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in the period 2014-20, as well as innovative financial instruments like the European Fund for Strategic Investments, which aims to mobilise at least half a trillion euro in investments by 2020, with sustainability as a key focus.In addition to acting decisively at home, the EU continues to provide support to developing countries and work with its international partners to turn the global climate challenge into an opportunity for transforming our economies and societies for the better. Climate change is not going away, and in today’s economically and politically turbulent times, shared climate leadership is needed more than ever. ■ABOUT THE AUTHORMiguel Arias Cañete is the European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, and has served in this role since 1 November 2014. Mr Cañete is the first Commissioner with a single responsibility for those two policy areas. He oversees the EU Directorates General for Climate and Energy, which have remained two separate entities. Mr Cañete studied law at the Complutense University of Madrid and after graduating in 1974 he joined the Spanish Civil Service working as a State Attorney. In 1978, he became a professor of Law at the University of Cadiz. In 1982 he left his teaching post as was elected a member of the Parliament of Andalusia until 1986. After serving in the Andalusian parliament, he became a Member of the European Parliament upon Spain’s accession to the EU in 1986. He stayed until 1999, heading the Committees on Agriculture and Regional Development. Mr Cañete served as Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries of Spain from 2000 until 2004. He also served as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment in the Spanish Government from 2011 until 2014, before being selected to head his Party List in the European Parliamentary elections.“THE EUROPEAN UNION HAS LONG BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE ACTION AND IS COMMITTED TO STAY IN THE LEAD ”Above: Miguel Arias CañetePhoto Credit: European Union 2016/Jennifer JacquemartG7 MEMBER STATES 037