Global Civil Society & the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Climate Action


Every person, in every country in every continent will be impacted in some shape or form by climate change. There is a climate cataclysm looming, and we are underprepared for what this could mean.

Climate change is caused by human activities and threatens life on earth as we know it. With rising greenhouse gas emissions, climate change is occurring at rates much faster than anticipated. Its impacts can be devastating and include extreme and changing weather patterns and rising sea levels.

If left unchecked, climate change will undo a lot of the development progress made over the past years. It will also provoke mass migrations that will lead to instability and wars.

To limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre- industrial levels, emissions must already be decreasing and need to be cut by almost half by 2030, just seven years away. But, we are drastically off track from this target.

Urgent and transformative going beyond mere plans and promises are crucial. It requires raising ambition, covering entire economies and moving towards climate-resilient development, while outlining a clear path to achieve net-zero emissions. Immediate measures are necessary to avoid catastrophic consequences and secure a sustainable future for generations to come.

Name Acronym Founded City HQ Country/Territory HQ Type I Type II

United Nations Sustainable Development Group

UNSDG 1997 New York NY USA E g

United Nations Volunteers

UNV 1971 Bonn Germany F g

United Regions Organisation/FOGAR

2007 Barcelona Spain C

United Religions Initiative

URI 1993 San Francisco CA USA F

United World Wrestling

UWW 1912 Corsier-sur-Vevey Switzerland B

Unity of Nations Action for Climate Change Council

UNAccc 2021 Vadodara India G

Universal Association of Professional Colleges and Universities

UAPCU 2018 Manila Philippines G t

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

UDHR 1948 New York NY USA T g

Universal Peace and Violence Amelioration Centre

UPVAC 2015 Jos Nigeria G

Universala Medicina Esperanto-Asocio

UMEA 1908 Trier Germany C v

University of the Arctic

UArctic 2001 Rovaniemi Finland D

University Space Engineering Consortium

UNISEC-Global 2013 Tokyo Japan C y

UPEI - The voice of Europe's independent fuel suppliers

1962 Brussels Belgium D

Urban Climate Change Research Network

UCCRN New York NY USA G

Urgent Action Fund for Women's Human Rights

UAF 1997 Oakland CA USA G f

US Global Change Research Information Office

GCRIO 1990 Washington DC USA G g

US Travel Association

1939 Washington DC USA G

Verdens Skove

1983 Copenhagen Denmark G

Verra

2005 Washington DC USA F

Vétérinaires Sans Frontières International

VSF International 1989 Brussels Belgium F

Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer

Ozone treaty 1985 Nairobi Kenya T g

VinylPlus

2011 Brussels Belgium F y

Virtual Educa

2000 Washington DC USA F

VIVAT International

2000 New York NY USA E

Voluntary Organisations in Cooperation in Emergencies

VOICE 1992 Brussels Belgium E y

Voluntary Service Overseas

VSO 1958 Kingston upon Thames UK G

Walk21 Foundation

Walk21 2000 Cheltenham UK F f

Walking Tree Travel

Denver CO USA G e

Waste Free Oceans

WFO Brussels Belgium F

Watch & Jewellery Initiative 2030

WJI 2030 2022 Geneva Switzerland F

Water and Development Information for Arid Lands Global Network

G-WADI 2004 Paris France F y

Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean

1992 Panama Panama E g

Water Europe

WE 2004 Brussels Belgium E y

We Mean Business

Washington DC USA J y

We Move Europe

WeMove.EU Berlin Germany F

Weather Risk Management Association

WRMA 1999 St Paul MN USA C

WEC International

WEC 1913 Coventry UK F v

WeForest

2008 Brussels Belgium F

Weltnotwerk der KAB

Cologne Germany G

West Africa Centre for Peace Foundation

WACPF 2008 Accra Ghana G f

West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use

WASCAL Accra Ghana D g

West African Women's Association

WAWA 1984 Dakar Senegal E

West Asia Regional Network on Climate Change

WARN-CC 2010 J

Wetlands International

1995 Wageningen Netherlands B

WHO Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities

GNAFCC 2010 Geneva Switzerland F y

WHO Radiation Emergency Medical Preparedness and Assistance Network

WHO/REMPAN Geneva Switzerland F

Wildlife Alliance

1994 New York NY USA F

WindEurope

1982 Brussels Belgium D t

Winds of Hope Foundation

1999 Lausanne Switzerland G f

Witness

1992 Brooklyn NY USA G

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