UN Climate Summit and People’s Climate March, September New York

As a part of building momentum ahead of next year’s critical UN climate negotiations in Paris where a global deal will be agreed, the UN is holding a one-day Climate Summit, during the General Assembly meetings, on 23 September with heads of state, invited stakeholders including business and civil society leaders.

The intention is to raise the profile of climate and the need for commitments from governments and all levels of society. The ITUC is not planning an international delegation to the Summit but Sharan Burrow will speak at one of the Summit’s sessions on “Climate, Health and Jobs”. The Summit is not to negotiate positions, but the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon is hoping for new announcements that will create momentum and confidence to achieve an ambitious agreement at the UNFCCC in 2015.

Many other events will be held in New York around the Summit. On 21 September, a cross section of civil society groups are organizing a march in New York city and other events are being organized in other cities around the world. The current list of events can be found at: http://peoplesclimate.org/global/. This culmination of events is being described as “the largest climate march in history”. The call is “actions not words - a world with an economy that works for people and the planet; a world safe from the ravages of climate change; a world with good jobs, clean air and water, and healthy communities.”

If you plan to send members to events in New York or are involved in organizing events in your country, please inform us at: [email protected]