Baku, Azerbaijan – November 13, 2024 – H.E. President Hilda C. Heine chaired the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) Leaders Event at the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29). The event, attended by key climate leaders and ministers, as well as the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, marked an important moment for the coalition as it reaffirmed its commitment to advancing ambitious climate action and ensuring the continued resilience of the Paris Agreement.
President Heine, in her opening remarks, praised the leadership of UN Secretary General António Guterres and other fellow leaders for their unwavering commitment to tackling the climate crisis. Reflecting on the historic achievements of the HAC since its formation in 2015, President Heine highlighted the coalition’s pivotal role in shaping the Paris Agreement and emphasized the need for renewed unity in the face of current challenges.
“The HAC first came together before Paris and played a key role in securing the 1.5°C temperature goal,” President Heine stated. “We were there when things looked bleak, and we held the line in difficult times, from Marrakech to Dubai. We must come together again now to ensure the climate negotiations continue to reflect the needs of the most vulnerable countries and communities.”
The High Ambition Coalition, which was founded and is convened by the Republic of the Marshall Islands, is a group of countries committed to advancing progressive climate proposals within the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Following the HAC Leaders Event, President Heine and her HAC colleagues held a HAC Press Conference, where they engaged with the media and addressed questions regarding the coalition’s continued efforts to drive climate action.
During today’s meeting, HAC members, alongside UN Secretary General Guterres, reaffirmed their resolve to deliver ambitious outcomes at COP29. Key to their discussions was the urgent need to increase financing for climate action, particularly for vulnerable countries already facing the impacts of climate change. The coalition emphasized the necessity of grant-based and concessional finance for adaptation and loss and damage, as well as the importance of creating an enabling environment for green investments to thrive.
Photo courtesy: Chewy Lin
