Baroness Patricia Scotland

"We have all of us committed to the same pathway for change" 

Patricia Scotland, Secretary General of the Commonwealth, underscores the critical role of collaboration between the business community and philanthropists in achieving sustainable development goals.  

With an annual funding requirement of $4 trillion to meet the Paris Agreement targets by 2030, she emphasises that governments cannot shoulder this burden alone. The Commonwealth, encompassing 56 countries and 2.5 billion people, recognises the indispensable innovation and energy that businesses bring to the table.  

Scotland highlights the urgency of moving from rhetoric to action, noting the significant gap in climate funding, particularly in the Global South, which bears the brunt of climate impacts despite minimal contributions to the crisis. The delivery of the Loss and Damage fund, bolstered by the UAE's recent $100 million commitment, represents a promising step forward. Scotland optimistically notes the unified commitment to change, with all stakeholders finally aligned on the same path towards a sustainable future.