High-Level Meeting on Sea Level Rise

High-Level Meeting on Sea Level Rise | UN General Assembly

UN General Assembly

High-level plenary meeting

“Addressing the existential threats posed by

Sea-level rise”

Wednesday, 25 September 2024,

10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. UN Headquarters, New York

Pursuant to the General Assembly decision 78/544 of 16 January 2024 and General Assembly resolution 78/319 of 1 August 2024, the President of the UN General Assembly will convene a high-level plenary meeting on Addressing the existential threats posed by sea-level rise on 25 September 2024, during the High-Level Week of the 79^th session of the General Assembly. The overall theme of the high-level meeting will be “Addressing the threats posed by sea-level rise”.

Taking place on the heels of the Summit of the Future, the high-level meeting will focus on building common understanding, mobilizing political leadership, and promoting multispectral, multi-stakeholder collaboration and international cooperation towards addressing the threats posed by sea-level rise. It aims to deliver action-oriented solutions for affected States and frontline communities as well and will be a significant step forward for enhancing action on sea-level rise.

Participants will work towards developing comprehensive solutions and actionable commitments to combat sea-level rise, ensuring a resilient and sustainable future including for small island developing states and low-lying coastal areas.

Addressing Sea-Level Rise: A Global Priority

Among the multifaceted crises faced by people and the planet, climate change stands as perhaps the most formidable of all. Sea-level rise is unarguably foremost among its impacts. For low-lying and Small Island Developing States, no issue is more pressing or consequential. The IPCC estimates that, by 2050, global sea levels will rise between 15 and 30 centimeters, on average, with greater increases expected in equatorial regions, particularly the Pacific. Extreme sea-level events – which used to occur once every century – could become an annual phenomenon by the close of this century. Close to one billion people living in low-lying coastal zones will be directly affected due to rising sea levels and climate impacts.

This issue is multidimensional and extends far beyond coastal populations – it affects every continent and region, leaving no one immune from potential catastrophe. Sea-level rise will impact communities in Small Island Developing States, as well as coastal states, and many more millions will have to adapt to floods, storms, erosion, and forced displacement. The high-level meeting on addressing the existential threats posed by sea-level rise in September will be the first of the General Assembly on this issue of significant concern for a growing number of Member States, including those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Concept Note

Modalities

Participation Details

Provisional Programme

Logistic Note

The high-level meeting will comprise an opening segment, a plenary segment, four multi-stakeholder thematic panel discussions and a brief closing segment. The opening segment will feature statements by the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session, the Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-eighth session, and a representative of a Member State affected by adverse effects of sea-level rise. The plenary segment will comprise statements by Member States and Observers of the General Assembly of the United Nations and members of the United Nations specialized agencies. The closing segment will comprise summaries of the multi-stakeholder thematic panel discussions presented by the co-chairs of the panels and concluding remarks by the President of the General Assembly.

The four multi-stakeholder thematic panel discussions will be held consecutively, in parallel to the plenary segment. Each of the four multi-stakeholder panel discussions will be co-chaired by two representatives, one from a developing country and one from a developed country to be appointed by the President of the General Assembly from among the representatives attending the high-level meeting, in consultation with Member States, taking into account gender balance, and geographical representation. Summaries of the discussions will be presented by the co-chairs of the panels in the closing segment.