A detailed explainer on the upcoming UN Summit of the Future: Environment, Climate Change, SDGs and much more
The Summit of the Future is an annual conference organised by the United Nations. This year it is going to be held on the 20th and 21st of September. The conference will see global participation of world leaders and there will be discussion on political and economic realities on a global scale.
The discussion will be on to adopt the Pact of the Future and will include a Global Digital Compact along with a declaration on future generations as annexes. There will be negotiation and discussions among the various member countries after which the policies and terms will be endorsed by selected members globally.
Idea of the Summit
The idea of starting an annual summit was proposed in the United Nations Common Agenda Report. The report was a response by the UN Secretary General to a call by the Member States for ideas on how to better respond to current and upcoming challenges by creating the 2030 Agenda, a plan of action agreed upon by all the member states for the prosperity of the planet, its people and overall peace in accordance with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) mentioned in the United Nations Charter that was released 79 years ago in San Francisco, California, USA.
Aim and Objectives of Conducting the Summit
The summit is being convened keeping in mind two main reasons. One is for accelerating growth in efforts to meet international commitments of the United Nations especially in the sector of climate change mitigation and adaptation along with food and safety security of children and women along with a special focus on the Sustainable Development Goals.
The other aim is to take concrete steps to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities like adaptation to green energy to reduce the carbon emission that is caused by burning fossil fuels. The UN has a Carbon Free world mark by 2040 but that is far from reality as of now due to the prevalence of fossil fuels needed in various nations although the conversion to green and cleaner fuels are on full swing in most of the developed and developing nations.
Importance of the Summit
The United Nations Summit of the Future is very important as its actions are focussed on eradicating poverty and hunger. Global emissions of CO2 are at their highest now increasing the level of greenhouse gases effect along with increase of human migration and socio economic crisis. Threats such as climate crisis, conflicts, food and security, weapons of mass destruction, health crisis and pandemics are also growing day by day and this has to be reduced. To do all this, the discussion in the summit will be required.
