Patricia Espinosa

Transforming our societies and our economies is an agenda that requires the participation of all. Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls are key. Including and empowering women and girls to develop and implement climate solutions is the right thing to do. It is also the smart thing to do.

India is a good example of a country that has embarked into wind and solar energy production and creating jobs in it. Other countries can learn from India's experience.

To be able to transform societies and economies to low-carbon ones was an amazing challenge. To influence and to facilitate such an important transformation in the world would be like witnessing something of industrial revolution proportions.

In the case of the Paris Agreement, if we want to have full compliance with the Paris Agreement, we need not only action by governments; we need the action by all of society.

A lot of U.S. businesses are really going into the agenda of sustainability, and some are making their own commitments in emissions reductions in their own operations.

Achieving the aims and ambitions of the Paris Agreement are not a given. The world needs to understand the urgency and complexity of what the international community has embarked upon.

The risk to cities from climate impacts carries great social and economic cost and, of course, the loss of human lives.

I have children; I hope to be a grandmother one day.

Including women in climate policy and solutions can enhance the results, leading to more economic growth and sustainable outcomes. However, we cannot take for granted that gender equality and women's empowerment in the field of climate change and sustainable development will happen automatically.

The ability of communities to meet their most basic needs - food, water, energy, sanitation - is threatened by climate change.

As each country looks to meet their emissions reduction, energy efficiency, or renewable energy goals, they will look to cities as places where transformational change can make the most difference.

The impacts of climate change are not going to get better; they are going to get worse.