World political leaders gathering in New York for the UN General Assembly are placing the climate crisis on the agenda at the city's annual Climate Week, even as war and inflation dominate some agendas.
Key facts
- World leaders are in New York for the UN general assembly, running alongside Climate Week.
- Leaders spoke on Monday at the start of Climate Week.
- The prime ministers of Australia and Iceland discussed climate effects on their countries.
- The event follows months of extreme heat, wildfires, flash flooding and a record-breaking El Niño.
- Some leaders are shying away from the issue amid war and inflation.
World political leaders are descending on New York for the UN general assembly, and some of them are putting the climate crisis on the agenda, according to the Guardian. They spoke on Monday at the start of the city’s annual Climate Week.
Climate Week runs alongside the UN General Assembly (UNGA). This year’s event, the Guardian reports, comes after months of extreme weather across large parts of the world.
Those extremes included extreme heat in large parts of the world, including Europe and the US, wildfires in Africa, flash flooding in Asia, and a record-breaking El Niño.
Among the leaders raising the issue, the prime ministers of Australia and Iceland discussed the effects of the climate crisis on their respective countries.
However, the Guardian notes that some leaders are shying away from the climate crisis in the face of competing pressures, namely war and inflation.
The overlap of Climate Week with the UN General Assembly places climate high on the diplomatic calendar, even as the broader gathering addresses a range of global concerns.
Why it matters
The UN General Assembly is one of the year's biggest stages for global diplomacy, and how prominently climate features signals the political will behind action. With record-breaking El Niño conditions and extreme weather already affecting multiple continents, the balance leaders strike between climate and rival crises like war and inflation could shape the pace of the global response.
Frequently asked questions
Which leaders raised the climate crisis at Climate Week?
According to the Guardian, the prime ministers of Australia and Iceland discussed the effects of the climate crisis on their countries at the start of Climate Week.
What extreme weather preceded this year's Climate Week?
The Guardian reports the event follows months of extreme heat in large parts of the world including Europe and the US, wildfires in Africa, flash flooding in Asia, and a record-breaking El Niño.
When does Climate Week take place?
Climate Week runs alongside the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, with leaders speaking on Monday at the start of the event.