This Monday, the Empire State Building lit up in green as Climate Week (http://www.climateweeknyc.org/) kicked off in New York City. All across Manhattan, a number of climate-related events are taking place to direct the discussion towards an ambitious and binding agreement at the UNFCCC COP21 meeting in December in Paris. At the same time, the Sustainable Development Goals are a key topic of discussion in New York. On September 26, the United Nations will adopt the ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’.

Connect4Climate recognizes the inevitable link between these goals and the need to act on climate change and we are supporting action on both fronts in several ways. In June, Connect4Climate teamed up with the UN Foundation to organize the New Voices, New Vision +SocialGood event in Cape Town, where it became very clear that the SDGs could not be discussed without making reference to the need for climate action. I moderated the panel on climate change and was encouraged by the clear new vision presented by young South Africans for the need to deploy renewable energy and embrace all climate actions in their daily lives to help the global transition to a cleaner, greener economy.

The connect4climate team is #AngryAboutClimateChange to support the launch of Champion for Earth. Credit: Max Thabiso Edkins

Connect4Climate also formed partnerships that helped emphasize the link between the SDGs and climate change during Climate Week. We’re supporting the Angry Bird Tournament Champion for Earth organized by Rovio and Earth Day Network. The Angry Birds, currently the most downloaded game in the world, will be sure to make an impact on millions worldwide as it incorporates climate change messages into its seven-day tournament.

We will also continue with support messages for Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si” as the world’s eyes will be on him as he visits Washington DC, New York City, and Philadelphia, and brings his message to act on climate change to American leaders.

We’ll also be supporting the exciting activities around the launch of the SDGs, including Project Everyone, the Global Citizen Festival, the Social Good Summit, the Solutions Summit, and particularly the Climate Week NYC Signature event, where President of the World Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim, will add his support for climate action. 

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Credit: UN/Project Everyone

The year 2015 is an important one for development. Across the world, individuals and organizations are supporting the #Action2015 call to action. The need for ambitious climate action is closely linked to the 2030 sustainable development agenda. Climate change impacts all, the poor the most, and has a direct link to all topics of sustainable development – health, water, education and policy, and finance. The people directly affected in each of these areas often have no voice, and that is why Connect4Climate exists – to form a global partnership platform that communicates climate impacts and solutions.

Connect4Climate is encouraging the enthusiasm shown by country leaders, business leaders, regional and city leaders and individuals for a more sustainable future and we look forward to carrying this momentum forward to COP21 and beyond. The impetus for ambitious climate action is certainly there, renewables have taken off around the world, legal systems are increasingly in place to support climate action – and world leaders, from different faiths, countries, cities and businesses have all shown their support for an ambitious outcome in Paris. Join us along the way.