FOREWORD
The immediate impacts of climate change are clearwhen we consider the destruction that extreme weather brings to families, communities, economies and infrastructure. The long-term impacts of climate change, however, are much more extensive and are connected to almost all significant challenges that humanity faces.
The Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are designed to address those challenges. Adopted in 2015, they provide a clear direction, outline a path forward and focus on an endpoint in the second half of this century when we will have achieved success. Both are ambitious in scope, but necessary for the long-term health and well-being of all people.
To achieve success, we must have broad-based concerted action at all levels of society. This includes the public and private sectors, various coalitions and the cooperation of several other key actors. One factor that is vital to success includes South–South and triangular cooperation. Complementary to more traditional North–South cooperation, this is an exciting way forward.
These innovative ways of cooperation have already proven instrumental in equipping developing countries with the knowledge and skills to develop, deploy and diffuse climate change mitigation and adaptation technologies, helping to advance implementation of their nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
I welcome the joint efforts of the UNFCCC Technology Executive Committee and the United Nations Office for South–South Cooperation to showcase good practices in climate technology cooperation. Their work also highlights viable models of South–South and triangular cooperation for replication and scaling up at the global level.
We know that we need all segments of society to pull together in combating climate change. We must learn from each other, listen to each other and explore new opportunities. Most of all, we need to take concerted, scalable climate action together.
Let’s continue working together to build a future that is cleaner, greener and more prosperous for all.
Patricia Espinosa
UNFCCC Executive Secretary
