AGF’s Claire O’Neill amongst climate leaders welcomed by King at Buckingham Palace on hottest day of the year
A Greener Future’s Claire O’Neill joined fellow climate and nature leaders from government, the United Nations, business and civil society for a cross-sector discussion on the Global Action Agenda convened by Climate Action at Buckingham Palace on 24th June during London Climate Action Week.
The round table was followed by a reception with His Majesty The King where the outcomes of the round table were shared and discussed with His Majesty The King.
Claire is CEO and Co-Founder of not for profit A Greener Future (AGF), and green event energy specialists Grid Faeries x Ecotricity, and was invited by Climate Action to give valuable contributions because of her leadership in greening festivals and accelerating the phase out of fossil fuels.
Claire O’Neill said:
“It was an honour to be welcomed by the King amongst such prestigious guests at Buckingham Palace, to discuss an important topic that is close to my heart. The live sector is filled with practical examples of progress in delivery of climate action targets which improve experience. I was happy to be able to share some of these during the meeting, such as batteries taking diesel out of events. The Action Agenda could provide a valuable and necessary bridge between action and policy, as well as a tool to remove barriers for voices and stories that are currently missing. The heat of the day certainly helped to drive home the urgency of reducing emissions and restoring biodiversity both on land and in our oceans”
As the presidency of the UN climate talks pass from Brazil to Türkiye and Australia, His Majesty heard how the roundtable brought together climate leaders from government, the UN, business, and civil society to keep global climate action aligned behind delivery. Convened in support of the Action Agenda, the discussion examined practical examples already making progress, and how those success stories can be turned into the building blocks of a stronger COP31 outcome.
Key participants included Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, André Corrêa do Lago, COP30 President, Katie White, UK Minister for Climate, and Samed Ağırbaş, COP31 High-Level Champion. Former US Vice President Al Gore also participated, alongside John Kerry, former US Secretary of State, Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and Planetary Guardian, and actors Theo James and Benedict Cumberbatch.
The discussion was facilitated by Climate Action’s David Saddington.
The King heard about how the roundtable focused on the Action Agenda, a crucial part of the Paris Agreement and COP process, designed to strengthen the role of businesses, cities, investors, communities and civil society in delivering climate action beyond formal negotiations. It brings together the people and coalitions turning climate commitments into practical change, from clean energy and farming to nature, resilience and public engagement.
The event took place at the mid-point of the climate calendar, during London Climate Action Week, the world’s largest Climate Week, which this year brings together over 75,000 attendees and features more than 1,400 events across the city.
Nick Henry, founder and chief executive of Climate Action, which organised the event, said:
“On the hottest day of the year so far, under a red heat alert, the costs of inaction could not be clearer. But the Action Agenda shows the other side; the world is making real progress, and the rise of clean energy is accelerating it.
“This is work owned by everyone, the businesses, communities and innovators turning pledges into action, already driving growth, jobs and energy security. To have the opportunity to report back to His Majesty at Buckingham Palace demonstrates its global significance ahead of COP31 in Türkiye this November”.
