Summit Calls for Net Zero Acceleration to Protect the Planet

Published
27 May 2021
2021
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Amy Kirby, Climate Ambition Initiatives, +41 75 404 11 36, amy.kirby@weforum.org

  • Global summit convened to discuss the breakthroughs needed for a net zero world
  • Leaders from business, civil society and heads of state and governments meet to accelerate the global transition to a zero-carbon economy
  • Key sessions open to the public today and will examine the “hard to abate” sectors that produce the most carbon and how to mobilize progress
  • Learn more about the Climate Breakthroughs event, watch sessions and check out the programme

Geneva, Switzerland, 27 May 2021 – To win the race to zero emissions by 2050 at the very latest, the world must achieve near-term breakthroughs in every sector of the global economy.

The Climate Breakthroughs: The Road to COP26 and Beyond summit brings together the global leaders needed to mobilize change across the public and private sectors.

Hosted by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the Mission Possible Partnership, UK COP26 Presidency and the UN High-Level Champions for COP26, this series of live-streamed discussions will focus on steel, shipping, hydrogen and nature-based solutions needed to achieve a net-zero future.

The Climate Breakthroughs event kicks off with Tacking Stock of the Race to Zero, taking a holistic look at net-zero commitments and actions cross business and countries. Sessions will then deep-dive into the specific breakthroughs needed across sectors including Net Zero Steel, Hydrogen for Climate, Getting to Zero for Shipping and Nature-positive Race to Zero.

"With growing commitments, we are now mobilising action in the transition to low carbon,” said Anthony Hobley, Co-Executive Director of the Mission Possible Partnership at the World Economic Forum. “Through systems change, industrial decarbonisation is possible. Innovation is the window to the other side. Inspiring us to go faster and further than today’s parameters to ensure a sustainable future for all."

"Only by collaborating aligned with science in wholesale systems transformation can we upgrade the sectors of our global economy to deliver a healthy, resilient, zero-carbon world,” said Gonzalo Munoz, UN High Level Climate Champion for COP25. “The steps we take in the next five years are critical to get us on the path to zero emissions in time."

The event brings together world leaders, including the co-chairs of the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders; John F Kerry, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, National Security Council (NSC) and Juan Carlos Jobet, Minister of Energy, Ministry of Energy of Chile; Inger Andersen, Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and more.

Climate Breakthroughs: The Road to COP26 and Beyond is part of a series of online events that the World Economic Forum, the Mission Possible Partnership, the UK COP26 Presidency and the UN High-Level Champions together with the Friends of Ocean Action and the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, will be hosting from 25-27 May 2021. These meetings seek to advance critical ocean issues while mobilizing progress towards the required sector breakthroughs to realize a 45% reduction in annual emissions by 2030 and net-zero global emissions before 2050.

Notes to editors:

Read more about the Climate Breakthroughs: The Road to COP26 and Beyond
Join the conversation with #ClimateBreakthroughs and #RaceToZero
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