Distinguished Chairs,
Madam Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Distinguished Colleagues,

1. I am pleased to deliver these remarks on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, at the opening of the Climate Dialogues.

2. I highly commend the Executive Secretary and the SBSTA and SBI Chairs for their foresight in arranging this series of Dialogues, which seek to build on the work of the June Momentum in advancing the implementation of activities mandated for 2020.

3. The Climate Dialogues could not be timelier. We are poised on a precipice and much is at stake, as climate change continues to carve a destructive path across the globe.

4. We all need to be reminded that maintaining a “business as usual” approach, doing nothing’, or backsliding on our commitments, are not options. We also cannot be indifferent to its effect in undermining the development gains of our countries, even as we strive to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its seventeen Sustainable Development Goals.

5. And as if in a macabre twist, the world now deals with the economic, social and environmental impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic. Now more than ever, we must come together to fashion solutions that go beyond narrow national interests, and build the future we want for people, planet and prosperity.

6. A good place to start is by re-building trust in our multilateral institutions with the United Nations at the centre.

Distinguished colleagues,

7. The G-77 and China shares the view that with strong and deliberate policy choices and the provision of financial and technological resources, it is possible to stabilize Greenhouse Gases and ‘decarbonize’ our economies. At our recent Annual Meeting, Ministers emphasized that developed countries must continue to take the key leading role on mitigation by undertaking and increasing economy-wide absolute emission reduction targets for their pledges and nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

8. In this regard, adequate capacity-building, transfer of technology and financing support for developing countries, according to historic responsibilities and common but differentiated responsibilities, are critical and should be based on and respond to national needs, while fostering country ownership.

9. For many developing countries access to finance continues to be the major stumbling block. We call on all partners to live up to the annual pledge of 100 billion dollars by 2020 to tackle the climate challenge. Furthermore, additional and scaled up finance that is secure, predictable and sustainable is crucial for developing countries in the post-2020 context.

10. Much work remains to be done in the lead-up to COP 26. It is our hope that these Climate Dialogues will help forge a common consensus on many of issues before us, for a successful outcome next year.

Thank you.