Patricia Espinosa

“People who have grown up in a world where this was not a concern and suddenly start hearing about climate change - it's very difficult. It's a very, very abstract concept. So we need to work on making it very educational and very, very clear, in very simple terms.”

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

“We have to be reminded that we still live in a world that relies a lot on fossil fuels, and that transition to new and renewable sources is not always and in all cases possible from one day to the next.”

“Among the laundry list of threats to our world, climate change more often than not makes these challenges worse.”

“We will need to reach out to all those actors - to governments, to civil societies, to businesses - and help in mobilizing them to help in this fight against climate change.”

“The world is becoming smaller every day.”

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

“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.”

“The impacts of extreme weather are already creating chaos.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“Climate neutrality means a situation where the world can naturally absorb the emissions that will continue to be produced in our societies.”

“Actually, climate change is really about the wellbeing of people. It is not a very vague concept or a vague problem that is out of our everyday lives. It is actually affecting our everyday lives, and this is the fundamental fact that everybody should keep in mind while working toward a low-carbon society.”

“The Paris Agreement is, in fact, a historic one because it marks the culmination of a phase of very long, drawn-out negotiations involving more than 190 countries. Why is it historic? Because it shows the way for our societies to change from the ground up, to create an economy that only depends on fossil fuels to a very slight degree.”

“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.”

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

“Transnational organized crime does not recognize any borders.”

“All action to address climate change is an inseparable and integrated part of the whole plan, and the leadership and commitment of all governments remains central to success.”