UN General Assembly
2021

It is fantastic that we now have countries here at the United Nations, representing 70 per cent of the world’s gross domestic product, that are committed to this net- zero objective. I am proud to say that when my friend and colleague Alok Sharma, the President-designate of COP 26, began his mission — his peregrinations around the world — that number was only 30 per cent of the world’s gross domestic product. We are getting there. That is the point I am making. We can go further, and if we are going to stave off these hikes, these rises in temperature, we must go further, and we must go far faster. We need all countries, every single country represented in this Hall today, to step up and commit to very substantial reductions by 2030. I am absolutely convinced, and I passionately believe, that we can do it by making commitments in four areas, and I want the Assembly to remember them: coal, cars, cash and trees. I repeat: Coal, cars, cash and trees. It is very simple.