Nordic Conference on Climate Change Adaptation 2023
2023-04-17 04:00 - 2023-04-18 13:00 (America/New_York) | Hotel Reykjavík Grand, Sigtún 28, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland
The 6th Nordic Conference on Climate Change Adaptation, NOCCA23’ will be held in Iceland, Reykjavík Grand Hotel on the 17th-19th of April 2023, the same year that Iceland will hold the Precedency at the Nordic Council of Ministers.
The focus of NOCCA 2023 is on adaptation in cities and municipalities in the Nordic countries. What actions have been implemented and how, what has worked and what are the key learnings in the adaptation process. The event is a valuable venue for Nordic countries to exchange key learnings and to open the dialog on adaptation.
The conference welcomes all who work on climate change adaptation, within the fields of science, in local communities, governments and municipal administration, in ministries and national authorities, politics, businesses, industry and NGOs.

Conference output and key messages
NOCCA collects knowledge from municipal experts and civil servants to enhance the value of current work carried out in the Nordic region and contributes to the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation into decision-making and planning on the municipal level. It will provide a certain overview of the knowledge of existing methodological approaches to climate change adaptation on the municipal level in the Nordic region.
The output from the workshops will be synthesized in a policy paper as a leading document for further Nordic cooperation on adaptation, especially for upcoming ECCA23 and/or COP28.
Shealyn Brannon

Global Ethics Summit 2023
2023-04-17 08:00 - 2023-04-19 17:00 | Virtual Event
Welcome to the Global Ethics Summit 2023
Ethisphere’s Global Ethics Summit has always been a place for companies and delegates to learn, develop and share ideas that elevate our field and lead to greater business integrity. It’s been a place to become better.
This year, our 14th Annual Summit is going hybrid – showcasing more companies, featuring more points of view and bring together a larger community in person and virtually.
Join us as we advance together we gather senior leaders in person with their teams joining virtually from around the globe to shape and drive the Ethics Economy.
Shealyn Brannon

SPS ESG & Sustainable Asset Strategies for Pension Funds
2023-04-19 09:00 - 16:30 | The View at the Royal College of Surgeons, 38-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE, United Kingdom
Conference objectives

• Explore a range of new ESG/impact and sustainable investment strategies
• Understand how to integrate them into your investment management processes
• Further your knowledge of TCFD and climate reporting
• Learn from other pension fund and investor colleagues
• Network with pension funds and providers in an educational informal setting
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Complimentary attendance for pension funds and other qualifying institutional investors

Shealyn Brannon

Bloomberg for Credit: Navigate Sustainable Fixed Income Effectively
2023-04-19 10:00 - 10:30 | Virtual Event
Join this webinar to gain a better understanding of ESG topics in relation to Credit. Learn how to navigate sustainable fixed income effectively by leveraging Bloomberg’s resources, whether it is related to data, transparency, ratings, research, news, indices or regulation.
Discover best practices for locating issuer data, evaluating carbon impact and net zero alignment, and identifying regulatory profiles in respect to SFDR, TCFD etc.
Discussion topics:
· Integrate ESG data and scores into monitoring
· Check alignment with regulatory requirements
· Use Bloomberg Intelligence to keep track of ESG trends
· Find & keep track of ESG bonds
· Analyze and compare ESG bonds against comps
Shealyn Brannon

US Climate Action Summit 2023
2023-04-19 11:00 - 17:30
What is the US Climate Action Summit?

Back for its third year, the US Climate Action Summit unites key leaders in business, politics and advocacy to drive US climate momentum during Earth Week.
We’re hosting an intimate yet innovative program that favours participation, progress and accountability.
Our goal for the US Climate Action Summit is to create a participant-led platform that drives measurable outcomes on climate policy and business action, with attendees at the heart of the agenda.

How is this event different?

We know events alone will not change the world. But the people and conversations at them can. We need a little less conversation and a lot more action at events like this.
We’ve seen a huge demand from our business, policy and NGO networks for an open and honest platform that pushes progress and implementation.
So we’ve designed an agenda that puts participation at the center of the program by creating an open space for off the record conversations, carefully curated small-group conversations, and a series of closed-door implementation sessions that deliver real outcomes.

Shealyn Brannon

Moody's Analytics Summit 2023 Johannesburg
2023-04-20 02:30 - 12:30 | Four Seasons Hotel, The Westcliff, 67 Jan Smuts Avenue, Johannesburg, South Africa
Moody’s Analytics Summit 2023 brings together more than 100 members of the banking community to network and learn about best practices, innovations, and forward-looking thought leadership.

Shealyn Brannon

How Can The Built Environment Drive Social and Environmental Value?
2023-04-20 05:00 - 06:00 | Virtual Event
This webinar, organised by the Financial Times in partnership with JLL, will delve into the rising importance of social value in the development of a net-zero, healthy, and equitable built environment. It will look at the key challenges and tensions between short and long term priorities and how the ecosystem of stakeholders can align and engage in the creation of spaces that are safe, inclusive, resilient and sustainable. Our experts will share practical experiences and discuss ways to achieve decarbonisation goals alongside social and financial targets, explore opportunities for shared value and stakeholder collaboration, and examine how to improve the human value proposition throughout the entire real estate cycle.
Social value is a core part of ESG, yet there is a gap between ambition and action. Companies typically take a fragmented approach and focus more on the ‘E’ – rather than addressing environmental and social goals in tandem. Those who take a holistic approach across the real estate cycle, can transform the built environment into a driver of positive change, for both people and planet, while accelerating progress and unlocking competitive advantage.

Shealyn Brannon

Climate Risk and Returns: Shaping a Sustainable, Profitable Future
2023-04-20 07:30 - 2023-04-21 12:30 | ​InterContinental New York Barclay, ​111 East 48th Street, New York, NY, 10017, United States
As the debate around the risk–return of ESG investing continues, CFA Institute is convening asset owners, investment managers and corporate leaders to address the key questions and themes, head on.

Are investors running the risk of a fiduciary failure?
How can AI and ML help mitigate risk through enhanced ESG data scrutiny?
As governments dedicate trillions to energy security and climate change programs, where will the value be created?
When it comes to climate, where do we draw the line between free enterprise and accountability?
Apathy is not an option. Boards must embrace the E, S, and G.

Join us, on 20-21 April in New York City, to build your network and hear directly from leading asset owners and influencers across the investment and corporate sectors.

Shealyn Brannon

An Update on the State of EU Sustainable Finance
2023-04-20 15:30 - 18:30 | MSCI Auditorium, Via Dante 9, Milan, 20123, Italy
MSCI Response to Regulatory Developments, Trends in the European Fund Universe, and Product Governance for Financial Advisory
The European Sustainable Finance regulatory agenda continues to be a major priority for financial market participants, who are striving to comply in the absence of clear definitions, available data and integration in product governance.
In anticipation of more regulatory developments later in the year, we are pleased to invite you to an in-person breakfast event on April 20, 2023 to take stock on the trends we have been observing in the market, and share how our data and tools have been helping clients respond to these regulatory requirements.
Veronique Menou-Lieblich, Global Head of ESG Regulatory Solutions, will focus on how MSCI is helping create market consensus around ‘Sustainable Investment’ and ‘Do Not Significant Harm’ definitions, highlighting trends across the EMEA region and our data governance. Rumi Mahmood, MSCI Head of ESG and Climate Fund Research, will offer his insight into how the market is responding to the regulatory pressure in terms of product creation and classification, flows and trends. Gaetano Nappi and Angelo Peirano, both MSCI Analytics Team, will show how MSCI investment analytics powers sustainable factor integration into product governance process and transforms it to become the internal central hub for financial advisory.
Shealyn Brannon

4th global conference of the Sustainable Food Systems Programme
2023-04-24 04:00 - 2023-04-27 13:00 | Virtual Event
Humankind is confronted with multiple deeply rooted and interlinked crises, including in relation to climate, biodiversity, conflict, energy, consumer prices, food insecurity, malnutrition and health.
Global food systems challenges call for a profound and swift transformation of how we produce, process, retail, and consume food and dispose organic waste.
The UN Secretary-General’s Food Systems Summit (UN FSS) in September 2021 created important momentum for this transformation.
Contributing to the 2023 Stock-Taking Moment of the UN FSS follow-up process, this conference will look at how food systems need to be transformed to overcome these crises in order to minimize the risk of global collapse and achieve the SDGs.
Based on concrete examples, the conference will look at main barriers and bottlenecks in relation to food systems transformation, discuss solutions and release a series of actionable recommendations with a focus on the following five key levers:

Global, regional, national, sub-national inclusive governance to set the foundations for applying a holistic/integrated approach towards sustainable food systems.
Collaborative, multisectoral, integrated policy actions based on a holistic approach to materialize the transformation we need: shifting consumption and production patterns in our food systems.
Mobilizing means of implementation, including financing.
Metrics and accountability frameworks to measure transformation.
Mission-oriented research and innovation, in collaboration with the private sector.

To do so, the conference will provide a space for countries, coalitions, the Food Systems Coordination Hub’s “ecosystem of support” and other food systems actors to present transformational actions, tools and initiatives linked to the implementation of National Pathways for Food Systems Transformation that have emerged since the UN FSS and discuss how such actions can be further scaled up to ensure that we collectively attain our sustainable food systems pathways by 2030.
In addition, the conference will discuss how progress on shaping sustainable, resilient, healthy and inclusive food systems in the context of the UN FSS follow-up process can be properly measured in view of the UN FSS 2023 Stock-Taking Moment and beyond.

Shealyn Brannon

The Future of ESG Data America 2023
2023-04-24 08:00 - 18:00 | 600 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20005, 600 14th St NW, Washington, DC, DC, 20005, United States
Environmental Finance is delighted to announce that our hugely successful annual conference The Future of ESG Data is now launching an America edition, arriving in Washington on April 24 2023.
Building on the enormous popularity of 2022’s London event, The Future of ESG Data conference is arriving in the US as a central source of discussion and learning for the rapidly evolving ESG Data industry. This unique one-day event will offer unrivalled insight from industry leading experts on all aspects of the industry.
Register to join us and be a part of the conversation on the future of ESG Data.
If you are interested in partnering with us for these events, please contact Bryn Hossack at bryn.hossack@environmental-finance.com, to discuss your specific requirements and the opportunities available.

Some of the key areas of discussion include:

How are investors using ESG data for investment decisions?

Emerging developments in measuring the “S” pillar of ESG

Initiatives in developing nature-related and biodiversity investment data

The role of ESG data in the transition to net zero

How are corporates building ESG reporting strategies?

Investor insights on emerging disclosure regulations and standards

Shealyn Brannon

Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Forum on Sustainable Development 2023
2023-04-24 08:00 - 2023-04-28 17:00 | Santiago, Region Metropolitana, Chile, Chile
The 2023 Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) Regional Forum on Sustainable Development will take place in April in Santiago, Chile.
Convened by the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Forum is a regional platform for assessing progress and exchanging knowledge, best practices, and policy solutions to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, in line with regional priorities and specificities.
Shealyn Brannon

The Business Case for DEI: Future Proof Your Workforce During a Recession
2023-04-26 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Event
Overview

In light of the current economic downturn, many companies may be considering reducing their DEI budgets. But at what cost?
Putting DEI front and centre has proven itself as an effective means to enabling businesses to thrive and become more resilient. It is also critical to building a positive brand reputation which in turn attracts a long-term talent pool & customer base.
This exclusive Insight Hour will demonstrate how DEI should be the last item organizations should be slashing. Our expert panel will guide you on ways to strengthen your DEI business plans internally and ensure you are honoring the DEI initiatives you have been implementing.
Discussion topics:

How can you keep DEI at the top of your business’ workforce strategy?
How do you expand a business case for keeping your DEI plans in place given the challenging economic climate?
How can the private and public sector work together to carve out pathways that lead to real economic mobility?
How can you apply DEI work to changing or emerging business needs?

Shealyn Brannon

Key Trends & Consideration for Transition Finance
2023-04-27 02:30 - 04:30 | Virtual Event
About This Webinar:
Morningstar Sustainalytics is  hosting a webinar focused on transition finance foundation and instruments. During this webinar we will be providing an overview of the global and local trends in Japan, criteria and thresholds.
Our sustainable finance specialists will be sharing their insights on:

The transition label, with sector specific highlights
Threshold overview, with industry specific examples
Sustainalytics’ approach to transition finance
Trends and opportunities for transition finance

Who It’s For:
Banking & Corporate Professionals in Sustainable Finance Departments, Debt capital departments, Treasury Departments, and Investor Relations.

Key Webinar Information:

Webinar Date: Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Webinar Time: 15:30 – 17:30 Tokyo  / 14:30 – 16:30 Singapore
Who Should Attend: Banking and corporate professionals in sustainable finance departments, debt capital departments, treasury departments, and investor relations.

There will be a live translator on the webinar for English and Japanese

Shealyn Brannon

Total Impact Summit 2023: Investing for People, Planet, and Place
2023-05-01 08:00 - 18:00 | Convene CityView, 30 South 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, United States
How are your investments currently impacting people, planet, and places? Investments are not simply financial maneuvers that return a profit, but consequential actions that shape the diverse and complex world we live in today – and are creating for future generations. Your investments have the opportunity to support thriving local communities, alter the course of climate change, or cultivate resilient local economies in the places you love.
From catalytic capital into neighborhoods to ESG alignment in public equities portfolios, investors hold significant power to transform the nation’s most pressing challenges and impact communities across towns, cities, regions, and rural areas in the U.S. Total Impact Summit 2023: Investing for People, Planet, and Place is a two-day, dynamic event for individual investors, family offices, foundations, fund managers, and financial advisors to connect with aligned peers and partners, learn about proven and new investment tools, meet leaders of investable opportunities, and move toward investment action.
#TIS23 Themes:
The Total Impact Summit will feature an exciting program (May 1-2, 2023). During the two-day Summit, a wide range of topics will be covered.
Cultivating Critical Capital Pathways
What future are you invested in creating for communities, our environment, and the diverse places Americans call home? Hear from leaders and connect with peers to discuss the nuances between impact and regenerative investing, leveraging tools like DAFs in new ways, listening to and partnering with those receiving investment, implementing impact measurement, and much more.
Policy’s Impact on Capital Flows
How are federal, state, and local policies affecting investments, financial returns, and impact? Hear from leaders and connect with peers to discuss today’s most consequential proposed and enacted policies, how they impact investment across the capital spectrum, positive possibilities and penalizations, and how attendees might advocate on behalf of policies that promote equitable development and impact.
Investing for People
How is capital currently flowing through and to people? Join your peers to understand the ways in which investments are centering people to support comprehensive health and well-being, financial self-determination, wealth building, and more.
Investing for Planet
Where are your investment dollars needed most to move the climate action needle? Hear from experts and join your peers to take a comprehensive view of climate investment, learn the clearest paths for actions, and how you can deploy capital immediately.
Investing for Place
How are you invested in the places and communities that need it most? Join fellow leaders and practitioners that are comprehensively acting and investing in places like Baltimore, Denver, Dallas, Portland, and others across the United States.
Act & Invest Now
What action or investment can you make today for your first or next step toward creating the future you envision? Join fellow impact peers for workshops offering practical and tactical action, to build relationships with leaders cultivating solutions, and learn more about investable opportunities.
Shealyn Brannon

AFME European Sustainable Finance Conference
2023-05-03 08:00 - 2023-05-04 17:00 | Leonardo Royal Hotel Amsterdam, Paul van Vlissingenstraat 24, Amsterdam, 1096 BK, Netherlands
Enabling capital markets to finance the transition

Understand how Europe’s major banks and capital markets firms are shaping their sustainability products and practices

Shealyn Brannon

8th Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals
2023-05-03 09:00 - 2023-05-04 17:00 | United Nations New York Headquarters, 405 E 42nd St, New York, NY, 10017, United States
The eighth annual Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs (STI Forum) will be held from 3 to 4 May 2023. The Forum will be convened by the President of ECOSOC Her Excellency Lachezara Stoeva who has appointed two co-chairs – H.E. Ms. Mathu Joyini, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of South Africa to the United Nations and H.E. Mr. Thomas Woodroffe, United Kingdom Ambassador to the UN Economic and Social Council. As per its mandate, the Forum will be organized by the UN interagency task team on STI for the SDGs (IATT), convened by UN-DESA and UNCTAD, and the 10-Member Group of high-level representatives appointed by the Secretary General.
In line with recent mandates and as in previous years, the STI Forum will facilitate discussions on science, technology and innovation cooperation in support of the SDGs. In addition to providing the mandated inputs for the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development to be held from 10 to 19 July 2023, the Forum will also take a broader look at the contribution of STI to the achievement of all the SDGs in recognition of the September mid-term review of SDG progress.
Accordingly, the theme for the STI Forum 2023 is: “Science, technology and innovation for accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels”.
Shealyn Brannon

Sustainable Finance Update: Q2 2023
2023-05-03 10:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
Moody’s sustainable finance specialists will discuss the latest trends shaping global sustainable debt markets, including recent issuance trends and forecasts, evolving market standards and a spotlight on the automotive sector.
Topics include:

What were the key drivers of sustainable bond issuance in the first quarter and outlook for the remainder of 2023?
To what extent will market developments, including the updated loan principles and the EU Green Bond Standard, affect the growth and standardization of thematic debt?
How are automakers leveraging the sustainable bond market to finance their decarbonization strategies?

Shealyn Brannon

Clean Energy Technologies to meet SDGs in Small Island States
2023-05-03 13:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
This Virtual Event will provide a platform for knowledge exchange and collaboration among experts in the field of sustainable energy and island communities. It will explore innovative technologies, best practices, and policy frameworks for promoting sustainable energy transitions in islands. The outcomes of the will contribute to the development of sustainable energy solutions for island communities, and ultimately, to the achievement of global Sustainable Development Goals. This event continues the discourse on concrete implementation and solutions in preparation for the Fourth International Conference on SIDS to be held in 2024 and towards the 2030 Sustainable Development goals milestones.
Shealyn Brannon

Impact Investing World Forum 2023
2023-05-04 08:00 - 2023-05-05 17:00 | Kensington Conference and Event Centre, W8 7NX, London, United Kingdom
Impact Investing Conference 2023 in London is the Impact Investing World Forum (IIWF) 2023 as one of leading social impact investment events for ESG Funds, UN SDGs, Investor and sustainable investing in UK Europe Oxford University.

Shealyn Brannon

Measuring Development 2023: Mitigating the Risks and Impacts of Climate Change
2023-05-04 09:00 - 17:00 | World Bank Headquarters in Washington, D.C., 1818 H St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20433, United States
Human activity has caused precipitous increases in greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions, resulting in a one degree warming of average global surface temperatures over the past century. As the planet responds to rising emissions, extreme weather events are expected to become more frequent, distressing both natural and human systems. Researchers and practitioners need innovative analytical tools and data sources to understand how to mitigate the risks and impact of climate change on welfare. COP27 ended with a compromise to create a fund sourced from developed countries to remedy climate change damages in low income and fragile contexts. This adds to the panoply of climate funds and financial tools geared toward broader action on climate change and the commitment of all development institutions to align their financing with the Paris Agreement. To make sure these investments maximize well-being and protect those who are most at risk, we need to assess not only what the damages would be and who would be most vulnerable, but also what mitigation and resilience strategies are most effective.
To this end, the World Bank’s Development Impact Evaluation (DIME) department and Data Analytics and Tools (DECAT) unit, the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA), and the University of Chicago’s Development Innovation Lab (DIL) will host the ninth annual Measuring Development Conference (MeasureDev). The Mitigating the Risks and Impacts of Climate Change conference will convene researchers at the frontiers of physical and social sciences and decision-makers who influence humanity’s responses to the challenges of climate change. It will showcase innovative data sources and analytical techniques to better monitor emissions and appraise efforts to mitigate their consequences. MeasureDev will feature a series of presentations, panel discussions, and lightning talks on novel applications of mobile data, satellite imagery, remote sensing technologies, and the computational approaches to make sense of the data to provide more granular, frequent, and accurate insights regarding our changing climate and actions to respond. Participants will learn about the frontiers of measurement using these approaches and gain perspectives from leading academic and industry pioneers. Researchers, graduate students, practitioners, policymakers, and industry partners are all welcome to submit to register to attend the conference using this form.
Shealyn Brannon

Sustainable Investment Forum Europe 2023
2023-05-09 03:00 - 12:30 | Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel, 18 Avenue De Suffren, 22 Rue Jean Rey Entrée Au, Paris, 75015, France
In partnership with UNEP FI, Climate Action will host the 6th annual Sustainable Investment Forum Europe in Paris on 09 May 2023. The forum’s mission is to support European and global action for an equitable and just transition in sustainable investing.
The Forum will provide the medium to foster solutions for sustainable investors as they grapple with challenging terrain caused by the practical challenges of new regulations, a global energy crisis, greenwashing, and more.
Shealyn Brannon

ESG Risk Management Summit North America 2023
2023-05-09 08:30 - 16:00 | New York Hilton Midtown, 1335 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY, 10019, United States
After a sell-out event in 2022, the 2nd annual ESG Risk Management Summit North America (May 9-10, 2023 | New York) will bring together leading financial risk experts who will discuss how they are getting ahead of regulatory exercises, integrating governance practices, and developing ESG centric risk modeling within their institutions.
Join 120+ ESG risk management experts to:

Prepare for upcoming regulation and climate stress testing exercises with lessons learned internationally
Look beyond just climate risk to delve into all parts of E, S and G
Benchmark governance frameworks and the integration of ESG and climate risk factors into wider risk management processes
Meet, network and engage with 120+ risk experts from over 60 different financial institutions

Shealyn Brannon

6th Sustainable Investor Summit Austria Forum | Vienna
2023-05-10 02:00 - 2023-05-11 10:00 | Marriott Hotel | Vienna, Austria, Parkring 12a, Vienna, 1010, Austria
The ICF SIS annual conference offers a unique opportunity to network with leaders of the sustainable, responsible and impact investing community and to learn about new approaches, trends and policy developments in the field.
The conference will attract representatives of asset owners, such as insurance companies, pension funds, foundations & endowments, family offices, asset management and advisory firms, research firms, universities, investment consultants, NGOs, along with policymakers and corporate leaders.
2023 will mark our sixth annual conference. We are excited to return to Frankfurt, Vienna and Zurich, covering the entire DACH region.
As a lesson learned from the past events, the events in Frankfurt and Vienna will be extended to 1.5 days in order to accommodate the multitude of topics and to offer more networking time.
Shealyn Brannon

Strategies Towards Reaching Zero Plastic Pollution
2023-05-11 04:00 - 06:00 | Virtual Event
An estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic enters the ocean every year, making up over 85% of total marine waste.

Plastic pollution is an accelerating global problem. An estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic enters the ocean every year, making up over 85% of total marine waste. This devastates ecosystems and impacts livelihoods. The global community needs to tackle this issue, and is taking steps to do so through the development of an international treaty on plastic pollution.
Despite these serious issues, the material qualities of plastic make it incredibly useful. In many use cases within hygiene and healthcare for example, we currently have no suitable alternative. Further, the material has a role to play in global progress toward net zero. It keeps food fresh, it makes cars lighter and has uses in insulation and solar equipment. However, current levels of plastic waste are untenable.
Plastic manufacturers, retailers, governments, environmental groups and scientists alike have set out a vision to eliminate plastic waste. This will entail an overhaul of legal, social and regulatory frameworks as well as significant scaling of new technologies and materials. The next stage of the negotiations for the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution will take place in Paris in late May (INC-2).
This Financial Times online briefing, organised in partnership with the Global Partners for Plastics Circularity, a collaboration of the International Council of Chemical Associations, will explore how plastic pollution has become so prevalent, what is needed to overcome this issue and the role that an international agreement could play.

Shealyn Brannon

79th session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
2023-05-14 22:30 - 2023-05-19 05:00 | Bangkok, Thailand & Virtual Event, Bangkok, Thailand
The seventy-ninth session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) will be held from 15 to 19 May 2023 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok.
Guided by the theme “Accelerating climate action in Asia and the Pacific for sustainable development”, the annual session will be an opportunity to strengthen regional cooperation on climate change.
The session will bring together Government leaders from across Asia and the Pacific and other key stakeholders to discuss policy options and areas of regional cooperation required to accelerate climate action in the region and beyond. With dedicated discussions on catalysing climate finance and investments, complemented by a climate solutions fair, the session will allow identifying opportunities, sharing solutions and facilitate engagement of a broad set of partners and stakeholders, to both reduce the risks and impacts of climate change and foster ambitious climate action in Asia and the Pacific towards net-zero pathways and limit global temperature rise to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The theme study sets out the transformations that are needed for Asia and the Pacific to transition to a net-zero-carbon future in support of sustainable development. It provides an outline of the regional context of climate change and identifies policies and actions that could be taken in various sectors of the economy to support the global climate agenda, while also making broad economic, social and environmental gains. To close the emissions gap in key sectors, efforts must be made to transition away from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy. Low-carbon mobility and logistical solutions are crucial for accelerating innovation, developing technologies and tapping into greener fuels. The move towards low-carbon transport options requires an integrated approach to land use and urban planning, as Asia and the Pacific is rapidly motorizing. Furthermore, Governments need to boost their climate-smart trade and investment sectors so that they can decarbonize industries that are currently notable for exporting carbon-intensive goods. Trade and investment should be utilized as force multipliers to combat climate change but are still missing from the existing regional climate landscape. The theme study also contains information on climate-related financing needs in the region and addresses data gaps for better monitoring. Given the carbon neutrality commitments from the majority of Asia-Pacific countries, the report recommends strengthening regional policy dialogue and technical cooperation on low carbon, climate-resilient transition.
CREDENTIALS AND REGISTRATION
Each delegation is required to submit a letter of credentials, duly signed by the appropriate authority of the respective Government or organization, at the earliest convenience, preferably by 11 May 2023 to oes.unescap@un.org.
All participants who appear in the letter of credentials are requested to register online at https://indico.un.org/event/1003482/ as soon as possible but no later than 11 May 2023. Only the names of duly accredited and registered participants will be included in the list of participants.
Shealyn Brannon

CS79 Side-event: Mine Action for Sustainable Development
2023-05-15 02:00 - 03:30 | Bangkok, Thailand & Virtual Event, Bangkok, Thailand
The existence of landmines and other explosive remnants of war (ERWs) because of protracted sequence of domestic and regional conflicts has for decades severely affected countries in the Asia and the Pacific, resulting in thousands of casualties and injuries every year, millions of internally displaced people and many more lives in danger. 21 countries in the region were identified as the affected countries, although extent varied across countries. While efforts and commitments to clear landmines under Article 5 of the 1997 Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) continue to be undertaken by countries and development partners, few countries are on track to fulfil their obligations due to political, geographical, financial and capacity constraints.
Landmines undermine socio-economic development of the countries and livelihood of people in local communities. They refrain people from access to farming and pastoral lands, trading, housing, and other necessary infrastructures, presenting a great risk for local populations. They pose severe social consequences and considerable burdens on victims/survivors and their family, including expenses on long-term medical care, loss of employment, poverty, hunger, discrimination, and social stigma. The presence of mine contamination in agricultural lands and community environments also makes adapting to the negative impact of climate change largely difficult especially for the vulnerable groups in society.
These challenges around landmines have had a cross cutting impact, affecting not only the country’s development but also its path towards achieving the SDGs as it hinders the economy from reaching its full potential. Against this background, mine-clearing efforts and continued endeavours to address economic, social and environmental consequences of landmines are key to building confidence, in which people can live safely and freely from constraints, and support inclusive, resilient and sustainable development.
The session aims to raise awareness to a broader audience of the challenges and issues of demining and to engage in frank dialogue with experts and institutions on addressing the social and economic development impacts to communities and societies. The deliberations will also highlight the links between mine action and the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs
Representatives of Asia and the Pacific, international and regional organizations, national entities, including non-governmental organizations, private sector, who are engaged in the activities related to mine action will participate.
To join, please register here https://forms.office.com/e/rnVvudthLR and here https://indico.un.org/event/1003482/.
Shealyn Brannon

World Bank Central Asia Climate Change Conference 2023
2023-05-16 00:00 - 08:30 | Hyatt Regency Dushanbe Hote, 26/1, Ismoili Somoni Prospekt, Dushanbe, 734026, Tajikistan
Central Asia is particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of a rapidly changing climate—it is an arid, landlocked, snow-fed region with most of its water originating in glaciers of upstream mountains and neighboring countries that has a largely agrarian economy, aging infrastructure, and high population growth. Although the countries of the region – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – have distinct landscapes, natural climatic conditions, development priorities, and the transboundary nature of climate change exposes each Central Asian nation with novel risks.
To address these risks, governments in the region and their development partners will need tackle strategic challenges, including transitioning towards carbon neutrality and climate resilience through low-carbon, climate resilient development; renovating and upgrading the climate resilience of water, energy, and food infrastructure; strengthening the capacity of local communities; and implementing progressive regulatory and institutional reforms to attract needed investments. Doing so will require regional cooperation and unprecedented economic and social transformations.
On May 16-17th, the 5th Central Asia Climate Change Conference (CACCC-2023) is bringing together key stakeholders to discuss water, energy, food, and environmental sustainability in the context of a changing climate across Central Asia. Conference participants will discuss progress by Central Asian countries on climate mitigation and adaptation action, relevant initiatives to achieve cross-sectoral climate resilience, and platforms available for regional cooperation.
The Conference is organized by the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) within the “Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Program in the Aral Sea Basin AF” (CAMP4ASB AF), “Central Asia Nexus Dialogue Project: Fostering Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus and Multi-Sector Investment”(NEXUS) in cooperation with the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, PROGREEN, and the Central Asia Water & Energy Program (CAWEP), which is a partnership between the World Bank, the European Union, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Working languages: Russian, English. Simultaneous translation will be provided by the organizers.
Follow the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag: #CAClimate2023
General link to watch the following sessions:
Day 1

Opening Session;
Opening Plenary: Climate Change and Development in Central Asia;
Panel Discussion 1: National policies, strategies and programs for climate mitigation and adaptation;
Parallel Session A.1: Water Security;
Parallel Session B.1: Circular Economy;

Day 2

Panel Session 2: Leveraging regional collaboration in a changing global policy environment;
Parallel Session C.1: Air pollution, health, and climate change;
Panel Session 3: Climate financing: needs and opportunities;
Closing Plenary.

Shealyn Brannon

ESCAP-SCO Side Event: Enabling Food Systems Transformation through Climate Smart Agri-Innovation
2023-05-16 01:30 - 02:30 | Virtual Event
The agricultural sector in the Asia-Pacific region is suffering from a number of key constraints which are significantly worsening the vulnerability of agriculture to climate impacts in the region. Apart from being highly vulnerable to its impacts, agriculture is also an important contributor to climate change.
Agricultural innovation for development of more efficient and sustainable technologies and machinery holds significant promise to boost climate resilience and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Apart from digital and smart technologies, there is a vital role for innovation of simple and low-cost agricultural technologies and practices for resource-poor farmers and smallholders. These can help put agriculture on a trajectory of resilient and low-carbon development.
Co-organized by ESCAP and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) during the 79th session of the Commission, the event will inform and support countries’ implementation of the national food system transformation pathway, especially in the action areas of advancing equitable livelihoods, building resilience, and accelerating the Means of Implementation. It will advance the understanding of policymakers and practitioners working in the areas of agriculture and climate change adaptation and mitigation on the need for promoting agri-innovation.
The event will be opened by remarks from senior-level speakers. This will be followed by a panel of experts that will illustrate pertinent approaches and technologies. The closing session will reflect on how such solutions can be upscaled in the region through multilateral cooperation.
Participants attending the 79th session of the Commission in Bangkok are welcome to attend in-person while the event will also be open to online participation through the registration link below. The event will be conducted in English and simultaneous interpretation will be provided in Chinese and Russian for the online participants.
Shealyn Brannon

79th Session of the Commission Side Event: Connecting Local, National and Regional Strategies to Achieve Carbon Neutrality in Asia and the Pacific
2023-05-16 01:30 - 03:00
The side event aims to showcase concrete actions led by cities and local governments to accelerate the achievement of national net-zero goals and to discuss how city-led climate actions and national support could expedite the collective regional climate action in Asia and the Pacific. The event is co-organized by the Republic of Korea, Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat and ESCAP.
Shealyn Brannon
