Two Years to Save the World: Rewriting a United Nations Speech
In a recent Communicating Climate Change Call-In Show, we dug into UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell’s “Two Years to Save the World” speech from earlier in the year. There was quite a bit of chatter around it at the time, with some folks piling on support and others criticising the angle taken.
I found myself holding the speech up to the range of expertise and insight I’ve been lucky enough to explore through conversations for the Communicating Climate Change podcast to see how it compared.
I definitely came away feeling that it fell short in some key areas. Particularly, the use of a doomy, countdown-centered headline; the lack of tangible action points provided; missing examples and cases to emulate; and a weak, wishy-washy conclusion.
My main concern was that if the biggest, loudest, most respected voices on this issue weren’t living up to their own aspirations of using transformative climate communications to move the dial, how could we expect anyone else to?
But rather than just pointing out perceived flaws or deficiencies in the speech, I thought I’d try to figure out what it might have looked like had those issues been resolved.
What did I focus on?
Reframing the climate countdown to missing a climate opportunity. This is based on both criticisms of deadline-ism, generally, and the fact that humans tend to dislike losing things more than we like gaining them.
Increased focus on concrete actions to take. This is based on the lack of clear, tangible next steps perceived in the original speech.
Spotlighting good work that has already been done. This is based on theories of change championed by the likes of the UCL Climate Action Unit and the “bright spots” of Chip and Dan Heath.
Focusing on the kinds of stakeholders that are in the room. Rather than trying to make a speech that is a bit for those people but also for “everyone everywhere”, as is the original speech.
Keeping a “red thread” through the speech. Rather than rushing off on various tangents without sufficient explanation as to why they matter (e.g. gender equality briefly mentioned in the original speech).
I also kept a lot of focus on Rare’s Eight Principle for Effective and Inviting Climate Communication, which was a great reference point to keep returning to.
Anyway, the below is what came out:
Good afternoon.
I invite you all to close your eyes for a moment and imagine our shared future, just a few years from now. What do you see?
Are there renewable energy grids powering our economies? Climate-smart farms feeding our nations? Resilient financial systems, perhaps, weathering future economic storms?
Or do you see something quite different? Record shattering heat? Billions in stranded and uninvestible assets? Massive damage to our economies? Astronomical financial and human costs?
Open your eyes and look about you.
The next two years represent a critical juncture for our global economy and our planet. Each of you, and those around you, have a major role to play in deciding which of those future scenarios we bring into existence.
As of today, our collective national climate plans will barely cut emissions at all by 2030. And while every country must submit a new plan, the reality is that the G20 is responsible for around 80% of global emissions. It is these economies that must step up.
After all, this is not just about averting disaster. It’s also about ensuring we don’t lose out on what could be the most transformative era of growth and innovation in modern history.
The good news is: if we take bold action, starting right now, we stand to unlock unparalleled opportunities.
Today, I will outline three steps we must take – together – to transform risk into resilience, cost into opportunity, and fear into forward momentum.
First, we must scale proven successes. Around the globe, we are seeing inspiring examples of what’s possible when ambition meets action.
Uruguay, for instance, transitioned to 98% renewable electricity in just over a decade. This transformation wasn’t just good for the planet; it made Uruguay an energy-secure nation, attracting investment and creating thousands of jobs.
For financiers, this is a roadmap. And a clear demonstration that renewable infrastructure is a winning bet.
At the community level, farmers in Kenya’s Tana River Basin have embraced climate-smart agriculture, boosting their productivity and protecting their livelihoods against climate shocks.
These innovations are proof that local action, backed by strategic investment, can yield both social and financial dividends.
Bangladesh offers another powerful example, where solar mini-grids are electrifying remote communities, changing the lives of millions of people, and turning an energy deficit into an engine for economic growth.
These are not isolated stories. They are blueprints for the economies of the future. Projects just like these are present in every nation. What they need is scaling, investment, and champions.
Countries around the world are already setting the pace in a process will decide tomorrow’s global leaders. Who will be bold enough to benefit and who will be left watching other nations reap the rewards?
Second, we must leverage transformative financial mechanisms to manage risk and amplify returns.
The World Bank and IMF are uniquely positioned to reshape the global financial landscape for climate action. Together, their shareholder nations provide not just capital, but direction, giving them the authority to unlock the tools necessary for transformative change.
Through mechanisms like the World Bank’s Scaling Solar initiative, we are already seeing how blending public policy with private investment can lead to large-scale, profitable clean energy projects.
These are not just abstract concepts, they’re working models that could deliver exponential returns while driving the transition to a sustainable economy.
Similarly, the IMF has an emerging role in providing financial stability tied to green goals. Take their recent exploration of debt-for-nature swaps, which allow nations to reduce their debt burden in exchange for commitments to conservation and sustainability.
By expanding these kinds of tools, we can reduce risk for investors while enabling vulnerable economies to scale resilient solutions.
Nevertheless, as Prime Minister Mottley and President Ruto have made clear, reform remains essential. The development banks must work better for developing countries. With the say-so of key shareholders, these institutions can embed climate resilience into every dollar they lend, ensuring that investments deliver large-scale impacts on the ground.
Which brings me to my third and final step: we must unlock the trillions required to scale systemic change.
This won’t happen without bold, targeted investment. Blended finance models, for example, are a proven way to de-risk early-stage projects, paving the way for private capital to flow.
For all of you in this room, the choice ought to be clear. The question is not whether to act, but how soon you will seize the opportunity. You have the resources, the influence, and the networks to make transformative change happen.
Aligning your investments with these proven, high-impact initiatives doesn’t just mitigate risk, it positions you at the forefront of the green economy.
The decisions we make in these next two years will ripple across decades. So before you leave today, I urge you to take one actionable step: identify a project, a region, or a sector where your investment can make an immediate impact. Choose an initiative to champion – whether that’s expanding renewables, backing new financial instruments, or supporting resilience projects.
Imagine standing here two years from now, looking back not with regret, but with pride. Pride at having been part of a movement that didn’t just prevent catastrophe but unlocked a new era of innovation, prosperity, and resilience.
This is the opportunity before us today. Let’s seize it.
Thank you.
What do you think? What did I get right? What did I miss? Did I create more problems than I fixed? What would you have done differently?
Why not leave your thoughts and feedback in a voice message to be discussed in a future Call-In Show?
