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Every month, ever more countries are transforming their pledges into national climate-action plans. Cities and businesses are also taking a lead. And why? They not only recognise the threat, they also see the clear benefits of working to limit global temperature rise.And they are evidence that, even if some national governments backtrack on commitments, the combined efforts of sub-national authorities, business and civil society will create an unstoppable momentum. They know that climate action is not only the right thing to do, it is good for business and the bottom line. Not only is action now far cheaper than the cost of inaction, it can unlock vast potential economic growth in all regions and for all people. And this is my second point. Tackling climate change is a tremendous opportunity. That is why we see almost daily announcements being made by countries, ranging from renewable energy projects to climate-related laws, designed to keep temperature rise well below 2 degrees and as close to 1.5 degrees as possible. And that will only be achieved by massive action.In March, Singapore announced plans to introduce a carbon tax in 2019 to cut emissions and spur clean technology and innovation. And, while the G20 finance ministers recently omitted to mention climate change, I understand that carbon pricing will be a key part of the G20 Summit in Germany in a few months’ time.In March we also learned that solar power grew 50 per cent in 2016, with China and the United States in the lead. Globally, investment has grown by a factor of six in a decade to almost US$300 billion dollars. The acceleration has been particularly striking in emerging economies. Around the world, over half of new power generation capacity now comes from renewables. In Europe, the figure is more than 90 per cent. In the United States and China, new renewable energy jobs now outstrip those created in the oil and gas industries. Globally, over 8 million people work in the renewables sector.This year, Saudi Arabia announced plans to install 700 megawatts of solar and wind power. The Asian Development Bank has signed a new US$109 million-dollar financing package for geothermal power generation in western Indonesia supported by Japan. And industry experts predict India’s solar capacity will double in 2017 to 18 gigawatts.So the trend is clear, the world is moving towards a green economy. Governments and business increasingly understand that there is no trade-off between a healthy environment and a healthy economy. We can have both. Green business is good business.Renewables are one example. Energy efficiency is another. The International Energy Agency has identified that investing in energy efficiency could boost cumulative economic global output by US$18 trillion dollars. This is more than the total outputs of the United States, Canada and Mexico combined. As we work towards Sustainable Development Goal 7 to provide clean, affordable and efficient energy for all, it is clear that the world will need to invest massively. Estimates predict future spending on energy infrastructure alone will total some US$37 trillion dollars. So, given the facts about youth unemployment, air pollution and climate change, surely it is common sense to put that money where it will create the most jobs, deliver the biggest health care savings and have the most impact on global warming. In other words, it makes sense to invest in combatting climate change for a sustainable future. If we want to protect forests and life on land, safeguard our oceans, create massive economic opportunities, prevent even more massive losses and improve the health and well-being of people and the planet, we have one simple option staring us in the face.Climate action is a necessity. It is also a clear opportunity to advance all our efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. How we go about it can be the subject of scientific and political debate. But there is no question that we must act, urgently and decisively, now. That was the verdict of all the world’s governments in Paris in December 2015. And it remains the only viable way to safeguard peace, prosperity and a sustainable future. ■The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres delivered the above remarks at the High-Level Meeting on Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Agenda on 27 March 2017 at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA. For more information visit: www.un.org.Pictured: António GuterresAbout the Author:António Guterres, the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations, took office on 1st January 2017.Having witnessed the suffering of the most vulnerable people on earth, in refugee camps and in war zones, the Secretary-General is determined to make human dignity the core of his work, and to serve as a peace broker, a bridge-builder and a promoter of reform and innovation.SUMMATION 117