Today Daily Development talks to Selwin Hart, Director of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Climate Change Support Team, about why climate change matters so much to the Secretary-General, and briefs us on the upcoming Climate Change Summit for Heads of State and Government.

DD: You have a big job in leading United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Climate Change Support Team. Why has the Secretary-General made climate change such a big priority?

SH: As the Secretary-General says, climate change is the defining issue of our times. If we don’t take bold action now to limit the world’s temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, we will face serious consequences to our security, our health and our economies. To point out one example of how climate change is already taking its toll, let me tell you about air pollution. One of the main sources of air pollution is transport, and transport is the fastest growing source of fossil fuel carbon dioxide emissions, which are in fact the largest contributors to climate change. The World Health Organization now cites air pollution as the world’s largest single environmental health risk. Seven million people die each year from household and ambient air pollution. This is unacceptable when we have the knowledge, technology and the resources to address this threat. 

DD: What is the Secretary-General doing to change the status quo and get the world to focus on climate change?

SH: On 23 September in New York the Secretary-General will host a Climate Change Summit for Heads of State and Government, chief executives and leaders from civil society and finance. The idea behind the summit is to inspire bold new actions through initiatives and partnerships that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen our resilience to climate change. Through bold action coming from partnerships across sectors, the Secretary-General seeks to drive ambition among countries and mobilize political support for finalizing a new global climate agreement at the end of 2015. 

DD: Can you give me an example of the type of partnership the Secretary-General hopes will be announced at the summit?

SH: There are eight key areas that have been identified as having the highest potential to limit the global temperature rise to less than 2 degrees Celsius: short-lived climate pollutants, energy efficiency, renewable energy, transport, cities, forests and agriculture, with climate finance as a cross-cutting area underlining each sector. Governments and leaders from all sectors have been working with the United Nations system over the past several months to design initiatives and partnerships in each of these areas. 

As one example, world leaders from government, civil society and business are working on a strategy to dramatically reduce deforestation, expand forest restoration and advance sustainable land use. According to the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, these activities can deliver 20–60% of the emission reductions needed to stay below the 2 degree Celsius rise. Not only that, but this work will also contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction, enhanced food security, secured rights and livelihoods for indigenous peoples and local communities, and climate change adaptation. The exact nature of the full range of partnerships and how each sector will specifically contribute will be announced at the summit.

DD: This all sounds very exciting! How can we learn more and take action?

SH: You can start by visiting our website. It has a specific page on taking action, which gives concrete ideas on how each person can help. Spreading the word and getting your own networks of friends, family, the organizations you work for and the politicians you elect informed and engaged on climate will be a huge step forward. Let’s grow the buzz on climate change from person to person in our actions and our words. #Climate2014