New York City Climate Week 2021

The road to Glasgow: What needs to happen by COP26 to keep the 1.5˚C goal alive?

The latest IPCC report (Working Group I contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report) confirms that the Earth is hotter than it has ever been in the last 125,000 years and that climate extremes such as heat waves, extreme precipitation, droughts and storms are on the rise and human-driven climate change has made them worse.

However there is also a glimmer of hope: with strong action in this decade, the IPCC science tells us that 1.5°C long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement can stay within reach. Stringent mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions brings immediate benefits and limiting global warming to 1.5°C will dramatically reduce future climate risks.

This high-level online event convened by Climate Analytics brought together experts and government representatives to unpack these issues. Our science experts discussed the main findings of the latest IPCC report and our policy experts explained their latest analysis on what individual countries need to do to be on a 1.5°C compatible pathway and how this translates into 2030 climate targets. This included presenting our new tool, the “National 1.5 Pathway Explorer”, and results from recent work on what is needed to increase ambition by the G20 at COP26 to be Paris compatible.

The presentations were followed by a panel discussion with high-level representatives from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

COP26 in November must deliver on 2030 ambition to keep 1.5°C within reach. This event aims to help participants understand why this is so important and to show that there is a pathway of opportunity for countries to contribute to this outcome through 1.5°C compatible action.

Programme:

09:00 Opening of the event

Opening by Director of Climate Analytics Inc.

Introductory remarks by Special Adviser and Assistant Secretary-General for Climate Change, Selwin Hart

09:05 Presentations

IPCC Sixth Assessment report: What does the latest science tell us? Dr. Carl-Friedrich Schleussner, Climate Analytics

What does each country need to do to be on a domestic 1.5°C pathway? Marie-Camille Attard, Climate Analytics

The role of the G20 countries in limiting global warming to 1.5°C Claire Fyson, Climate Analytics

09:30 Panel reactions

Sonam Phuntsho Wangdi, Secretary of the National Environment Commission for the Royal Government of Bhutan, Chair of the Least Developed Countries group

Simon Stiell, Minister for Climate Resilience and the Environment, Grenada

09:50 Q&A

Questions from the audience and panelists with a moderated discussion between panelists and presenters

Moderator: Frances Fuller, Director of Climate Analytics Inc.

Get the slides

Change We Want: Just Energy Transitions around the World

Date: Thursday, 23 September
Time: 01:15 PM EST – 03:15 PM EST
Language: In English

With the sunset of fossil financing and the sunrise of carbon neutrality targets in many countries, change is coming to the energy sector. The transformation needs to be swift, effective and compatible with the Paris-Agreement, but crucially, it must be conceived from the outset as a just transition.

This event aimed to increase the peer exchange and learning between countries, particularly in a South-South context, to (re)think and (re)formulate effective approaches towards a just transition. The event presented the latest findings on socio-economic aspects of energy transitions towards carbon neutrality.

The energy transition challenge is global. It needs a fast response in all countries of the world. For energy transitions to be climate-friendly, effective and just, countries and their people need to work and learn together. Developing countries face economic and capacity constraints that necessitate cost-effective, results-oriented approaches that affected people can get behind. They can offer industrialized countries innovative options beyond current, often economically challenging and ineffective solutions. The event will tackled the following questions:

- What are the economic and social implications of decarbonizing the energy sector in developing economies?
- What elements should be included in innovative just transition policies?
- Which actors need to be involved in just transition processes, and what should be their role?
- How can the economic diversification, creation of green jobs and social inclusion be enhanced to accelerate the transition process?
- What is the role of, scale needed, and appropriate design for international support to promote a Paris-compatible just transition in developing countries?

Speakers

• Ambassador Diann Black-Layne, Department of Environment, Antigua and Barbuda
• Mauro Fernández, FARN, Argentina
• Ana Tamborrel, ICM, México
• Jesse Burton, Energy Systems Research Group, South Africa

Moderated by: Florian Mersmann, Climate Transparency