Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene December 2018 Vol.13 No.6 | Page 12

What is the UN Climate Summit (COP24)?
The UN climate summits, i.e. so called COP (Conference
of the Parties) are global conferences, in the course of
which action for climate policy is negotiated. Poland
hosted them twice - in 2008, in Poznań and in 2013, in
Warsaw.
In December 2018, for the first time, the climate summit
will take place in Katowice. In April 2017 the UN
technical mission delegates, while visiting the capital of
Upper Silesia, appreciated the city’s excellent preparation
for the event, including its infrastructure, meeting the
highest standards.
The candidacy of Katowice received recognition
from Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and
Development – Mateusz Morawiecki, as well as the
Minister of the Environment, Professor Jan Szyszko,
who stated that, ‘The whole region of Upper Silesia
and Zagłębie is a very important example of what can
be achieved through consistent policy of sustainable
development and economic transformation. ‘
This year’s summit will include: 24. Conference of the
Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (COP24), 14. Meeting of the Parties
to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 14) and the Conference of
Signatories to the Paris Agreement (CMA 1).
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals
through Climate Action
Climate change presents the single biggest threat to
sustainable development everywhere and its widespread,
unprecedented impacts disproportionately burden the
poorest and most vulnerable.
Urgent action to halt climate change and deal with its
impacts is integral to the successful implementation of the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Collectively, the three post-2015 agendas for action –
the Paris Agreement, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and the Sendai Framework for Disaster
Risk Reduction - provide the foundation for sustainable,
low-carbon and resilient development under a changing
climate.
Achieving the primary goal of the Paris Agreement - to
keep the average global temperature rise well below
2C degrees and as close as possible to 1.5C above pre-
industrial levels - is vital to the achievement of all three
Agendas.
The global average temperature has already increased by
around one degree, since then underlining the urgency
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Africa Water, Sanitation & Hygiene • December 2018
of action if we are to stay as close as possible to 1.5C
degrees.
The Paris Agreement builds on the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change, bringing all nations into
a common cause to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
rapidly and to strengthen the ability of countries to
build resilience and adapt to the impacts of climate
change, including through ensuring adequate support for
developing countries.
The early entry into force of the Paris Agreement reflects
a political shift in focus to implementation, signalling
to all levels of government, business and civil society
that urgent climate action and sustainable development
are common goals, providing a clear focus for policy,
economic development and society.
Pursuing climate action and sustainable development in an
integrated and coherent way offers the strongest approach
to enable countries to achieve their objectives efficiently
and quickly under the Paris Agreement and the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development.