Canberra, Australia – 12 February 2025 – Dr. Helder Da Costa, General Secretary of g7+, delivered a keynote address at the Climate Integrity Summit 2025 at the Parliament House in Canberra, Australia. The speech, titled “Redefining Global Security: Climate Action, Peace, and the Critical Role of g7+ Nations”.
Organized by the Australia Institute, the summit brought together leaders, policymakers, researchers, and organizations committed to addressing climate change impacts through innovative solutions and sustainable policies.
In his remarks, Dr. da Costa highlighted how conflict affected countries pay disproportionately higher cost of the impact of global challenges such as climate change. The consequences of climate change are severe for conflict and fragility-affected settings. Rising sea levels, prolonged droughts, and extreme weather events are compounding existing vulnerabilities, leading to large displacement, food insecurity, famine, severe health issues and heightened risks of conflict.
He said “while developed countries only made up of small percentage of the world population, historically, they have been the largest contributors to CO2 emission since the industrial revolution”.
Dr. Da Costa emphasised that the inequality in climate change is not just about who contributes the most to the problem, but it extends to the way the world responds to it. Developed nations have the ability to adapt to a changing climate and they can afford to transition to renewable energy resources. Whereas, many of the least develop countries still struggle to secure access to even the most basic and traditional energy resources.
He reminded that during COP 29 in Azerbaijan, the g7+ issued a joint letter calling for increase access to climate fiannce, simplifying bureaucracy and localising the execution of climate finance, to ensure g7+ countries can access to the fund quickly and timely in addressing climate change.
He stressed that “Addressing climate integrity requires collective global action founded on solidarity rather than realism. He then added “Australia is a key partner who can play an important role in the region and the world”.s He called for Australia full support and commitment to invest in climate relisience, that foster peace and stability in the pacific and beyond.
He concluded the speech with reiterating the g7+ commitment to working with Australia and the global community to forge a future where no nation is left behind, especially in addressing climate change. He highlighted that peace, stability and prosperity in the world rest in the peace and stability in conflict affected countries.
Media Contact:
Helche Silvester
Media and Communication Manager, at the g7+ Secretariat
Group of Seven Plus (g7+): The g7+, with its headquarters in Dili, Timor-Leste, is an intergovernmental organization made up of conflict-affected countries united by a vision of peace, stability, and development in their countries and everywhere in the world. The g7+ provides a platform for member countries to advocate for changes to international engagement in conflict-affected situations, share experiences and support each other through Fragile-to-Fragile Cooperation.