Next week, Climate Week NYC, organized by The ClimateGroup, takes place. Climate Week NYC (CWNYC) runs from September 21-27 and is expected to feature over 350 events organized in NYC and around the world, both in-person and online.
CEBDS Events:
September 25th
10:00am to 11:30am (Brasília time)
How is the Business Sector Supporting the Amazon?
*Event in English
Never in history has the future of humanity and the planet depended so much on the ability to understand that everyone lives in the same ecosystem, and that survival is directly linked to the preservation and valorization of natural resources. The social and economic impacts caused by the Covid-19 pandemic on a global and unprecedented scale represent a warning that breaking ecosystem stability brings devastating consequences, similar to what has been happening with the climate emergency.
The situation in the Amazon rainforest, with increasing deforestation and destruction, goes against what the private sector believes and leaves Brazil even further away from its climate goals and a fair and sustainable future. In addition to the negative perception of Brazil's image internationally, social and environmental issues in the Amazon are highly detrimental to the development of businesses and projects. Sustainable values must be disseminated and intrinsic to the actors and the way of doing business in the region.
Aware of the potential impact on business and competitiveness, the Brazilian business sector has publicly expressed its concerns about the current levels of deforestation and the lack of governance in the Amazon and other biomes in the country. Business Sector Announcement was delivered in July to the president of the National Council of the Legal Amazon, Vice President of the Republic, General Hamilton Mourão. The repercussion attracted the support of new companies and transformed the agenda into a permanent movement of the business community, which met with the top brass of the Legislative, Judiciary, Public Prosecutor's Office and governments in the region.
The Communiqué defends seven thematic axes:
- Unyielding and comprehensive fight against illegal deforestation in the Amazon and other Brazilian biomes;
- Social and economic inclusion of local communities to ensure forest preservation;
- Minimizing the environmental impact of the use of natural resources, seeking efficiency and productivity in the resulting economic activities;
- Valuing and preserving biodiversity as an integral part of business strategies;
- Adoption of carbon credit trading mechanisms;
- Directing financing and investments towards a circular and low-carbon economy; and
- Incentive packages for economic recovery from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, conditional on a circular and low-carbon economy.
Greater knowledge about how ecosystems relate to business activities and society has been used by organizations and initiatives as a way of connecting opportunities to problem-solving in the region.
In this event, we will bring together some of these actors to show how the business sector has been supporting the Amazon, under the values of the bioeconomy, through nature-based solutions, facing the challenges posed by climate change, loss of biodiversity and human rights.
The speaker lineup will be updated on the event link. Registration, here.
September 22nd
2:00pm to 4:00pm (Brasília time)
International launch of the “10 Business Principles for a Sustainable Amazon” Guide
Official event of Amazônia Possível, the result of a partnership between CEBDS, Instituto Arapyaú, Brazil Climate, Forests and Agriculture Coalition, Instituto Ethos, Rede Brasil do Pacto Global da ONU and Sistema B.
The Guide aims to be a guide for companies that wish to operate more sustainably in the Amazon region, and is ideally used to support the design of strategic planning and the exercise of prioritizing projects, so that they have more positive impacts at the end of the production chains. Check out the guide here.
September 23rd
10:00 am to 12:00 pm (Brasília time)
Green Recovery: Perspectives from Brazil
*Event in Portuguese and English
Event in partnership between CEBDS and the Climate and Society Institute (ICS).
Even before the pandemic, legislators around the world were already working on proposals for economic plans that took environmental issues into account, an effort that has been consolidated as the European Green Deal (Green New Deal). The relevance of legislation and government plans that drive the climate agenda has become even more evident with the crisis imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The role of the business sector in accelerating plans towards a low-carbon economy is also becoming increasingly evident.
How are these plans progressing and what are the global prospects for their implementation? Do the plans under discussion today meet the needs also imposed by the ongoing climate crisis? The event will present possibilities for implementing climate-focused Recovery Plans, considering the public and private sectors.
WBCSD Event:
September 22nd
09:30h to 10:30h (Brasília time)
Business Policy Asks to Get to Net Zero
Up-to-date event information including speaker lineup, registration and connection here.
Recommended partner events:
NYC Climate Week Official Opening
Host: TheClimate Group
The New York Climate Week Kickoff Ceremony brings together business and government leaders to showcase meaningful climate action and find ways to do more. The event will feature appearances by Prince Charles of the United Kingdom, Mark Chambers, Director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, Kristalina Georgieva, Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund, Professor Rebecca M. Henderson of Harvard Business School, Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, Executive Director of North America for 350.org, Mathias Lelievre, CEO of ENGIE Impact, Doug McMillon, Chairman and CEO of Walmart, Inc, Dickon Pinner, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, Marc Engel of Unilever, Fiona Reynolds, CEO of Principles for Responsible Investment, and Zhenguo Li, Founder and Chairman of LONGi Group.
Date and time: Monday, September 21, 2020 at 9:00 am (Brasília time)
Access only via Facebook.
The role of tax reform in a green recovery: How the autumn budget can help the UK build back better
Host: Zero Carbon Campaign and Green Alliance
The Zero Carbon Campaign will publish a report exploring how to redesign UK carbon pricing to align with the 2050 net-zero target. Among other things, the report will explore the use of complementary policies for each sector and how to introduce pricing in sectors not yet included.
Date and time: Monday, September 21, 2020 at 10:00 am (Brasília time)
Registrations here
COP26 & THE ZERO CARBON GROWTH AGENDA
Host: High Level Climate Champions and The Climate Group
The UN Race to Zero campaign, led by the UN High-Level Climate Champions for the UK and Chile, Nigel Topping and Gonzalo Muñoz, is partnering with Climate Group to kick off Climate Week New York. With contributions from Alok Sharma, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and COP President, global figures, city leaders and CEOs of the world’s most significant companies, this event frames the agenda for zero-carbon economic growth and brings to life the race to a healthier, fairer and more resilient future, accelerating across all parts of the global economy.
Date and time: Monday, September 21, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. (Brasília time)
More information here
CHANCE OF A LIFETIME? HOW GOVERNMENTS AND BUSINESSES ARE ACHIEVING A GREEN ECONOMIC RECOVERY
Host: TheClimate Group
Description: How are governments and businesses delivering a green recovery? The greatest human and economic tragedy in a generation is also an unparalleled opportunity to build back better for the Climate Decade, by halving emissions over the next 10 years. This high-level event will bring together political and business leaders to discuss what needs to be done in the next two years to accelerate climate action, create green jobs and a healthier society.
Date and time: Monday, September 22, 2020 at 10:45 am (Brasília time)
More information here
FOLLOW THE FROG
Host: The Rainforest Alliance
A bold global transition to renewable energy is essential. So is a complete rethinking of our relationship with the land, including the global food economy and the way tropical forests are managed. The Rainforest Alliance works at the intersection of business, agriculture and forest communities to advance natural climate solutions — including sustainable agriculture and forest conservation — which make up more than a third of the global climate solution.
Date and time: Starting September 21st and lasting all week
More information here
Shifting Paradigm for Net-zero Construction
Host: LafargeHolcim and WBCSD
The event consists of a panel (including WBCSD) with different perspectives on tools, market requirements and public policies that will help the construction sector make a transition to a cleaner economy.
Date and time: Tuesday, September 22, 2020 at 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm (Brasília time)
Subscribe here
POWERING AN EQUITABLE, SUSTAINABLE, AND JUST GLOBAL ENERGY TRANSITION
Host: Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia SIPA
An equitable, sustainable and just energy transition will not be possible without the broad and equal participation and leadership of women in all aspects of the energy industry. Yet, globally, the energy industry remains one of the least inclusive segments of the global economy – women make up just 22% of the traditional energy workforce and 32% of the renewable energy workforce.
Date and time: Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 11:00 am – 12:30 pm (Brasília time)
Subscribe here
The Rise of the Green Economy
Host: London Stock Exchange and PRI
Join the London Stock Exchange Group and the PRI for the third part of the COP26: Investor Action on Climate webinar series, titled ‘The Rise of the Green Economy’. The webinars aim to build momentum ahead of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow next year. Given the challenges facing society, economies and the world as we emerge from COVID-19, it is critical that investors address potential crises of the future and understand their role in achieving green growth.
Date and time: Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 10:30 am – 1:00 pm (Brasília time)
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Ambitious and resilient carbon markets: a central pillar for green recovery
Host: The International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP) and International Emissions Trading Association (IETA)
Managers from different carbon markets, as well as global business leaders, will provide insights into the performance of major carbon markets during the current crisis. The event aims to demonstrate that carefully designed carbon markets have proven to be a resilient policy instrument for climate change mitigation, even in the face of unprecedented circumstances.
Date and time: Thursday, September 24, 2020 at 12:15 PM – 2:00 PM (Brasília time)
Subscribe here
Sustainable Investment Forum North America 2020
Largest Financial Forum at Climate Week NYC
Date and time: Morning and afternoon sessions on September 24th, October 1st, October 8th and October 15th
Subscribe here
Getting to Net Zero – Raising the Ambition on Global Climate Action
Host: Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC)
Description: Issues related to what net-zero means to different stakeholders; the strategies and interventions needed to achieve it; definitional issues around these, such as offsets and removals, and also the different roles that carbon pricing policies and measures can play in incentivizing action will be discussed.
Date and time: Friday, September 25, 2020 at 11:00 am – 12:30 pm (Brasília time)
Subscribe here
Green Climate Fund – Leadership Dialogue
Host: Green Climate Fund
The event will feature contributions from Heads of State and Ministers from different countries to promote dialogue and strengthen collaboration to support emerging countries in transformative investment pathways, leveraging the catalytic role of the Green Climate Fund.
No confirmed date. Follow updates on the event link.
Subscribe here
Check out the full list of official CWNYC events: https://climateweeknyc.org/events-program
