Clean energy & other topics - Daily Briefing (28 August 2020)

Briefing by Reem Abaza, Spokesperson for the President of the 74th Session of the General Assembly. Highlights: International Day against nuclear testing GA 31st Special Session Security Council Reform Security Council Report Daily Press Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General. Highlights: Climate Syria Middle East Lebanon Security Council Dr. Denis Mukwege/Threats Democratic Republic of Congo/Measles Madagascar COVID-19/Myanmar Pakistan Floods/Ethiopia and Sudan International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances Women's Town Hall Financial Contribution CLIMATE Earlier this morning, the Secretary-General delivered the 19th Darbari Seth Memorial Lecture in India. In his remarks, the Secretary-General stressed that clean energy and closing the energy access gap are good business and that they are the ticket to growth and prosperity. He said continued support for fossil fuels in so many places around the world is deeply troubling and reiterated his call to all G20 countries, including India, to invest in clean, green transition as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. “This means ending fossil fuel subsidies, placing a price on carbon pollution and committing to no new coal after 2020,” he said. He also noted that in India, subsidies for fossil fuels are still some seven times more than subsidies for clean energy, and research on G20 recovery packages shows that twice as much recovery money has been spent on fossil fuels as clean energy. Mr. Guterres underscored that this strategy will only further economic contraction and damaging health consequences and urged for a clean recovery. He also called on India’s innovators, entrepreneurs and business leaders to spearhead the global search for a solution to solar cooking at the household level, and on the country’s leaders to adopt the policies necessary to combat climate change. SYRIA Just an update on the Syria talks, which, as you know, resumed in Geneva yesterday. The Small Body of the Syrian Constitutional Committee met again today and intends to meet again tomorrow. As the Special Envoy, Geir Pedersen, has noted, there is a clear agenda for this session, and the discussions have been constructive. He said that useful points have been raised. Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon...