Goal 13 of 17
Climate action
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
What this goal is about
Goal 13 is about two jobs at once: cutting the greenhouse gases that heat the planet, and getting ready for the heat, floods, storms and droughts that are already here. It asks every country to build climate plans into ordinary policy, to warn people before disasters strike, and to help poorer countries pay for both.
The numbers show why it is urgent. Global greenhouse gas emissions hit a record 57.7 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2024, and 2024 was the hottest year on record, about 1.55°C warmer than pre-industrial times. Under current policies the world is heading for roughly 2.8°C of warming this century, according to the UN's 2026 progress report.
There is real progress too. Disaster death rates have fallen sharply over the past decade as early warnings and preparedness improved, and climate finance from richer countries has met its old $100 billion goal for three years running. The gap is still large, and the poorest countries carry a much bigger share of the harm than their share of the population.
The main targets
Make every country better able to withstand and recover from climate hazards and natural disasters.
Build climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.
Improve education, awareness and the skills of people and institutions on cutting emissions, adapting, reducing impacts and early warning.
Deliver developed countries' pledge to mobilise $100 billion a year by 2020 for developing countries and fully fund the Green Climate Fund.
Help least developed countries and small island states plan and manage climate action, with a focus on women, youth and marginalised communities.
Summaries in plain English. The full wording of every target and indicator is on the UN Goal 13 page.
What businesses can do
- Measure your footprint. Start with energy bills, fuel and travel, then add your biggest suppliers. The GHG Protocol standards are the common reference for how to count.
- Cut energy waste first. Efficient lighting, heating and cooling, and switching off idle equipment usually pay back fastest. Rooftop solar or a green tariff comes next.
- Ask suppliers for data. Most of a small firm's emissions sit in what it buys. Ask key suppliers for their figures and favour those who can report them.
- Plan for climate risk. List how heat, floods or supply disruption could stop your business and write a simple continuity plan, including backups and insurance.
- Report plainly. Publish what you measured, what you changed and what you have not yet solved. Avoid offset-based claims you cannot back up.
What you can do
- Learn the basics. Read the UN goal page and a national climate plan for your country, so you can spot claims that do not add up.
- Change the big habits. Travel, home energy and food usually matter more than small swaps. Pick one and stick with it.
- Know your local risks. Find out whether your area faces floods, heatwaves or storms and how official warnings reach you.
- Join something local. School eco clubs, tree planting and clean-ups build skills and friendships. Involve a parent or teacher for anything that needs sign-ups.
Software helps most where it makes climate data cheaper to collect and quicker to act on. Flood forecasting models now send warnings days ahead, satellite and machine learning projects estimate emissions from individual power plants and factories, and simple tools let small firms track energy use and supplier data without spreadsheets. The limits are real: models need good local data, warnings only work if people receive and trust them, and a dashboard does not cut a single tonne of emissions on its own.
Sources
- UN DESA: Goal 13 targets and indicators
- The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026: Goal 13
- United Nations: Climate change, Goal 13
- WMO: Global Status of Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems 2025
- GHG Protocol standards
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