to grip and too urgent to ignore … So we must work to get the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals] back on track … The threat of climate change is existential and it is happening in the here and now. So we have reset Britain’s approach. We have lifted the de facto ban on onshore wind in England, ended new oil and gas licenses, and created Great British Energy as we become the first major economy to transition to clean power by 2030 … We will meet our Net Zero target, backed up with an ambitious NDC [nationally determined contribution] at COP29
a low-carbon global economy. A critical milestone in the fight against poverty is approaching with the replenishment of the International Development Association. Second, if we want the system to deliver for the poorest and most vulnerable then their voices must be heard. We need to make the system more representative and more responsive to those who need it most. So we will make the case not just for fairer outcomes, but fairer representation in how we reach them. And this also applies to the Security Council. It has to change to become a more representative body, willing to act – not paralysed by politics. We want to see permanent African representation on the Council, Brazil, India, Japan and Germany as permanent members, and more seats for elected members as well. Finally, to support this we will also change how the UK does things … Joining the Paris Pact for People and Planet, pursuing a new global Clean Power Alliance, standing for a new term on the Human Rights Council, and joining forces to tackle the toughest challenges like Anti-Microbial Resistance, preparedness for the next pandemic and outbreaks of deadly diseases like Mpox. United Nations General Assembly, 26 September 2024
16
G20 BRAZIL: THE RIO SUMMIT — 2024 G20 BRAZIL: THE RIO SUMMIT — 2024
globalgovernanceproject.org
globalgovernanceproject.org
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease