Governments, civil society, and the private sector participate inmeeting at the UNto discuss energy transition, climate finance, and international cooperation, in the face of the impacts of climate change on lives, economies, and human rights.
In the last 11 years, the Earth has recorded the highest temperatures in history and has temporarily exceeded the 1.5°C global warming limit set in the Paris Agreement.
Climate change is directly linked to the increase in poverty, hunger, and inequality. In 2024, disasters caused 45.8 million internal displacements, and the 55 most vulnerable countries accumulated losses of US$500 billion. In the2026 Climate Summit, leaders debate concrete actions to address this global problem.
The 1.5°C Milestone
Between 2023 and 2024, the annual average temperature reached 1.52°C above pre-industrial levels.
According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), extreme heat is the leading cause of mortality among all extreme weather events, with an estimated 489,000 deaths per year in the first decades of the 20th century.
Droughts, floods, and storms displace more than 20 million people annually, the main cause of forced migration in several regions.
Women and girls are the most affected, representing 4 in every 5 displaced persons and having 14 times more chances of dying in climate-related disasters.
By 2050, climate change will cause an additional 250,000 deaths per year due to malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
By the end of the century, the estimated warming is 2.3°C. This means more heat waves, greater food insecurity, and the risk of exceeding tipping points, such as glacier melting.
Energy transition is geopolitical security
The current national climate plans, NDCs, only need to reduce emissions by about 10% by 2035, when the necessary target is 60%.
This requires reducing emissions of short-lived pollutants such as methane, deforestation, and expanding the use of renewable energy.
Many companies falsely call themselves "net zero," a practice calledgreenwashing.
Geopolitical crises
The fashion industry is a prime example, responsible for 8% of global emissions, but with 60% of sustainability claims classified as unsubstantiated.
The energy transition must be accompanied by investments in modern infrastructure, such as power grids, as it is also a matter of security: three in every four people in the world live in countries dependent on the import of fossil fuels and are exposed to geopolitical crises.
Financing: climate justice at stake
Developing countries face high borrowing costs for clean energy projects, even though they have great solar and wind potential.
The UN General Assembly estimates that global investments in the area will reach US$ 3.4 trillion by 2026, with US$ 2.2 trillion alone for sustainable energies.
The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP30, set a goal of mobilizing US$1.3 trillion per year by 2035 and launched the Global Coalition, a Brazilian presidency initiative to unite governments, civil society, businesses, and citizens in addressing climate change.
International cooperation is considered the solution to financial and technological barriers. However, resources are still insufficient and expensive, increasing the debt of developing countries.
To achieve the goal, financing must also ensure a just transition, supporting workers, communities, and allowing mineral-producing nations to value their production, rather than simply exporting raw materials.
What to Expect from the 2026 Climate Summit
And 10 years after the Paris Agreement, UN Secretary-General António Guterres brings together leaders to discuss three priorities: accelerating the energy transition, encouraging financing, and protecting people.
During the week, the meetings aim to transform existing commitments into concrete action on topics such as oceans, green industrialization, adaptation, and information integrity.
Leaders will discuss progress and, at the end of the event, will define joint work to accelerate the transition, strengthen energy security, promote climate justice, and protect people from global warming.
The broadcast of the 2026 Climate Summit can be followed onUNWebTV.