I want to thank Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Pakistan for convening today’s open debate.  The topic of today’s debate shines a light on the clear connection between international peace and multilateralism.Eighty years ago, the United Nations was founded with a primary purpose to safeguard humanity from the scourge of war.  The architects of the United Nations Charter recognized that the peaceful resolution of disputes is the lifeline when geopolitical tensions escalate, when unresolved disputes fuel the flames of conflict and when States lose trust in each other.The Charter lays out a number of important tools to forge peace.  Article 2.3 of the UN Charter is clear:  “All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered.”Chapter VI of the Charter is equally clear on the specific responsibilities of this Council to help ensure the pacific settlement of disputes “by negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice”.  Action 16 of the Pact of the Future calls on Member States to recommit to all the mechanisms of preventive diplomacy and the peaceful settlement of disputes.I commend Pakistan for utilizing its presidency to put forward a resolution urging all Member States to make full use of these tools in our collective pursuit of global peace.  This is needed now more than ever.Around the world, we see an utter disregard for if not outright violations of international law including international human rights law, international refugee law, international humanitarian law and the UN Charter itself, without any accountability.These failures to uphold international obligations are coming at a time of widening geopolitical divides and conflicts.  And the cost is staggering measured in human lives, shattered communities, and lost futures.We need look no further than the horror show in Gaza with a level of death and destruction without parallel in recent times.  Malnourishment is soaring.  Starvation is knocking on every door.And now we are seeing the last gasp of a humanitarian system built on humanitarian principles.  That system is being denied the conditions to function.  Denied the space to deliver.  Denied the safety to save lives.  With Israeli military operations intensifying and new displacement orders issued in Deir al-Balah, devastation is being layered upon devastation.I am appalled that UN premises have been struck among them facilities of the UN Office for Project Services and the World Health Organization (WHO), including WHO’s main warehouse.  This is despite all parties having been informed of the locations of these UN facilities.  These premises are inviolable and must be protected under international humanitarian law without exception.From Gaza to Ukraine, from the Sahel to Sudan, Haiti and Myanmar, and many other parts of the world, conflict is raging, international law is being trampled, and hunger and displacement are at record levels.  And terrorism, violent extremism and transnational crime remain persistent scourges pushing security further out of reach.Diplomacy may not have always succeeded in preventing conflicts, violence and instability.  But it still holds the power to stop them.  Peace is a choice.  And the world expects the UN Security Council to help countries make this choice.  This Council is at the centre of the global architecture for peace and security.  Its creation reflected a central truth.Competition between States is a geopolitical reality.  But cooperation anchored in shared interests and the greater good is the sustainable pathway to peace.  Too often, we see divisions, entrenched positions and escalatory discourse blocking solutions and the effectiveness of the Council.But we have also seen some inspiring examples of finding common ground and forging solutions to global problems.For example, today marks three years since the signing of the Black Sea Initiative and the Memorandum of Understanding with the Russian Federation efforts that show what we can achieve through mediation and the good offices of the United Nations, even during the most challenging moments.And we’ve seen many other recent examples.From the Sevilla Conference on Financing for Development, to the Oceans Conference in Nice, to the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction and the Cybercrime Treaty, to the Pact for the Future adopted last year.The Pact, in particular, demonstrates a clear re-commitment by the world to strengthen the United Nations collective security system.  Drawing from the New Agenda for Peace, it prioritizes preventive diplomacy and mediation all areas where this Council can play a vital role.As we look to the theme of today’s debate, I see three areas where we can live up to the Pact’s call to renew our commitment to and the world’s faith in the multilateral problem-solving architecture.First this Council’s members, in particular its permanent members, must continue working to overcome divisions.  The majority of situations on the Security Council’s agenda are complex and resist quick fixes.But even in the darkest days of the cold war, the collective dialogue and decision-making in this Council underpinned a common and effective system of global security.  One that successfully deployed a range of peacekeeping missions.  One that opened the door for vital humanitarian aid to flow to people in need.  And one that helped prevent a third World War.I urge you to summon this same spirit by keeping channels open, continuing to listen in good faith, and working to overcome differences and building consensus.We must also work to ensure that this Council reflects the world of today, not the world of 80 years ago.  This Council should be made more representative of today’s geopolitical realities.  And we must continue improving the working methods of this Council to make it more inclusive, transparent, efficient and accountable.  I urge you to continue building consensus to move the intergovernmental negotiations forward.Second this Council must continue strengthening cooperation with regional and subregional partners.  The landmark adoption of Security Council resolution 2719 supporting African Union-led peace support operations through assessed contributions is a good example of how we can join efforts with regional organizations to support more effective responses.I also commend this Council’s steps to strengthen and rebuild regional security frameworks to encourage dialogue and advance the peaceful settlement of disputes.And third Member States must honour their obligations under international law, including the UN Charter, international human rights law and international humanitarian law.The Pact for the Future calls on all Member States to live up to their commitments in the UN Charter, and the principles of respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the political independence of States.All grounded in international law, and a commitment to prioritizing prevention of conflict and the peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue and diplomacy.  The Pact also recognized the critical contribution of the International Court of Justice, which celebrates its eightieth anniversary next year.As we mark the eightieth anniversary of our Organization and the Charter that gave it life and shape, we need to renew our commitment to the multilateral spirit of peace through diplomacy.  I look forward to working with you in this important effort, to achieve the international peace and security the people of the world need and deserve.[END] 

It is a privilege to join you today for this important dialogue.  I thank the President of the Economic and Social Council and UN-Habitat for convening us at such a critical moment.Let me begin with a simple question:  What did it take for us to be here today?  We woke up somewhere safe.  We had an address where documents could reach us, where our families knew to find us.  We had a place to eat a meal, charge our phones and prepare for this day.  For almost 3 billion people on our planet, none of that is guaranteed.This is why today’s dialogue -- at this critical moment during the High-Level Political Forum -- matters so urgently.  Housing is not simply about a roof over one’s head.  It is a fundamental human right and the foundation upon which peace itself rests.  Sustainable development and sustainable peace are inseparable.Today, in an increasingly urbanized world, almost 3 billion people still live in inadequate conditions, in informal settlements, overcrowded housing or with no shelter at all.  Among them are more than 120 million refugees and internally displaced persons -- families torn from their homes by conflict, persecution and violence.When homes are destroyed, when families are forced to flee, when communities are uprooted, we witness how housing becomes both a casualty and weapon of war.  In Gaza, in Ukraine, in Sudan, in Yemen, in Myanmar and beyond, we have seen this time and again.There is no safe housing in rubble, and without shelter, we lose the very basis of social cohesion and stability that makes peace possible.  This crisis touches every Sustainable Development Goal we’ve committed to achieving by 2030.We often say that home is where the heart is.  Our work on housing sits at the very heart of the Sustainable Development Goals, and when we secure adequate housing for all, we nurture the conditions where every other goal can flourish.We know that when people have access to safe, adequate, and affordable housing, children perform better in school.  Workers are more productive.Health outcomes improve dramatically.  Decent work becomes accessible.Communities become more resilient to the forces that fuel conflict and division.  And while adequate housing cannot eliminate gender-based violence within the home, it reduces women and girls’ exposure to violence in public spaces.So, the reality is that the ambition of the 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind begins with something as fundamental as a safe place to call home. By 2030, 60 per cent of the world’s population will live in cities, rising to nearly 70 per cent by 2050.We have the tools and the commitment to grow cities, not slums, guided by the New Urban Agenda’s call for planned, inclusive urbanization that ensures housing, services and dignity for all.  Success or failure to deliver on our commitments will depend on our ability to act urgently and work together.At the Financing for Development Forum, Member States rightly called for bold reforms and investments to strengthen the social contract.  That must include housing, not as a stand-alone project, but as a driver of inclusive development.The Pact for the Future reaffirmed the 2030 Agenda and gave us a mandate to make multilateralism deliver in the lives of people, in the neighbourhoods where they live.  It also gave us a mandate to prevent conflict and sustain peace -- and housing sits at the intersection of both.Later this year, the Second World Social Summit offers us an opportunity to reaffirm that housing is critical for social protection, decent work, access to services, and essential to building a just and cohesive society.  It is also an opportunity to recognize housing as a pillar of conflict prevention and peacebuilding.As Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group, I see how country teams are working every day with governments, civil society and local and regional governments to advance these goals.But we need to do more.  Concretely, that means aligning political commitment and financing with the urgency and scale of the challenge.  It means investing in adequate housing, not just as development infrastructure, but peace infrastructure.We also need to bring to the centre those who are too often pushed to the margins:  women, young people, older persons, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, displaced populations and people living in homelessness.Their voices and experiences must inform the policies and solutions because they know what works, what’s missing, and they can inform the solutions we need to scale.  They also know intimately the connections between displacement, insecurity and conflict. Their involvement is the best measure of our commitment to equity, dignity and human rights.The first place where opportunity begins or where it is denied is not an office building or a school – it’s a home.  Together, let’s deliver not only shelter, but lasting solutions that offer security and a path to prosperity.  Not only four walls and a roof, but the opportunity to live in dignity.[END]

This year’s high-level political forum arrives at a time of profound challenge -- but also real possibility.  Despite enormous headwinds, we have seen just in the last two months what can be achieved when countries come together with conviction and focus.We saw it in Geneva, where the World Health Assembly adopted the Pandemic Agreement -- a vital step toward a safer, more equitable global health architecture.  We saw it in Nice at the third UN Ocean Conference, where Governments committed to expand marine protected areas and tackle plastic pollution and illegal fishing.And we saw it in Sevilla at the fourth International Financing for Development Conference, where countries agreed on a new vision for global finance -- one that expands fiscal space, lowers the cost of capital, and ensures developing countries have a stronger voice and participation in the organizations that shape their future.These are not isolated wins.  They are signs of momentum.  Signs that multilateralism can deliver.  Signs that transformation is not only necessary -- it is possible.  And that is the spirit we bring to this high-level political forum.This forum is about renewing our common promise -- to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all.  We also recognize the deep linkages between development and peace.We meet against the backdrop of global conflicts that are pushing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) further out of reach.  That’s why we must keep working for peace in the Middle East.Over the weekend in Gaza, we saw yet more mass shootings and killings of people seeking UN aid for their families -- an atrocious and inhumane act which I utterly condemn.We need an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of all hostages, and unimpeded humanitarian access as a first step to achieve the two-State solution.  We need the ceasefire between Iran and Israel to hold.  We need a just and lasting peace in Ukraine based on the UN Charter, international law and UN resolutions.We need an end to the horror and bloodshed in Sudan.  And the list goes on, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Somalia, from the Sahel to Myanmar.At every step, we know sustainable peace requires sustainable development.  The Sustainable Development Goals are not a dream.  They are a plan.  A plan to keep our promises -- to the most vulnerable people, to each other, and to future generations.  People win when we channel our energy into development.Since 2015, millions more people have access to electricity, clean cooking, and the internet.  Social protection now reaches over half the world’s population -- up from just a quarter a decade ago.  More girls are completing school.  Child marriage is declining.  Women’s representation is growing -- from the boardrooms of business to the halls of political power.But we must face a tough reality:  Only 35 per cent of SDG targets are on track or making moderate progress.  Nearly half are moving too slowly.  And 18 per cent are going backwards.Meanwhile, the global economy is slowing.  Trade tensions are rising.  Inequalities are growing.  Aid budgets are being decimated while military spending soars.  And mistrust, division and outright conflicts are placing the international problem-solving system under unprecedented strain.  We cannot sugarcoat these facts.  But we must not surrender to them either.The SDGs are still within reach -- if we act with urgency and ambition.  This year’s forum focuses on five critical Goals:  health, gender equality, decent work, life below water, and global partnerships.  All are essential.  All are interconnected.  All can spur change across other goals.On health, COVID-19 exposed and deepened inequalities -- and today, far too many people still lack access to basic care.  We know what works.  We must boost investment in universal health coverage, rooted in strong primary care and prevention, reaching those furthest behind first.On gender equality, gaps remain wide.  Women and girls face systemic barriers -- from violence and discrimination to unpaid care and limited political voice.But we also see growing momentum:  from grassroots movements to national reforms.  Now is the time to turn that momentum into transformation -- with rights-based policies, accountability, and real financing into programmes that support inclusion and equality for women and girls.On decent work, the global economy is leaving billions behind. Over 2 billion people are in informal jobs Youth unemployment is stubbornly high.  But we have tools to change this.The Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection is helping countries invest in expanded social protection initiatives, skills training, and the creation of sustainable livelihoods -- including in growing industries like clean energy.Tomorrow, I will deliver an address on the enormous opportunities of the renewables revolution.  The upcoming World Summit on Social Development can help spur further progress.On life below water, our ocean and the communities that count on it are paying the price of overfishing, pollution, and climate change. We must deliver on the commitments of the Nice Ocean Conference -- to protect marine ecosystems and support the millions who depend on them.  And, finally, on global partnerships -- SDG 17 -- we need to strengthen all the elements that can support progress.This means investing in science, data, and local capacity. And harnessing digital innovation -- including artificial intelligence -- to accelerate progress, not deepen divides.Throughout, we must recognize the need to reform the unfair global financial system, which no longer represents today’s world or the challenges faced by developing countries.We must ensure a reform for developing countries to have a stronger voice and greater participation to help advance the Sustainable Development Goals on the ground.The Sevilla Commitment that emerged from the Conference on Financing for Development includes important steps:  Through new domestic and global commitments that can channel public and private finance to the areas of greatest need.By increasing the capacity of Governments to substantially mobilize domestic resources, including through tax reform.  And by establishing a more effective framework for debt relief and tripling the lending capacity of multilateral development banks to the benefit of developing countries.In the coming year, we must keep building.  We must strengthen and scale up partnerships that deliver -- including with the private sector and civil society organizations and local authorities.We must embed long-term thinking into every decision, as we committed in the Declaration on Future Generations.  And we must continue to learn from each other.Voluntary national reviews -- the backbone of this forum -- are more than reports.  They are acts of accountability.  They are journeys of self-discovery as countries develop and build.  And they are templates for other countries to follow and learn from.By the end of this high-level political forum, we will have surpassed 400 reviews -- with over 150 countries presenting more than once.  That is a powerful signal of commitment.  A clear demonstration that solutions exist and can be replicated and expanded.With five years left, it’s time to transform these sparks of transformation into a blaze of progress -- for all countries.  Let us act with determination, justice and direction. And let’s deliver on development -- for people and for planet.[END]

The headlines are dominated by a world in trouble.  By conflict and climate chaos.  By rising human suffering.  By growing geopolitical divides.  But amidst the turmoil, another story is being written.  And its implications will be profound.Throughout history, energy has shaped the destiny of humankind — from mastering fire to harnessing steam to splitting the atom.  Now, we are on the cusp of a new era.  Fossil fuels are running out of road.  The sun is rising on a clean energy age.Just follow the money.  Two trillion dollars went into clean energy last year — that’s $800 billion more than fossil fuels and up almost 70 per cent in 10 years.  And new data released today from the International Renewable Energy Agency shows that solar — not so long ago four times the cost of fossil fuels — is now 41 per cent cheaper.  Offshore wind — 53 per cent. And over 90 per cent of new renewables worldwide produced electricity for less than the cheapest new fossil fuel alternative.This is not just a shift in power.  This is a shift in possibility.  Yes, in repairing our relationship with the climate.  Already, the carbon emissions saved by solar and wind globally are almost equivalent to what the whole European Union produces in a year.But this transformation is fundamentally about energy security and people’s security.  It’s about smart economics.  Decent jobs, public health, advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.  And delivering clean and affordable energy to everyone, everywhere.Today, we are releasing a special report with the support of UN agencies and partners — the International Energy Agency, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Renewable Energy Agency, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank.The report shows how far we have come in the decade since the Paris Agreement sparked a clean energy revolution.  And it highlights the vast benefits — and actions needed — to accelerate a just transition globally.Renewables already nearly match fossil fuels in global installed power capacity.  And that’s just the beginning.  Last year, almost all the new power capacity built came from renewables.  And every continent on Earth added more renewables capacity than fossil fuels.  The clean energy future is no longer a promise.  It’s a fact.  No government.  No industry. No special interest can stop it.Of course, the fossil fuel lobby of some fossil fuel companies will try — and we know the lengths to which they will go. But I have never been more confident that they will fail — because we have passed the point of no return.For three powerful reasons.  First, market economics.  For decades, emissions and economic growth rose together.  No more.  In many advanced economies, emissions have peaked, but growth continues.In 2023 alone, clean energy sectors drove 10 per cent of global gross domestic product (GDP) growth.  In India, 5 per cent.  The United States, 6 per cent.  China — a leader in the energy transition — 20 per cent.  And in the European Union, nearly 33 per cent.  And clean energy sector jobs now outnumber fossil fuel jobs — employing almost 35 million people worldwide.Even Texas — the heart of the American fossil fuel industry — now leads the United States in renewables.  Why?  Because it makes economic sense.And yet fossil fuels still enjoy a 9-to-1 advantage in consumption subsidies globally — a clear market distortion.  Add to that the unaccounted costs of climate damages on people and planet — and the distortion is even greater.Countries that cling to fossil fuels are not protecting their economies — they are sabotaging them.  Driving up costs.  Undermining competitiveness.  Locking in stranded assets.  And missing the greatest economic opportunity of the twenty-first century.Second — renewables are here to stay because they are the foundation of energy security and sovereignty. Let’s be clear:  The greatest threat to energy security today is in fossil fuels.  They leave economies and people at the mercy of price shocks, supply disruptions and geopolitical turmoil. Just look at Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  A war in Europe led to a global energy crisis.  Oil and gas prices soared.  Electricity and food bills followed.  In 2022 average households around the world saw energy costs jump 20 per cent.Modern and competitive economies need stable, affordable energy. Renewables offer both.  There are no price spikes for sunlight.  No embargoes on wind.  Renewables can put power — literally and figuratively — in the hands of people and governments.  And almost every nation has enough sun, wind, or water to become energy self-sufficient.  Renewables mean real energy security.  Real energy sovereignty.  And real freedom from fossil-fuel volatility.The third and final reason why there is no going back on renewables: Easy access.  You can’t build a coal plant in someone’s backyard.  But you can deliver solar panels to the most remote village on Earth.  Solar and wind can be deployed faster, cheaper and more flexibly than fossil fuels ever could.  And while nuclear will be part of the global energy mix, it can never fill the access gaps.All of this is a game changer for the hundreds of millions of people still living without electricity — most of them in Africa, a continent bursting with renewable potential. By 2040, Africa could generate 10 times more electricity than it needs — entirely from renewables.We are already seeing small-scale and off-grid renewable technologies lighting homes, and powering schools and businesses in remote areas.  And in places like Pakistan for example, people power is fuelling a solar surge — consumers are driving the clean energy boom.The energy transition is unstoppable.  But the transition is not yet fast enough or fair enough.  OECD countries and China account for 80 per cent of renewable power capacity installed worldwide.  Brazil and India make up nearly 10 per cent.  Africa — just 1.5 per cent.Meanwhile, the climate crisis is laying waste to lives and livelihoods.  Climate disasters in small island States have wiped out over 100 per cent of GDP.  In the United States, they are pushing insurance premiums through the roof.And the 1.5-degree limit is in unprecedented peril.  To keep it within reach, we must drastically speed up the reduction of emissions — and the reach of the clean energy transition.  With manufacturing capacity racing, prices plummeting, and COP30 [Thirtieth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change] fast approaching…  This is our moment of opportunity.  We must seize it.  We can do so by taking action in six opportunity areas.First — by using new national climate plans to go all-out on the energy transition.  Too often, governments send mixed messages:  Bold renewable targets on one day.  New fossil fuel subsidies and expansions the next.The next national climate plans, or NDCs, are due in a matter of months.  They must bring clarity and certainty.  Group of Twenty (G20) countries must lead. They produce 80 per cent of global emissions.  The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities must apply but every country must do more.  Ahead of COP30 in Brazil this November, they must submit new plans.I invite leaders to present their new NDCs at an event I will host in September, during General Assembly High-level week.   These must: cover all emissions, across the entire economy; align with the 1.5-degree limit; integrate energy, climate and sustainable development priorities into one coherent vision; and deliver on global promises to double energy efficiency and triple renewables capacity by 2030, and to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.  These plans must be backed by long-term road maps for a just transition to net-zero energy systems — in line with global net-zero by 2050.And they must be underpinned by policies that show that the clean energy future is not just inevitable — but investable.  Policies that create clear regulations and a pipeline of projects.  That enhance public-private partnerships — unlocking capital and innovation.  That put a meaningful price on carbon.  And that end subsidies and international public finance for fossil fuels — as promised.Second, this is our moment of opportunity to build the energy systems of the twenty-first century.  The technology is moving ahead.  In just 15 years, the cost of battery storage systems for electricity grids has dropped over 90 per cent.But here’s the problem.  Investments in the right infrastructure are not keeping up.  For every dollar invested in renewable power, just 60 cents go to grids and storage.  That ratio should be one-to-one.We are building renewable power — but not connecting it fast enough.  There’s three times more renewable energy waiting to be plugged into grids than was added last year.  And fossil fuels still dominate the global total energy mix.We must act now and invest in the backbone of a clean energy future:  In modern, flexible and digital grids — including regional integration.  In a massive scale-up of energy storage.  In charging networks — to power the electric vehicle revolution.On the other hand, we need energy efficiency but also electrification — across buildings, transport and industry. This is how we unlock the full promise of renewables — and build energy systems that are clean, secure and fit for the future.Third, this is our moment of opportunity to meet the world’s surging energy demand sustainably.  More people are plugging in.  More cities are heating up — with soaring demand for cooling.  And more technologies — from AI to digital finance — are devouring electricity.  Governments must aim to meet all new electricity demand with renewables.AI can boost efficiency, innovation and resilience in energy systems.  And we must take profit in it.  But it is also energy hungry.  A typical AI data centre eats up as much electricity as 100,000 homes.  The largest ones will soon use 20 times that.  By 2030, data centres could consume as much electricity as all of Japan does today.This is not sustainable — unless we make it so.  And the technology sector must be out front.  Today I call on every major tech firm to power all data centres with 100 per cent renewables by 2030.And — along with other industries — they must use water sustainably in cooling systems.  The future is being built in the cloud.  It must be powered by the sun, the wind and the promise of a better world.Fourth, this is the moment of opportunity for a just energy transition. The clean energy that we must deliver must also deliver equity, dignity and opportunity for all.That means governments leading a just transition.  With support, education and training — for fossil fuel workers, young people, women, Indigenous Peoples and others — so that they can thrive in the new energy economy.With stronger social protection — so no one is left behind.  And with international cooperation to help low-income countries that are highly-dependent on fossil fuels and struggling to make the shift.But justice doesn’t stop here.  The critical minerals that power the clean energy revolution are often found in countries that have long been exploited.  And today, we see history repeating.  Communities mistreated.  Rights trampled.  Environments trashed.  Nations stuck at the bottom of value chains — while others reap rewards.  And extractive models digging deeper holes of inequality and harm.  This must end.Developing countries can play a major role in diversifying sources of supply. The UN Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals has shown the way forward — with a path grounded in human rights, justice and equity.Today, I call on governments, businesses and civil society to work with us to deliver its recommendations.  Let’s build a future that is not only green — but just.  Not only fast — but fair.  Not only transformative — but inclusive.Fifth, we have a moment of opportunity to use trade and investment to supercharge the energy transition.  Clean energy needs more than ambition.  It needs access — to technologies, materials and manufacturing.But these are concentrated in just a few countries.  And global trade is fragmenting.Trade policy must support climate policy.  Countries committed to the new energy era must come together to ensure that trade and investment drive it forward.  By building diverse, secure and resilient supply chains.  By cutting tariffs on clean energy goods.  By unlocking investment and trade — including through South-South cooperation. And by modernizing outdated investment treaties — starting with Investor-State Dispute Settlement provisions.Today, fossil fuel interests are weaponizing these provisions to delay the transition, particularly in several developing countries.  Reform is urgent.  The race for the new must not be a race for the few.  It must be a relay — shared, inclusive and resilient.  Let’s make trade a tool for transformation.Sixth and finally, this is our moment of opportunity to unleash the full force of finance — driving investment to markets with massive potential.  Despite soaring demand and vast renewables potential — developing countries are being locked out of the energy transition.Africa is home to 60 per cent of the world’s best solar resources.  But it received just 2 per cent of global clean energy investment last year.  Zoom out, and the picture is just as stark.In the last decade, only 1 in every 5 clean energy dollars went to emerging and developing countries outside China.  To keep the 1.5-degree limit alive — and deliver universal energy access – annual clean energy investment in those countries must rise more than fivefold by 2030.That demands bold national policies.  And concrete international action to:  Reform the global financial architecture.  Drastically increase the lending capacity of multilateral development banks — making them bigger, bolder and better able to leverage massive amounts of private finance at reasonable costs.  And take effective action on debt relief — and scale up proven tools like debt for climate swaps.Today, developing countries pay outlandish sums for both debt and equity financing — in part because of outdated risk models, bias and broken assumptions that boost the cost of capital.  Credit ratings agencies and investors must modernize.We need a new approach to risk that reflects:  the promise of clean energy; the rising cost of climate chaos; and the danger of stranded fossil fuel assets.  I urge parties to unite to solve the complex challenges facing some developing countries in the energy transition — such as early retirement of coal plants.The fossil fuel age is flailing and failing.  We are in the dawn of a new energy era.  An era where cheap, clean, abundant energy powers a world rich in economic opportunity.  Where nations have the security of energy autonomy.  And the gift of power is a gift for all.That world is within reach.  But it won’t happen on its own.  Not fast enough.  Not fair enough.  It is up to us.  We have the tools to power the future for humanity.  Let’s make the most of them.  This is our moment of opportunity.[END]