Below are the remarks of UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell to the 2025 Nature Summit in Panamá City, Panamá, on 20 May 2025 – in parallel with this year’s first Climate Week also taking place in Panamá City.

Excellencies, colleagues, friends,

Trade and economic uncertainty have been dominating headlines over the past months, but rarely due to the climate impacts that imperil it.

Because, yes global supply chains, the lifeblood of every economy, are being fractured. But climate chaos stands to have even more serious and sustained impacts.

Here, in the Panama Canal, climate change has already driven water levels lower. Slowing shipping and disrupting trade routes.

For the average person – this means costs going up and less money to spend.

It also means critical medical supplies delayed for those in desperate need, businesses under severe pressure or collapsing, and livelihoods vanishing.

The same droughts that plague the canal are affecting essential commodities worldwide. Reducing harvests, emptying shelves, and pushing families into hunger. Famine is back, and the role of global heating cannot be ignored.

And all of this is happening while volatile fossil fuel prices drive up the cost of living, hitting people’s wallets hard.

And amid all the change and disruption, there is also good news. At times like these, with talk of tariffs and trade barriers, and of slowing growth, it’s important not to miss the signal in all of this noise.

All around the world, clean energy projects are in pipelines. Investors have their fingers on the button - waiting to push go on multi-billion-dollar commitments that will make lives better.

Which brings me to my central message for today:

Clear and strong climate policies are an antidote to economic uncertainty.

Climate policies can help get trade flowing and economies growing. And prevent wildly destructive climate impacts. 

Providing signals from governments to markets. To those investors ready to hit the ‘go’ button on huge investments.

That’s why a new generation of national climate plans - or NDCs - are utterly essential. Here in Latin America, and all around the world.

In the past, climate plans have often focused mainly on cuts - cuts to greenhouse gas emissions and to old-fashioned energy. This new generation of climate plans are really [also] about growth. Growing industries and economies. And building better futures. One where nature is protected, and where people have better opportunities.

Done right, these plans can attract a bonanza of benefits. More jobs. More revenue. And a virtuous cycle of increased investment.

But unless it’s implemented an NDC is just a piece of paper. That’s why political leadership now, is so important.

And the political and policy signals from almost all of the world’s largest economies are very clear: global decarbonization is unstoppable and continues to gather pace and scale.

From rapid technological advancements in Electric Vehicle charging, to breakthroughs in energy storage, all while the costs of wind, solar, and so many more clean technologies keep coming down.

And it’s backed by hard data - more than 90% of new energy last year was renewable.

It’s clear in the words and deeds of the leaders who get it.

Brazil, putting nature at the heart of their climate plan.

Germany promising to invest billions in climate action to increase security.

China, for the first time, saying it will set a new national climate target that covers every greenhouse gas and sector of their economy.

This isn’t only because of their better environmental angels. It’s because global decarbonization is the biggest economic transformation of our age, making it one of the biggest commercial opportunities we’ve ever seen.

Which brings me to my second message - cooperation makes all of us more prosperous.

Every country wants to take advantage of a 2 trillion dollar clean energy market.

And, while competition is a good thing, now is not the time for zero-sum thinking. We need to work together to ensure that everyone benefits. That new markets open and new trade routes form.

We simply cannot afford a two-speed transition, where some countries race ahead with clean energy and climate resilience and leave others behind. Because a supply chain is only as strong as its most fragile link.

The good news is, we are hearing loud and clear from heads of state that they remain committed to cooperation on climate. To build on breakthroughs we’ve seen in every recent COP.

Today, here in Panama, we’re hosting the first of our new revamped Climate Weeks. More than ever before, this event will focus on connecting words on paper in our process, with making real-world progress.

Involving stakeholders - not just from different countries, but from different sectors of economies. Showcasing solutions. And exploring how they can be scaled up and shared. Because to beat climate change, everyone needs to benefit.

In these uncertain times, it’s important not to lose sight of where we’re going. As we speak, more and more ships passing through the canal are transporting the building blocks of a global, clean energy economy.  The work ahead is to make sure their numbers keep growing, and their contents reach every country on Earth.

I thank you.