Ministerial meeting on climate action: chairs’ summary 2022

Ministers and representatives from over 30 governments and intergovernmental organizations participated in the 6th Ministerial meeting on Climate Action (MoCA6) convened by Canada, the European Union and China, and hosted by Canada in Stockholm, Sweden, from May 30-31, 2022.

The co-conveners would like to express their gratitude to ministers and distinguished representatives for their engagement and notable contributions during the sixth MoCA as well as to the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General on Climate Action and other guests for their participation. The co-conveners also sincerely appreciate Sweden’s hospitality in advance of the Stockholm+50 meeting that commemorated the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment and celebrates 50 years of global environmental action.

To set the stage for the dialogue, MoCA6 commenced with a panel discussion that focused on collective climate action since the UNFCCC was adopted thirty years ago, while recognizing that we are at a critical point towards holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Panelists reflected on the progress that has been made over the previous three decades of multilateral climate action, but noted the urgent need for heightened ambition across all areas, in light of the increased scientific understanding of climate change. They emphasized the importance of national action in implementing and fully delivering national targets resulting from the UNFCCC process. Participants exchanged views on the nature of Conferences of the Parties (COPs) under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. They recognized their increased importance in driving collective ambition, promoting implementation and transparency on action and support. Successful action on climate change requires each Party to work domestically and through international cooperation to implement the necessary policies and measures that will enable Parties to reach national targets.

Participants reaffirmed the role of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement as a source of guiding principles, including equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances. Participants provided insights on ways to strengthen multilateral processes to better support ambitious climate action over the coming decades. Participants also recognized the importance of efficiency and efficacy of multilateral processes and, in light of the cross-cutting nature of climate change, noted the value of cooperation with key partners, non-Party stakeholders, civil society, and youth. Participants called for enhancing coordination with complementary intergovernmental processes, and highlighted that the protection of biodiversity and nature will be paramount to reach our collective climate goals.

Participants discussed the need for transformative action in light of recent scientific findings and noted that there is increasing action taking place on climate change. In line with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s finding that keeping 1.5°C within reach will require significant transition within the energy sector and require a huge amount of investment, participants discussed the need to scale up efforts to decarbonize energy systems while safeguarding the security of domestic and global energy supplies. They also noted a variety of approaches to do so including the effective use of tools such as carbon markets and carbon pricing that could support effective long-term climate action. Participants highlighted the ways in which sectoral cooperation could be leveraged to optimize the implementation of mitigation and adaptation action, such as the strengthening of connections with stakeholders.

Participants noted their goals and priorities heading into the UNFCCC subsidiary body meetings taking place in June and for COP27 in November, namely a need to focus on implementation and their hope for heightened ambition on mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation, in order to deliver on shared goals.

Participants noted the need to elaborate on the work programme to urgently scale up mitigation ambition and implementation in this critical decade. Participants outlined key elements that should be incorporated in the work programme to meet our collective climate goals, building on the Glasgow Climate Pact and including a space to share experiences and best practices in implementing domestic mitigation measures.

Participants emphasized the need to make substantive progress on the Glasgow-Sharm el-Sheikh Work Programme on the global goal on adaptation, including on enhancing understanding of the global goal, enhancing national planning and implementation, and discussing approaches for assessing progress towards achieving the global goal. Participants looked forward to the launch of the Glasgow Dialogue, and expressed their expectation that this be a constructive forum for Parties, relevant organizations and stakeholders to discuss the arrangements for the funding of activities to avert, minimize and address loss and damage associated with the adverse impacts of climate change.

Participants emphasized the importance of making progress on climate finance. They urged developed countries to deliver on their commitments, to collectively mobilize USD100 billion in climate finance per year, as soon as possible and through 2025, from a wide variety of sources, public and private, bilateral and multilateral, including alternative sources of finance.They outlined the need to progress in critical areas of climate finance such as at least doubling the collective provision of climate finance by developed countries for adaptation to developing country Parties from 2019 levels by 2025, recognizing the importance of the adequacy, accessibility, predictability and transparency of funding, and making financial flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development. Participants welcomed the work being led by Canada and Germany in the lead-up to COP27, in collaboration with contributor countries, to provide a progress report focused on the ten collective actions of the 2021 Climate Finance Delivery Plan.

Participants welcomed the opportunity that MoCA6 presented to build on the existing efforts, achievements and momentum from COP26 in Glasgow, as well as deepen multilateral cooperation and solidarity in addressing climate change. Participants expressed full support to Egypt in its role as the incoming COP27 Presidency and noted their commitment to a successful COP in November. To this end, participants called for collective progress on the road to Sharm el-Sheikh.

Participants expressed appreciation for the open discussion at MoCA, and look forward to future collaboration under this forum. The co-conveners called for continued participation and ambitious implementation of sustained climate action.

The three co-conveners look forward to organizing the 7th session of MoCA in 2023.