Ávarp Katrínar Jakobsdóttur forsætisráðherra á leiðtogafundi um loftslagsmál á allsherjarþingi Sameinuðu þjóðanna í New York 20. september 2023

Dear colleagues.

This year is the year of climate disasters. The paradise island of Maui turned into a hellish inferno. The desert city of Derna, battered by a catastrophic flood, costing thousands of lives.

Global sea surface temperatures are at record highs.  The sea ice around Antarctica is at an all-time low and, in the Arctic, the ice cap and glaciers continue to melt.

We are not in an era of global warming, but global boiling – as the Secretary General has pointed out.

In Iceland we have many positives. We have 100% renewable energy for heating and electricity. We take pride in science-backed new projects in carbon capture and other fields. We export our know-how in clean energy, emphasizing a just and inclusive transition. We have put into legislation that Iceland should become carbon-neutral no later than 2040. But we can and we need to do much more.

My Government will not issue any licenses for oil exploration in Iceland's exclusive economic zone. We are making the shift to renewables in our transport system. We are subsidizing new technologies to accelerate the green transition. We are heading for a future where non-renewables should not be an option.

With a legislation on the circular economy we are recycling more. We are integrating the principles of the wellbeing economy into our budget, measuring more than only economic growth. As Ursula von der Leyen said, if you want something done, you have to measure it. Business sectors are setting their own emission targets. We have a successful history of land restoration and reforestation, and ambitious goals for the future.

Internationally, Iceland will double its support to the Green Climate Fund for the second replenishment period and we will contribute to the financing of Early warnings for all. The climate is central to Iceland´s development policy and will feature even more prominently in our plan for the next four years. In recent years my Government has gradually increased total contributions for development co-operation and we aim for a further increase. We will continue to emphasize the enormous potential of blue food in providing healthy nutrition while lowering carbon emissions.  

Let me also remind you that SDG5 on gender equality is an enabler and a multiplier for all other SDGs, and thus for meaningful climate action. Empowering women and girls is key to resolving many of our challenges and Iceland will continue to do its share for gender equality locally and globally.

We need a frank stocktake and fresh urgency at COP28.We need tangible results from the Summit of the Future and clear guidelines to phase out fossil fuels and for financial mechanisms to finance climate action. Climate inaction is unacceptable. 

Change is hard but change we must. We have time, but not much time. Past alerts are today´s shocking facts. Present warnings will be tomorrow‘s cascading disasters if we do not accelerate climate action and implement systemic change.

Iceland will do its part.

I thank you.