Climate Diplomacy Day – Guest post by Sir David King

September is turning into a busy month in the international climate change calendar this year.  On 23 September, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon will gather world leaders in New York at a climate summit to showcase action on climate change worldwide, and demonstrate international commitment to a global climate deal in 2015.  Next week, the Global Commission will launch its New Climate Economy report which will give an updated picture on the economic benefits of early action on climate change.  And today, British Embassies and High Commissions around the world are marking a day of Climate Diplomacy , together with German and French colleagues, highlighting the importance of our international partnerships, demonstrating successful climate projects, and emphasising the need for ongoing climate action.

All this activity is happening because climate change is real. It’s important. It’s urgent. It affects us all, increasingly directly and tangibly. It is inextricably linked with the other 21^st century challenges of water, food and energy resources, of conflict, and of health and development. And it therefore requires action from all sectors – governments, businesses, civil society – and in all parts of the globe.

Rising populations – particularly urban populations – and consumption will exacerbate the pressure on our world’s resources, and without a transformation in approach will jeopardise our chances of keeping global temperature rises below 2°C on 1990 levels and of avoiding dangerous climate change. Sustainable development and climate smart urbanisation are therefore crucial to avoid substantial costs and climate impacts in the future.

But green development in cities can also generate significant business opportunities and stimulate technological innovation. In Brazil, much is being done to prepare cities for the impacts of climate change and explore a low carbon future. For example, the City Hall in Rio de Janeiro has designed the Plano Rio Resiliente, a series of preventive actions to help minimize the impacts of rainfall and consequently landslides in the city.Elsewhere in Latin America the UK-German NAMA Facility is supporting the development of climate mitigation projects to facilitate the transition to low carbon, energy efficient housing, transport and agricultural systems.

As we face this immense challenge, coordinated action is paramount. That’s why the UK’s diplomatic network around the world is today marking what is already being done in partnership with developing countries, why we integrate climate considerations into our foreign and development policies, and why ongoing climate action and a global deal in Paris next year are so vital.

Sir David King has published over 500 papers on science and policy, for which he has received numerous awards, and holds 22 Honorary Degrees from universities around the world. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1991, a Foreign Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2002 and knighted in 2003, Sir David was also made an Officier of the French Legion d’Honneur’ in 2009, for work which has contributed to responding to the climate and energy challenge. Sir David is the UK’s Special Representative on Climate Change since 2013.