Statement delivered by Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, at the conclusive session of the ‘Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition’ at MICO Milano Congressi.
Signor Presidente della Repubblica,
Prime Minister Johnson,
President Fontana,
Mayor Sala,
All the delegates from all over the world,
Excellencies,
Young delegates,
I would like to thank all the young people who have worked so hard over the past few months, and especially over the past three days.
You represent the largest generation of youth in history.
Around 3 billion people below the age of 25 and, very importantly, the large majority from low-and middle-income countries.
This generation, your generation, has the most to lose from climate change.
And you know extremely well the dramatic consequences of global inequalities on poverty, malnutrition, access to health.
You are right to demand accountability and change.
Under current trends we are falling short of our promise to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.
And the pandemic and climate change have contributed to push nearly 100 million people into extreme poverty, bringing the total to 730 million people in extreme poverty.
The climate, health and food crises are deeply intertwined.
We must act faster – much faster – and more effectively to tackle all of them.
The ecological transition is not a choice – it is a necessity.
We only have two options ahead of us.
Either we face the costs of the transition now.
Or we act later – and pay the much higher price of a climate disaster.
The recovery from the pandemic is an opportunity to push our climate ambitions forward, and do it fairly.
And the State must be ready to help families and companies beat the short-term costs of the transition.
Italy is pulling out all the stops to ensure countries move in the right direction – and do it fast.
In Europe, we contributed to set up the “Next Generation EU” programme to ensure an equitable and sustainable recovery.
It sets the green transition as one of its three pillars, together with digitalisation and social inclusion.
Italy has earmarked 40% of the funds in our “Recovery Plan” to the ecological transition.
We aim to increase the share of renewable sources in our energy mix, make mobility more sustainable, improve the energy efficiency of our buildings, and safeguard biodiversity.
As G20 Presidency and co-chair of COP26 with the United Kingdom, we are pushing countries to honour their climate pledges and, in some cases, stand ready to make bolder ones.
If we want to be successful, all countries have to do their part, starting from the G20 ones.
The G20 includes countries that make up more than 80% of world GDP and over 75% of global emissions.
All major players and emitters are there.
In June, G20 Ministers of Education committed to promoting education for sustainable development in school curricula.
In July, the Energy and Climate Ministries in Naples committed to allocating large shares of their recovery plans to a green transition.
But we are aware that we have to do more – a lot more.
This is the aim of the Rome Summit that will take place at the end of October.
We want to achieve a G20 commitment about the need to keep 1.5°C within reach.
And we want to develop, we must develop, long-term strategies that are consistent with 1.5°C
At the same time, we need to fulfil the 100 billion dollars pledge to support developing countries.
Low- and middle-income economies are often more vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
And emissions in each area of the world inevitably affect the rest of the globe.
So, it is both a moral imperative to support their transition, and a pressing need.
We grown-ups have learnt what we have to do: mitigate, adapt, and raise funds to help poorer countries do the same.
But – more than anything else – we now have to do it.
We now have to act.
I firmly believe that we have a lot to learn from your ideas, suggestions and leadership.
And your pressure actually, your pressure is very welcome. We need to be whipped into action.
Your mobilization has been powerful, and rest assured: we are listening.
Thank you.
