We are in a critical decade – and the evidence shows we are not doing enough. We can still choose a better future, in which nature and humankind thrive together. But if we are to have any hope of achieving this healthier, cleaner, more resilient world, everyone must urgently step up. It’s no longer about promising to do something at a later date. It’s about action today.

This is the decade of action – we will not be gifted another. Every fraction of a degree — every second of delay — counts. This is why Race to Zero and Race to Resilience are imperative. The momentum these campaigns are building amongst businesses, cities, regions, financial, educational and healthcare institutions is spurring greater government action, that is so critical. The UNFCCC NDC Synthesis report last week showed most countries are still failing to deliver the action required to tackle climate change. We are not on track to halving emissions by 2030 and therefore preventing catastrophic – runaway – climate change.

Kicking off the opening day of Climate Week NYC, the COP26 President Alok Sharma, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Patricia Espinosa, the High Level Champions Nigel Topping and Gonzalo Muñoz, and other global leaders will assess the growing momentum and discuss the needed gear shift by non state actors from ambition to implementation.

As a symbol of the pivot from ambition to action, today’s event will spotlight some of the recent transformational action plans from Race to Zero members across the world and showcase the impact that these pledges deliver. What possibilities have they already unlocked? What futures can they help us imagine? What change is needed now to get us back on track?

Ahead of the opening session, six renowned public figures, from the worlds of politics to science, reflect on the task before us.

Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland: “COP26 is the world’s best chance, possibly one of our last chances of limiting global warming to 1.5C”

Professor Saleemul Huq, Director of the ICCC: “We have entered into the era of loss and damage from human-induced climate change”

Dr Poornima Prabhakaran, Centre for Environmental Health, Public Health Foundation of India: “The climate crisis is a health crisis”

Johan Rockström, Director, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research: “We’ve entered the last decisive decade for humanity’s future on planet earth”

Mitzi Jonelle Tan, Climate Justice activist: “We don’t have time anymore”

Paul Polman, Influencer, business leader, campaigner: “The climate crisis is the most urgent challenge facing humanity”