President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and incoming Chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), Dr. Hilda C. Heine, on Wednesday, June 27, 2018 announced the first ever carbon-free online summit of world leaders on November 22, 2018.

The announcement, says the Climate Action Network (CAN), gives new hope that the world will attain a critical decision by all countries to step up ambition at the next climate talks in Katowice, Poland, in December.

“This decision is a critical outcome that CAN and its partners have been working towards as 2018 is a key year and dubbed as the ‘Step Up year’ or ‘trigger year’. It is the first important test of the Paris Agreement and the ratchet up mechanism constituting its core. For the Paris Agreement to reach its goal of keeping warming below 1.5C, countries must revise, update and enhance their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) every five years. The next round is 2020. But for countries to come prepared to submit new NDCs in 2020 they need to start the process with national consultations as early as January 2019,” says the group.

The CVF Summit comes after key international moments including the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS) and the release of the Special Report on 1.5C by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

At the GCAS non-state actors are expected to demonstrate what they are doing to curb emissions and keep warming in check and the release of the IPCC report is expected to tell governments that they need to do a lot more to reach the temperature goal of 1.5C, otherwise vulnerable countries and cities will suffer and face an ill fate.

“Warming beyond the limit set in Paris will threaten global security and the economy,” warns CAN. “The report will tell governments that transitioning to 100% renewable energy is the only road to salvation and to achieve optimum health, prosperity, jobs and security. The CVF Summit will come to stress this and it would be the time when at least 50 governments will demonstrate to the world that climate solutions exist, are possible to adopt and economically productive.”

Reacting to the development, climate stakeholders described the CVF Summit as the moment of leadership they have been waiting for.

California Governor, Edmund G. Brown Jr.: “President Heine will help carry the torch of climate action from this year’s Global Climate Action Summit to the United Nations Conference of the Parties in Poland this December.”

Hoesung Lee, Chair of the IPCC: The IPCC is working hard to complete the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5ºC, to be released in early October subject to approval. As IPCC Chair I am delighted to hear that the Climate Vulnerable Forum is organising its first carbon-free summit in November. I hope that our report will provide a valuable scientific evidence base for your discussions, as well as informing the negotiations at COP24 a couple of weeks later.”

Winnie Byanyima, Oxfam International Executive Director: “The countries least responsible for causing climate change are taking matters into their own hands. They are showing the rest of the world the way to fight climate change. This is the true spirit of the Paris Agreement, and the kind of leadership that people on the front lines of extreme weather demand.”

Jennifer Morgan, Greenpeace International Executive Director: “This Summit is a call to action for the world’s leaders to step up and prove that they’ve heard the voices of the world’s vulnerable and that they too will act with the responsibility and urgency demanded of them.

“It puts the biggest polluters to shame that the countries who will be hit hardest by climate change are also the ones leading the fight against global warming. Other countries need to wake up and act because our collective fate will be sealed by the actions taken today.”

Esther Watts, Country Director of CARE International in Ethiopia: “Climate change is a major development challenge in Ethiopia. How the country and,  its diverse peoples, communities, and households respond to the multi-faceted impacts of climate change determine Ethiopia’s prospects for growth and transformation, gender equality, and livelihood resilience and sustainability. Recognising this, the Government of Ethiopia, CARE and other development partners have been making considerable efforts to respond to climate change impacts. The CVF summit will be an important opportunity to raise awareness of climate actions taken, and to trigger further cooperation to scale them up.”

Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility: “It is the poorest and most vulnerable countries that are hit the hardest from climate change.  At this critical time, we all need to raise our climate ambition and the GEF is committed to transformational change.  We all share one planet in common, and in its new four-year investment strategy the GEF puts a strong emphasis on financing for Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States. The CVF Leaders’ Summit is an important opportunity to accelerate action towards a low carbon future.”

Elhadj As Sy, Secretary General, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): “The IFRC welcomes the announcement of the CVF Summit as an opportunity to bring greater attention to rising climate risks that are affecting the most vulnerable communities in the world. The impacts of climate change are here, now, and we will continue to see devastating humanitarian consequences unless urgent action is taken. For this reason we look forward to the Summit resulting in increased ambition, solidarity and urgency to build resilience and achieve all the goals of the Paris Agreement.”

Tomás Insua, Executive Director, Global Catholic Climate Movement: “The poor and future generations most suffer the consequences of climate change, even though they least contribute to its causes.  Plain and simple, this is an issue of justice. The nations that are most vulnerable to the climate crisis are calling for us to act, and our faith tells us that standing with them is a moral opportunity. Loving our neighbors is a courageous act. In response to Pope Francis’ call, we are committed to making the choices today that will step up our ambition and keep us below the 1.5 C degree threshold.”

Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, Leader of WWF’s global climate and energy programme: “Climate change is the greatest challenge facing our world, threatening the delicate web of life that sustains ecosystems and the lives and livelihoods of millions of people. Our leaders have the power to change this, to be part of history as we shift to a low-carbon world. This starts with increasing climate action reflected in individual country climate plans (or Nationally Determined Contributions, NDCs). So the Climate Vulnerable Forum Summit is a welcome initiative, coming at just the right time. In this year of stepping up climate action, world leaders need to be bold, to act now and at scale, to help ensure that they keep the promise of a 1.5°C degree world alive.”

May Boeve, 350.org Executive Director: “This is a powerful call to action that must resonate around the world. With their commitment to reach 100% renewable energy, climate vulnerable countries are leading the way to a fossil free future. Their bold actions put to shame the delay and denial we see from so many rich countries like the United States. The message from the Climate Vulnerable Forum is clear: if you’re still building fossil fuel projects, you’re endangering the very survival of these nations. No matter where we live, the climate movement stands in solidarity with all vulnerable communities who are on the frontlines of this crisis. Together, we can end the age of fossil fuels and create a just and sustainable world for all.”

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Patricia Espinosa, has said that the upcoming political phase of the Talanoa Dialogue to be held in December at the UN Climate Change Conference in Katowice, Poland, will be an unprecedented opportunity for visualising and realising a climate-safe future. Ms. Espinosa spoke at the EU for Talanoa Conference in Brussels, convened by the European Union

The Talanoa Dialogue and everything we’re doing in this crucial year leading up to COP24 in Poland – including your work here – is about greater confidence, courage and raising ambition.

Confidence that we have determination to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and that, in doing so, we will deliver a better future for all.

This includes for those who will be affected by the changes that need to be put in place.

Courage to take on the challenge, to work hard and to withstand the difficulties we may encounter in the road towards a low-emissions and climate-resilient future.

And, finally, enhance ambition, as a response to the fact that we are far from meeting the goals of Paris.

This means taking more action to reduce emissions and have those reflected in nationally-determined contributions.

This year, the Talanoa Dialogue has brought government and non-government actors together to share stories about climate change and climate action.

It’s about visualising the future and identifying ways to making it a reality.

The political phase of the dialogue is an unprecedented opportunity.

In it, ministers and non-Party leaders will take this information and generate the necessary political momentum to move forward.

The stories shared so far have been both concerning and encouraging.

They all make a strong case for enhancing ambition.

Some have described how the impacts of extreme weather are leading to loss of lives and livelihoods.

Small Island states, for example, have described the devastation caused by extreme weather events.

Counties in Africa have referred to the impact of drought on food security while, at the same time, urban centres are overwhelmed by flooding.

At the same time, we’ve been encouraged by stories from national and sub-national governments, businesses, civil society and others, on steps they are taking to address climate chance.

A broad area has been covered.

This includes policy, policy, regulatory frameworks and incentive programmes by governments.

It includes science-based targets by industries.

And it includes positive and active campaigns and programmers by civil society.

Equally encouraging were the stories not only about cooperation between governments, but also between governments and non-government actors.

These have focused on regulation, incentive programmes, research and finance.

Despite all this progress, the scientific community also has a story to tell.

And that’s the story of how our current ambition does not set us on track to limiting temperature rise well below 2C, and even less to below 1.5 C.

In fact, these stories raise the alarm of a world warming above 3-degrees Celsius, or more.

This is what underlies everything we do – this urgency that presses us forward, keeps us grounded in the present while looking to the future.

And that brings us a final set of stories describing the world we envisage.

These are inspiring stories – ones we look to draw both lessons and hope.

Stories describing countries or businesses that run 100% on renewable energy.

Stories about communities that have halted deforestation, stories about cities where electric vehicles are the norm and many more.

These stories share a similar message: citizens across the world demand a world free of greenhouse gas emissions.

And they believe such future is absolutely possible – with available and planned technologies.

The stories also reinforce the idea that no single individual or group can achieve the goals of Paris on its own.

If we act in isolation, we’ll never get to where we need to be. But if we work together, we can accomplish anything.

This is where the Talanoa Dialogue comes in. And, so far, it has been incredibly successful.

But now let’s look to where we go from here.

The political phase of the dialogue will take place at COP 24, through a series of meetings and round tables.

This is where all the information collected, including from meetings like this, will provide the base for discussions.

Its where, during the ministerial round tables, ministers, CEOs, heads of agencies and leaders from the civil society will consider the question of “how do we get there?”

This exercise will be the first of its kind.

It has the potential of generating the necessary courage, confidence and greater ambition on climate change action.

I am optimistic about this process.

The Presidencies, Poland and Fiji, have a great willingness and a great responsibility to lead the political discussions in the right direction…

…one that brings us all together and encourages all nations to act.

I also believe it’s a good opportunity to develop a common vision for the short term…

…one that connects important milestones such as the upcoming requirements for NDCs and long term strategies in 2020, and the first global stock take in 2023.

What should that vision include?

First, a strong determination to increase ambition in reducing emissions and increasing resilience in view of the current gap to meet the Paris Agreement’s goals.

We must remember that, in the context of the Paris Agreement, ambition is a global obligation.

Finance is another key area where we need a serious investment of ambition.

We need to increase the financing and investment needed to make our climate goals under the Paris Agreement happen, in line with the current financing pledges.

Government action through regulation will also be key to guide the transformation towards a low emissions and climate resilient society.

Such regulation should reflect what many businesses and citizens are calling for.

Technology cooperation, both for dissemination and research is equally important.

The vision should shed light on where countries should be putting their short and medium term efforts on technology dissemination and research.

Businesses will need clear signals and encouragement to act.

Ideally, the vision should point to near and medium term directions, building on what some businesses are already doing.

We also need signals to increase technical cooperation.

There is much to learn from each other as there are great challenges to be addressed. We should be able to identify where cooperation will yield best benefits in the few years to come.

Finally, we need to encourage the civil society to continue to be engaged and be a motor of the transformation.

This dialogue has been and must continue to be a process about our common aspirations and aims.

Let it continue to inspire our work and our ongoing vision. Not only to fulfil the goals of the Paris Agreement, or to increase ambition – although these are all very important but to help us achieve our ultimate goal, and that is to build a world that is cleaner, greener and more prosperous for all.

Britons enjoyed sweltering heat for the third day running on Tuesday, June 26, 2018 with temperatures reaching 30 degrees Celsius in Wales.

The temperature is possibly set to hit record June highs this week, the Meteorological Office said.

Twitter and Facebook were replete with dogs bathing in fountains and rivers, some even wearing sunglasses and hats.

The Meteorological Office said: “With temperatures into the low thirties over the next couple of days, there is a chance we could beat Northern Ireland’s all-time record of 30.8 degrees and Scotland’s June record of 32.2 degrees.”

Portmadog in North Wales was the hottest place at 30.6 degrees, with Tuesday in general only a shade below Monday’s highs, while temperatures are expected to peak on Thursday at around 32 degrees.

Britain’s highest-ever temperature for June was 35.6 C recorded in the southern port of Southampton in 1976.

A high pressure system is expected to stay over most of Britain into next week and health and emergency services are offering tips on staying cool.

Police were issuing open-water warnings to stop people tempted to bathe unsafely and several wildfires were reported in northern England.

The heatwave had yet to reach Scotland’s northernmost Shetland Islands, however, where temperatures were around 15 C and skies cloudy.

Shetland Library tweeted: “Went out for an ice cream at lunchtime, to celebrate that everyone ELSE in the country is having a #scorchio #heatwave.”