Backgrounder: UN Climate Summit 2014

UNITED NATIONS - The much-anticipated Climate Summit will kick off at UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday. The following is some basic facts about the Summit this year.

Q: What's the purpose of this year's Summit?

A: Countries have agreed on the need for a meaningful, robust, universal, legal climate agreement by 2015. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is convening the Summit to mobilize action ahead of 2015 and to increase the political will for greater action and ambition. The summit is expected to set the stage for a crucial conference in Paris in December 2015 aimed at finalizing a new global climate change pact.

Q: Who will participate in the Summit?

A: Ban has invited, to the Summit, leaders from all sectors who can make new announcements and bring new climate initiatives and ideas to the attention of the international community. More than 120 heads of state or government are expected to attend the Summit.

Q: Is the Summit part of the climate negotiations?

A: The Summit is not part of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations, and no negotiations related to the convention will take place at the Summit. Its goal is to raise political will, mobilize action and generate momentum toward a successful outcome of the negotiations.

Q: What will the outcome of the Summit be?

A: The outcome will be the sum total of the announcements made by the leaders of government, business, finance, and civil society during the Summit to address climate change, along with a renewed sense of hope, optimism and momentum. The outcome will be communicated at a series of news conferences to be held throughout the day and summarized by the secretary-general at the conclusion of the Summit.

Q: What type of announcements can we expect at the Summit?

A: The Secretary-General has asked world leaders to come to the Summit to announce bold actions they will be taking in their countries. There will also be announcements about a number of coalition initiatives that have high potential to catalyze ambitious action on the ground. These coalitions, consisting of participants from governments, the private sector and civil society, will address several high-impact areas, such as climate finance; energy efficiency; renewable energy; adaptation; disaster risk reduction and resilience; forests; agriculture; transportation; short-lived climate pollutants and cities.