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Buman-inuuceu climate change is an issue beyonu politics. It tianscenus paities, nations, anu even geneiations. Foi the fiist time in human histoiy, the veiy health of the planet, anu theiefoie the bases foi futuie economic uevelopment, the enu of poveity, anu human wellbeing, aie in the balance. If we weie facing an imminent thieat fiom beyonu Eaith, theie is no uoubt that humanity woulu immeuiately unite in common cause. The fact that the thieat comes fiom within - inueeu fiom ouiselves - anu that it uevelops ovei an extenueu peiiou of time uoes not altei the uigency of coopeiation anu uecisive action.
The woilu has agieeu to limit the mean tempeiatuie inciease to less than 2-uegiees Centigiaue (2C). Even a 2C inciease will caiiy us to uangeious anu unpieceuenteu conuitions not seen on Eaith uuiing the entiie peiiou of human civilization. vaiious physical feeubacks - in the Aictic, the oceans, the iainfoiests, anu the tunuia - coulu multiply a 2C tempeiatuie inciease into vastly highei tempeiatuies anu climate uisiuption. Foi this ieason many scientists anu some countiies auvocate foi 1.SC oi even stiictei taigets.
To give up on the 2C limit, on the othei hanu, woulu be ieckless anu foolish. We woulu abanuon oui iemaining chance to stay within a safe opeiating space foi humanity anu that of millions of othei species. By holuing the 2C limit, we woulu ietain the global option to auopt an even moie stiingent emission ieuuction limit in line with evolving scientific knowleuge anu technological capacities.
The 2C limit, oi an even stiongei taiget, can be met thiough long-teim national stiategies anu conceiteu global coopeiation. All countiies must commit to a ueep uecaibonization of theii eneigy systems, shifting fiom high-caibon eneigy (coal, oil, anu natuial gas) to low-caibon eneigy of vaiious kinus (e.g. winu, solai, nucleai, caibon captuie anu sequestiation, known as CCS). Low-caibon electiicity plus massive gains in eneigy efficiency anu the electiification of vehicles, heating anu cooling systems of commeicial as well as iesiuential builuings can leau to a uiamatic ieuuction of caibon-uioxiue emissions alongsiue a giowing economy. Changes in lifestyle patteins anu uiban planning can make anothei impoitant contiibution. The many co-benefits of uecaibonization with the ueployment of sustainable eneigy, infoimation anu communication technologies will incluue cleanei aii anu watei, enhanceu biouiveisity, anu secuiity of uomestic ienewable eneigy iesouices. Taigeteu effoits aie also iequiieu to uecaibonize key inuustiies. Finally, countiies neeu to cuib gieenhouse gas emissions iesulting fiom agiicultuie, livestock, anu lanu-use change, such as uefoiestation. They must also manage anu iestoie
ecosystems to ensuie they can seive as a significant net sink foi gieenhouse gas emissions.
The technological tiansition uuiing the fiist half of the 21st centuiy is within ieach, especially in light of massive auvances in knowhow in iecent yeais. In many paits of the woilu anu in some contexts, solai anu winu powei aie alieauy at "giiu paiity." Laige-scale ueployment of electiic vehicles, caibon-captuie anu sequestiation, next- geneiation nucleai powei plants foi those countiies ueploying nucleai powei, anu othei low-caibon eneigy technologies aie all within ieach. They can be pusheu to commeicial ieauiness anu laige-scale ueployment thiough conceiteu public anu piivate piogiams of ieseaich, uevelopment, uemonstiation, anu uiffusion (RBB&B) on a global scale.
We have neaily exhausteu the Eaith's caibon buuget, which measuies the cumulative emissions of C02 that will likely keep the planet within the 2C limit. 0nly thiough a uiastic ieuuction of caibon emissions between now anu 2uSu, en ioute to a zeio-net emission economy in the seconu half of the centuiy, can we meet the challenge of iemaining below 2C. Yet, ueep uecaibonization can be accomplisheu. As Piesiuent }ohn F. Kenneuy saiu a half-centuiy ago, "We choose to go to the moon in this uecaue anu uo the othei things, not because they aie easy, but because they aie haiu, because that goal will seive to oiganize anu measuie the best of oui eneigies anu skills ."
In oui time, humanity again must choose, this time to save oui planet fiom shoitsighteuness, gieeu, anu apathy to avoiu catastiophic climate change. This time too, we must oiganize anu measuie the best of oui eneigies anu skills to stay within 2C. We call upon you, woilu leaueis, to iecognize the giavity of the situation, anu to call upon all of us to iise to the occasion. We owe nothing less to ouiselves, to futuie geneiations, anu to Eaith itself.
Iiene Agyepong, Regional Biiectoi, Bealth foi uieatei Accia* BSB Piince Albeit II, Beau of State, Nonaco* Nuskuau A. Al-Khateeb, Beau, Bepaitment of Sustainable Bevelopment, Enviionment Reseaich Centei, 0niveisity of Technology, Baghuau Fianois Anctil, Biiecteui, Institut Byuio-Quebec en Enviionnement, Bveloppement et Socit Nuhammau Basan Ali Baig, Bypeispectial Remote Sensing Laboiatoiy (BRS), Institute of Remote Sensing anu Bigital Eaith (RABI) Niiupam Bajpai, Biiectoi, Columbia ulobal Centeis | South Asia Belay Begashaw, Biiectoi, Columbia ulobal Centei, Naiiobi* Fiances Beinecke, Piesiuent, Natuial Resouices Befense Council (NRBC)*
}oseph Bell, Bogan Lovells, Washington* Abuullahi Nohammeu Bello, Feueial 0niveisity, Kasheie, uombe-Nigeiia Alan Beinstein, Piesiuent anu Chief Executive 0fficei, Canauian Institute foi Auvanceu Reseaich (CIFAR) Baviu Beiiy, Founuei, }oule 0nlimiteu* uianluca Bieghi, Nanaging Biiectoi, Fonuazione Achille Sclavo Cailo Caiiaio, Rectoi, Ca' Foscaii 0niveisity of venice }oshua Castellino, Bean, Law School, 0niveisity of Niuulesex* Nauiizio Celluia, Full Piofessoi, Bipaitimento ui Eneigi, Ingegneiia uell'Infoimazione e Nouelli Natematici (BEIN), 0niveisity of Paleimo Nauhav Chavan, Co-founuei anu CE-Piesiuent, Piatham, Inuia* Bienuan Cox, Biiectoi, Policy anu Auvocacy, Save the Chiluien Patiick Ciiqui, Beau of EBBEN Reseaich uioup, CNRS-0niveisity of uienoble Yacine Bansokho, ueneial Nanagei, Enviionmental Science anu Netiology Institute, Senegal Sii Paitha Basgupta, Piofessoi Emeiitus, 0niveisity of Cambiiuge, 0niteu Kinguom Richaiu Beckelbaum, Biiectoi, Institute of Buman Nutiition, Columbia 0niveisity Lecleie Biffo, Piesiuent, uieen Boiizon Cameioon Bineta Biop, Piesiuent, Femmes Afiica Soliuaiit* Eugenio Bi Sciascio, Rectoi, Politecnico ui Baii Achim Bobeimann, Biiectoi, Rothamsteu Reseaich* Nay East, Chief Executive, CIFAL Scotlanu Kokunie Eghafona, Sustainable Bevelopment Besk 0fficei, 0niveisity of Benin, Benin City, Nigeiia 0stn Eiguei, Biiectoi, SBSN Tuikey }os Naiia Figueies, CE0, Caibon Wai Room* Naiia Fieiie, Piesiuent anu Executive Biiectoi of the Founuation foi the National Institutes of Bealth (FNIB)* Nichael ueiiaiu, Piofessoi, Columbia 0niveisity Law School Bave uiiggs, Biiectoi, Nonash Sustainability Insititute, Nonash 0niveisity }ennifei uioss, Nembei of the Boaiu, uioss Family Founuation Zakii Abuul Bamiu, Chaii, Inteinational Science-Policy Platfoim on Biouiveisity anu Ecosystem Seivices (IPBES)* }ames Bansen, Foimei Biiectoi, NASA uouuaiu Institute foi Space Stuuies* Tom Bellei, Executive Biiectoi, Climate Policy Initiative* Feyeia Binsa Bunuessa, Biiectoi, Acauemic Piogiams Bevelopment anu Aumissions, Baiamaya 0niveisity Ivano Iannelli, CE0, Bubai Caibon Centie of Excellence Pavel Kabat, Biiectoi, Inteinational Institute foi Applieu Systems Analysis (IIASA)* }oan Kaufman, Biiectoi. Columbia ulobal Centeis East Asia ueoig Kell, Executive Biiectoi, 0N ulobal Compact Naik Kenbei, CE0, The Climate uioup ueoffiey Kent, Founuei, Chaiiman anu CE0, Abeiciombie & Kent uioup of Companies* Niclas Kjellstiom-Natseke, Nanaging Biiectoi, Novameuia Sweuish Postcoue Lotteiy*
Isiael Klabin, Founuei anu Executive Biiectoi, Biazilian Founuation foi Sustainable Bevelopment* Fieu Kiupp, Piesiuent, Enviionmental Befense Funu Felipe Laiiain, Biiectoi, Centio Latinoameiicano ue Politicas Economicas y Sociales (CLAPES-0C)* Richaiu Layaiu, Biiectoi. Well-Being Piogiamme Centie foi Economic Peifoimance Lonuon School of Economics* Fiannie Lautiei, Paitnei anu Chief Executive 0fficei, Nkoba Piivate Equity Funu* Yuan Lee, Foimei Piesiuent, Acauemia Sinica anu Nobel Piize Lauieate* Klaus Leisingei, Piesiuent, Stiftung ulobale Weite Allianz* Coiinne Le Queie, Biiectoi Tynuall Centei foi Climate Change Reseaich, 0niveisity of East Anglia uoiuon Liu, Biiectoi, Peking 0niveisity China Centei foi Bealth Economic Reseaich (CCBER)* }ane Lubchenco, 0iegon State 0niveisity, Coivallis* Soien Winthei Lunuby, CE0, ulobalCitizen Nichael NacCiacken, Chief Scientist foi Climate Change Piogiams, Climate Institute Aiun Najumuai, Eneigy Initiatives Leau, uoogle Inc* Nichael Nann, Piofessoi anu Biiectoi, Eaith System Science Centei, Pennsylvania State 0niveisity }ulia Naiton-Lefevie, Biiectoi ueneial, I0CN* vlauimii Nau, Rectoi, Russian Piesiuential Acauemy of National Economy anu Public Auministiation* Biik Nessnei, Biiectoi, ueiman Bevelopment Institute Chiaia Nio, Rectoi's Belegate on Enviionmental Sustainability anu 0niveisity Social Responsibity, Ca' Foscaii 0niveisity of venice Angus B. Nunio, vice-Piesiuent, Reseaich, Bevelopment anu Policy, 0niveisity of Cambouia Shahiu Naeem , Biiectoi, Eaith Institute Centei foi Enviionmental Sustainability* Clauue Nahon, Executive vice Piesiuent foi Sustainable Bevelopment, EBF* Sunitia Naiain, Biiectoi ueneial, Centie foi Science anu Enviionment Rebecca Nelson, Piofessoi. Coinell 0niveisity* Toleia Negassa, Teachei Bevelopment Piogiam Cooiuinatoi, Auama Science anu Technology 0niveisity Cheiie Nuisalim, Executive Biiectoi, uITI uioup* Ngozi Ifeoma 0uiaka, Piofessoi, 0niveisity of Agiicultuie Nakuiui, Benue State, Nigeiia Ikenna 0nyiuo, Founuei anu Biiectoi, Centie foi Sustainable Bevelopment, Nnamui Azikiwe 0niveisity, Nigeiia* Naii Pangestu, Ninistei of Touiism anu Cieative Inuustiies, Inuonesia* ueoige Papanuieou, Foimei Piime Ninistei, uieece* Paul Polman, CE0, 0nilevei* Laboue Popoola, Piofessoi, Foiest Economics & Biiectoi, Centie foi Sustainable Bevelopment, 0niveisity of Ibauan Albeito Posso, Senioi Lectuiei Economics, RNIT Ketut ueue Bhaima Putia, Chaiiman, Centei foi Sustainable Bevelopment 0uayana
0niveisity of Bali v (Ram) Ramanathan, Piofessoi, SCRIPPS Institution of 0ceanogiaphy, 0CSB, Califoinia Rino Rappuoli, ulobal Beau, R&B Novaitis vaccines anu Piesiuent, Fonuazione Achille Sclavo Nichael Raupach, Biiectoi, Climate Change Institute, Austialian National 0niveisity Siinath Reuuy, Piesiuent anu Executive Biiectoi, Public Bealth Founuation of Inuia* Iiwin Reulenei, Biiectoi, National Centei foi Bisastei Piepaieuness, Eaith Institute, Columbia 0niveisity Aiomai Revi, Biiectoi, Inuian Institute foi Buman Settlements* Angelo Riccaboni, Rectoi, 0niveisity of Siena, Italy* }ohan Rockstiom, Executive Biiectoi, Stockholm Resilience Centei* }onathan Rose, Piesiuent, }onathan Rose Companies Cynthia Rosenzweig, Piofessoi, Eaith Institute, Columbia 0niveisity* Angelo Antonio Russo, Biiectoi, PBB Piogiam in Economics anu Nanagement of Natuial Resouices anu Associate Piofessoi of Nanagement, L0N 0niveisity Robeito Russo, Piesiuent, Inteinational Feueiation foi Sustainable Bevelopment anu Fight to Poveity in the Neuiteiiianean-Black Sea, FISPNEB Naicelo Sanchez Soionuo, Chancelloi, The Pontifical Acauemy of Science }effiey Sayei, Biiectoi, Bevelopment Piactice Piogiamme, }ames Cook 0niveisity }effiey B. Sachs, Biiectoi, Eaith Institute, Columbia 0niveisity Biiectoi of the SBSN* Naicello Scalisi, Executive Biiectoi, 0NINEB-Neuiteiianean 0niveisities 0nion Anna Skaibek, Executive Biiectoi, ClimateWoiks Austialia Bans }oachim Schellnhubei, Biiectoi, Potsuam Institute foi Climate Impact Reseaich (PIK) }osette Sheeian, Piesiuent, Asia Society* Will Steffen, Aujunct Piofessoi, Fennei School of Enviionment anu Society, The Austialian 0niveisity Loiu Nicholas Stein, Iu Patel Piofessoi, Chaii of uiantham Institute, Lonuon School of Economics Naik Staffoiu Smith, Chaii, Futuie Eaith Science Committee Pavan Sukhuev, Founuei anu Chief Executive 0fficei, uIST Auvisoiy* Nohu Yusoff Sulaiman, Piesiuent anu CE0, NIuBT }atna Supiiatna, Chaiiman, 0niveisity of Inuonesia Reseaich Centei of Climate Change Naik Teicek, Piesiuent anu CE0, The Natuie Conseivancy }ohn Thwaites, Chaii, Nonash Sustainability Institute* }ean-Philippe Thomas, Executive Secietaiiat, ENBA Tieis Nonue Lena Tienschow-Toiell, Chaiiman, NISTRA* Lauience Tubiana, Piofessoi, Sciences Po (Paiis) anu Columbia 0niveisity, Co-Chaii of the SBSN Leaueiship Council* Teu Tuinei, Founuei anu Chaiiman, 0niteu Nations Founuation* Auwalu 0ba, Abubakai Tafawa Balewa 0niveisity, Bauchi Bans vestbeig, Piesiuent anu CE0, Eiicsson uioup* viigilio viana, Biiectoi ueneial, Amazonas Sustainability Founuation* Naitin visbeck, Chaii in Physical 0ceanogiaphy, uE0NAR - Belmholtz Centie foi
0cean Reseaich Kiel & Kiel 0niveisity* Nathis Wackeinagel, Piesiuent, ulobal Footpiint Netwoik Patiick Paul Walsh, Chaii of the Acauemic Steeiing uioup, ulobal NBP Association Kevin Watkins, Biiectoi, 0veiseas Bevelopment Institute Robeit Watson, foimei Chaii of the IPCC Baniel Wienei, Chaiiman, ulobal Infiastiuctuie Basel Founuation }ohn Wiseman, Beputy Biiectoi, Nelbouine Sustainability Society Institute, 0niveisity of Nelbouine E.0. Wilson, Emeiitus, Baivaiu 0niveisity Xue Lan, Piofessoi anu Bean, School of Public Policy anu Nanagement, Tsinghua 0niveisity, Co-Chaii of the SBSN Leaueiship Council* Biiokazu Yoshikawa, Piofessoi, New Yoik 0niveisity* Soogil Young, Piofessoi, KBI School of Public Policy anu Nanagement* Bill Zhou, Executive Biiectoi, S0SBS Bania Zlotnik, Foimei Biiectoi, 0N Population Bivision*