FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the purpose of the Global Climate Action Summit?
The Summit will bring together leaders from state and local governments, business, and citizens from around the world, to demonstrate how the tide has turned in the race against climate change, showcase climate action taking place around the world, and inspire deeper commitments from each other and from national governments.

What are the desired outcomes of the Global Climate Action Summit?
The Summit will help demonstrate how much progress has been made on climate action since 2015 and how more is needed. It will mobilize bold new commitments by non-state actors that will contribute to meeting the Paris Agreement. It will also demonstrate to national governments in the run-up to COP24 that stronger commitments are necessary, desirable and achievable. Summit participants are expected to make substantial climate commitments to support climate action in five key areas: Healthy Energy Systems, Inclusive Economic Growth, Sustainable Communities, Land and Ocean Stewardship and Transformative Climate Investments.

How do I attend the Global Climate Action Summit?
People everywhere are encouraged to participate in the hundreds of affiliate events taking place in the San Francisco Bay Area and throughout the world during the week of September 10-14th, including climate action panels, workshops, tours, exhibits and other special events. The full affiliate event schedule will be posted here this summer.

From September 12-14, you can virtually attend the Summit by streaming it live on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. In person, Summit attendance for the plenary and other high-level sessions is by invitation and will require accreditation. If you represent an organization ready to make a major climate commitment at the Summit, please send details about that proposed announcement by clicking here.

What are the key themes or focus areas of the Summit?

Healthy Energy Systems: A global shift toward clean and equitable energy and mobility systems advances climate progress and enable healthy people and places.
Inclusive Economic Growth: Climate leadership, and the clean technology and energy transition generate good jobs, broad-based economic opportunity, and inclusive, resilient growth.
Sustainable Communities: Sustainable buildings, cities, communities, and infrastructure are clean, healthy and livable and improve quality of life for all.
Land and Ocean Stewardship: Forests, food, lands and other ecosystems play a critical role in mitigating climate change and making our world more resilient, while also ensuring sufficient food supplies for a growing population.
Transformative Climate Investments: Investments are mobilized on the scale needed to achieve the Paris Agreement spur innovation and accelerate a clean and resilient economy.

Who is organizing the Global Climate Action Summit?
The Summit is a collaboration among several groups and individuals, representing the global spectrum of non-state actors. The co-chairs are Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., Michael Bloomberg, Patricia Espinosa, and Anand Mahindra—who each will help connect the event with their respective organizations. The Advisory Committee and its members will provide strategic guidance and input for the Summit, will engage the constituencies they represent for the Summit, and will help lead working groups to develop new outcomes for the Summit.

Mission 2020, convened by the former UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres, is working with the Governor’s Office to connect with experts and organizations to spur new and necessary commitments on climate leadership. The United Nations Foundation provides strategic, fundraising and communications support for the Summit.

Who will participate in the Global Climate Action Summit?
Leaders from across sectors and around the world will be invited to participate in the Summit in person or via remote connection including: states, and local governments; businesses and investors; civil society, members of the faith community and other influencers; national governments and tribes; and individuals committed to climate action.

What is the format and agenda for the Summit?
The Summit will commence on Wednesday, September 12 and conclude Friday, September 14. The agenda will include plenary and high-level thematic sessions with leaders from across the globe. Beyond the main agenda, the program will include Affiliate Events, workshops, exhibits, and other breakout events. The Summit will have dedicated spaces that will feature climate innovations, host members of the media, and provide a setting for community activities. The months preceding the Summit will feature “Road to” events organized and hosted by some of the groups partnering with the Summit, helping to generate momentum for climate action.

How does the Global Climate Action Summit relate to other high-level climate events this year?
This Summit will be a key gathering of the non-state actors and sub-national governments who are central to doing the work of meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement. The Summit will also build on the One Planet Summit hosted by French president Emmanuel Macron in December 2017, and build momentum for COP24, when the world’s leaders will gather in Poland to participate in the “stock-taking” of progress since the Paris Agreement was signed, as well as the Climate Summit being planned by United Nations Secretary General Guterres in 2019. This Summit will enable and support progress by national governments as they work towards their Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement—and enhance those commitments by 2020.

How can organizations get involved in the Global Climate Action Summit?
Additional information about Summit participation will be published on the Summit website and distributed to those who sign up for future updates. For organizations that wish to get involved in the Summit, participation will be tied to reporting on significant progress on past climate commitments, a demonstrated record of climate leadership, and new commitments that align with the Summit’s five core themes. Summit organizers will select event speakers with input from the Advisory Committee.

What is the role of the Global Climate Action Summit Co-Chairs?
The Co-Chairs are the conveners of the event, and they and their delegates are responsible for shaping its purpose, format, and overall curation. The Co-Chairs will leverage their voices and networks.

What is the role of the Advisory Committee?
The Advisory Committee, facilitated by Mission 2020, will support delivery of the five headline outcomes thematic areas and the commitments that participants will be making at the Summit. The Advisory Committee will support the development of an estimate of how much subnational and non-state actors have helped cut greenhouse gas emissions to date and show low-carbon transformation is occurring in businesses and communities. The members of the Advisory Committee provide input for the benefit of the Co-Chairs. They are:

Helen Clarkson, Chief Executive Officer, The Climate Group
Aron Cramer, President and Chief Executive Officer, BSR
Wael Hmaidan, Executive Director, Climate Action Network International
Mindy Lubber, President & CEO, Ceres
Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, Leader, Climate and Energy Practice, World Wildlife Federation International, and President of COP 20
Mark Watts, Executive Director, C40
Facilitator: Andrew Higham, CEO, Mission 2020