Browse our COP29 We Mean Business Coalition Pavilion events, hosted in collaboration with We Mean Business Coalition sponsors and supporting partners. Those events listed with (*) take place outside the Business Pavilion.
Flagship Event: Women Leading on Climate - Dialogue and Reception
Hosted by: Women Leading on Climate an initiative of Climate & Nature Solutions and We Mean Business Coalition.
Addressing the need for increased women's leadership in climate action, the Women Leading on Climate Network brings together a global community of women leaders. Launched during New York Climate Week in September 2024, this initiative unites influential women—led by Catherine McKenna and María Mendiluce, with participation from Ana Toni, Patricia Espinosa, Jennifer Morgan, and others—to foster collaboration, uplift emerging leaders, and drive change. The group aims to advance ambitious outcomes at COP29 and beyond through a global social media campaign and targeted advocacy, calling for stronger national climate plans and building momentum toward transformative climate action.
Speakers:
Catherine McKenna, Chair, UN High-Level Expert Group on the Net Zero Emissions Commitments of Non State Entities & Former Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Canada
María Mendiluce, CEO, We Mean Business Coalition
Additional speakers to be announced.
The event welcomes companies and other stakeholders in the Nordic steel value chain to discuss policy barriers and opportunities for accelerating the transition to fossil-free steel. The discussion will be based on a survey of leading steel manufacturers, buyers, energy producers, and financiers engaged in the Nordic steel value chain in Finland and Sweden. The event aims to model cross-border and value chain dialogue between companies and policymakers
Speakers:
Tuuli Kaskinen, CEO, Climate Leadership Coalition (CLC)
Anna Celsing, Chief Sustainability Officer, Alfa Laval
Jesper Kansbod, Head of Governmental Relations, SSAB
Business Model Transformation: a Critical Tool to Deliver Climate Transition Plans
Hosted by: BSR
Moderator: Adam Fishman, Associate Director, Transformation, BSR
A key COP29 objective is to drive momentum for the next generation of NDCs, due in early 2025, with business playing a vital role. Climate Transition Plans (CTPs) are essential for bridging the gap between climate targets and their delivery, especially as new regulations like the EU CSRD and CSDDD require alignment with the Paris Agreement. A focus on business model transformation within CTPs is crucial for achieving a just 1.5°C transition. BSR’s event will examine CTP requirements, opportunities for economic transformation, principles for net-zero alignment, and promising business models that can be scaled to meet climate goals.
Speakers:
Johan Falk, Co-founder and Head, Exponential Roadmap Initiative
Daniel Schmid, Chief Sustainability Officer, SAP SE
Thomas Schrøder, Climate Director, Grundfos
Jo Swinson, Director, Partners for a New Economy
João Teixeira, Climate Transition Manager, Natura&Co
Giulio Berruti, Director, Climate Change, BSR
Adam Fishman, Associate Director, Transformation, BSR
Quebec (Canada): Private sector engagement and expertise towards climate change mitigation
Hosted by: Investissement Québec
Moderator: Mr. Hubert Bolduc, President Invest-Quebec International
We are pleased to invite you to meet Quebec's most active and dedicated companies toward climate change, looking for partnership for a greener future. High level representatives from the following companies will be on site:
-Service and Engineering: Atkins Realis and WSP
-Mines and metal: Rio Tinto Alcan
-AI systems for utilities and large energy users: Brainbox AI
-Supply chain traceability: Optel
-Aviation: Pratt and Whitney Canada / RTX
-Oil and gas: Antea, Velan
-Satellite GHG Monitoring: GhG Sat
To find out more and arrange a meeting, please contact: [email protected]
Flagship Event: From Fossil to Clean: How ambitious and investible NDCs can unlock the power of business to deliver the UAE Consensus (followed by pavilion launch reception)
Hosted by: We Mean Business Coalition
This event will showcase the Business Call to Action for Ambitious and Investible NDCs, developed by the We Mean Business Coalition in collaboration with leading businesses and business groups. It urges governments to take action across three pillars: (i) ambitious NDCs; (ii) clear and consistent policy frameworks to unlock private investment; and (iii) business engagement. The event will bring together policymakers and businesses to explore what policymakers need from business—and what businesses need from governments—to ensure that NDCs are ambitious, investible, and help accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy solutions.
Followed by the We Mean Business Coalition Pavilion launch reception from 19:00. If you cannot join the earlier event, please join us for drinks and canapés with our partners and sponsors at our pavilion launch reception. Registration not required.
Speakers:
María Mendiluce, CEO, We Mean Business Coalition
Jennifer Morgan, State Secretary and Special Envoy for International Climate Action, Germany
Ana Toni, National Secretary of Climate Change, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Brazil
José Luis Blasco, Global Sustainability Director, Acciona
Fiona Duggan, Global Sustainability Senior Manager - Climate Advocacy, Unilever
Miguel Muñoz Rodriguez, Global Head of Climate Policies and Alliances, Iberdrola
Robert Tichio, CEO, Fortescue
Supply chain capacity building at scale: Climate Drive 2.0
Hosted by: WBCSD
Moderator: Dr. Alexander Nick, Climate Action Director, WBCSD.
How can we scale up support for businesses of all sizes on their Net Zero journey? Hosted by Alexander Nick, WBCSD Senior Director for Climate Action, this event will provide concrete solutions and expert insights for businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and local governments to support inclusive & scalable supply chain decarbonization action. The session will include the release of The Climate Drive 2.0, an open digital platform powered by WBCSD to support business capability building at scale.
Speakers:
Event guest speakers
- Kerry Constabile, Director of Decarbonization Strategy, Amazon
- Kristin Hughes, EVP, Global Head of Sustainability, Diageo
- Lisa Wee, CSO, Aveva - Schneider Electric
- Manveer Gill, Senior Manager, Transition Finance, CDP
- Dominic Waughray, EVP, WBCSD
Engaging Business for an
Ambitious an Investible South
African NDC
Hosted by: We Mean Business Coalition, NBI
Framed within the context of the three pillars of the We Mean Business Coalition's 'Call to Action for Ambitious and Investible NDCs,' the event will bring together private sector leaders to discuss the opportunity of an ambitious and investible NDC by South Africa and the role of business to achieve it.
The event will present the scientific, economic, and business case of the clean energy transition in South Africa and foster a B2B conversation between international and SA companies on higher ambition and the role strong policy can play to enable company transition.
Increasing energy storage and grids as critical enablers to deliver COP29 Action Agenda
Hosted by: Iberdrola, ETC and Global Renewable Alliance
Scaling up energy storage and grids will be essential to implementing and operationalising the outcomes of the Global Stocktake (COP 28) as part of a just energy transition driven by renewable energy and electrification.
COP29 presidency has placed this topic at the center of the multistakeholder conversation, launching the Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge. This initiative aims to set a global target of increasing installed energy storage capacity to 1,500 GW by 2030—a sixfold increase from 2022 levels—aligned with the revision of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
Promoting High Level Energy Dialogues at COP29 is essential to raise the gaps in terms of energy storage solutions and the need for upgraded grids. These discussions are crucial to ensure that the share of renewable energy and electricity in the global energy mix grows in a in an affordable, sustainable, and reliable manner.
Speakers:
María Mendiluce, CEO, We Mean Business Coalition
Nigar Arpadarai, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion, COP29. (TBC)
Fatih Birol, Executive Director International Energy Agency.
Ignacio S. Galán, Executive Chairman Iberdrola.
Adair Turner, Chairman Energy Transitions Commission.
Ana Rovzar, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Global Renewable Alliance
Araceli Fernandez Pales, Head of the Technology Innovation Unit at IEA
Zafar Samadov, Programme Officer Partnerships, IRENA (UNEZA).
Philipp Offenberg, Director Europe, Breakthrough Energy.
Ita Kettleborough, Director, Energy Transitions Commission.
Julie Souder: CEO, Long Duration Energy Storage Council, and Chair of the Global Renewables Alliance.
Bruce Douglas, CEO Global Renewables Alliance.
Delivering High Integrity Carbon Markets: How we unlock the finance to accelerate climate action
Hosted by: ICVCM, GCMU, and VCMI
ICVCM, GCMU, and VCMI invite leaders from the private sector, NGOs, and government to participate in a Town Hall discussion focused on the reforms to the Voluntary Carbon Market. This event provides a unique opportunity to engage directly with us and have your questions lead the session. As your hosts, we will present our work to enhance market integrity, and we invite you to share your perspectives on what is needed to strengthen private sector investment and advance impactful climate action through high-quality carbon credits.
Speakers:
Amy Merrill, Chief Executive Officer, ICVCM
Chris Canavan - CEO, Global Carbon Market Utility
Mark Kenber, Executive Director of VCMI
From NBSAPs to NDCs: bringing climate and nature together to raise national ambition
Hosted by: UK Corporate Leaders Group (CLG UK)
Moderator: Bev Cornaby, Director, Policy & Systems Change collaborations and Director, UK Corporate Leaders Group (CLG UK), Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)
This event will explore how government and business collaboration can align national climate and nature targets to meet international goals. With climate change and nature loss closely interlinked, maintaining resilient ecosystems is vital. As countries discuss updated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) at CBD COP16 and prepare 2035 emissions targets (NDCs) for the February 2025 deadline, this event seeks to bridge the “nature-climate chasm.” Building on COP16 outcomes and COP29 discussions, it offers a platform for policymakers and business leaders to create integrated biodiversity and climate actions, fostering alignment to drive meaningful, lasting impact.
Speakers:
Anthony Agotha, Special Envoy for Climate and
Environment Diplomacy in the EU External Action Service (EEAS)
Simon Henzell-Thomas, Global Director of Climate & Nature, Ingka Group (IKEA)
Stuart Brocklehurst, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Business Engagement and Innovation, University of Exeter
Fiona Duggan, Global Sustainability Senior Manager - Climate Advocacy, Unilever.
The road to CoP30 – a pathway for ambitious biodiversity and climate action
Hosted by: Conservation International, KfW
Science tells us that ecosystem degradation is leading to significant reductions in the vital services they provide, including climate solutions. We must therefore put the interconnection of biodiversity and climate front and center in our efforts to reach climate goals. In this event, key international stakeholders from policy, finance, NGOs, and the private sector will discuss their priorities for ambitious biodiversity and climate action. With COP30 hosted in Belém next year, the event sheds light on Brazil and the Amazon as an essential biome for combating climate change and biodiversity loss.
Speakers:
Jochen Flasbarth (State Secretary in the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development)
Patricia Zurita (Chief Strategy Officer, Conservation International)
Stefan Wintels (Chief Executive Officer, KfW)
Ellen Jackowski (Chief Sustainability Officer at Mastercard, Priceless Planet Coalition)
Nabil Moura Kadri (BNDES Chief of Environment and Amazon Fund)
Reception: Celebrating and Supporting Women in Energy
Hosted by: National Grid, POWERful Women
We would like to invite you to an informal evening reception at COP29 co-hosted by National Grid and POWERful Women to celebrate female leaders involved in the energy transition.
We look forward to bringing together female leaders and male allies to discuss COP29 and the challenges in the energy sector, to share our views on the value of diversity and equity for the energy transition, and to reflect on how we can work together to support progress.
Transition Partnerships: developing new public-private architecture to deliver on the green economic opportunity
Hosted by: WBCSD
This session will explore the new concept of “Transition Partnerships,” underlying architecture that will enable governments, businesses, and financiers to dock in with one another on mission alignment and unlocking co-investment to close the implementation gap in NDCs. It will spotlight existing examples of Transition Partnerships involving WBCSD, including the Zero Emissions Vehicle – Emerging Markets Initiative and Farmers First Clusters.
Speakers:
Jennie Dodson, Senior Director, Policy, Advocacy & Member Mobilization, WBCSD
Vanessa Havard-Williams, Chair, Transition Finance Market Review
Tulio Andrade, Head of Climate Negotiations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil
Simon Henzell-Thomas, Head of Climate & Nature, IKEA
Nigel Topping, Founder, Ambition Loop
Positive outcomes for biodiversity in the renewable energy sector: Building alliances towards a nature-positive future
Hosted by: Iberdrola
At UNFCCC COP28, governments committed to triple global renewable capacity by 2030 and emphasised “the importance of conserving, protecting and restoring nature and ecosystems towards achieving the Paris Agreement temperature goal, in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework”. To achieve nature positive and net zero, our energy transition must support reaching the goals and targets under both the Paris Agreement and Global Biodiversity Framework.
This ambitious transition requires significant action and collaboration from governments, the private sector, and civil society as a whole.
In this context, this event will continue a high-level conversation among key actors and global alliances initiated at COP28 aimed at showcasing successful experiences on positive biodiversity impacts from an accelerated renewable transition and proposing concrete next steps for potential partnerships and collaborations to contribute to a nature-positive future.
Speakers:
Martin Harper – BirdLife International CEO.
CAF (Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean). Martha Castillo, Senior Executive of Technical Advisory on Biodiversity and Climate
UK Government representative (TBC)
World Economic Forum – Emily Kelly, lead, Blue Carbon Action Partnership, Ocean Action Agenda
Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL): Eliot Whittington, Chief Systems Change Officer
Iberdrola - Gonzalo Saenz De Miera (Director of Climate Change and Alliances, Iberdrola)
Nigerian Conservation Foundation – Joseph Onoja, CEO
Powering the Future: Collaboration in Energy across the North Seas
Hosted by: National Grid
Moderator: Rhian Kelly, Chief Sustainability Officer, National Grid
The North Seas are a huge opportunity for decarbonization and clean energy production in Northwest Europe, with the potential to export elsewhere in the continent. North Seas countries have agreed targets of at least 300GW of renewable energy by 2050 and are developing the frameworks to deliver this, including via cross-border projects.
Speakers:
Giles Dickson, CEO, WindEurope
Lee McDonough, Director General Net Zero, Nuclear and International, UK Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)
Catherine VandenBorre, CEO, Elia
The Power of Policy to Accelerate the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels
Hosted by: UNFCCC, We Mean Business Coalition
Moderator: Andrew Prag, Managing Director for Policy, We Mean Business Coalition
This Implementation Lab will highlight the opportunity of the new NDCs as vehicles for setting ambitious targets and policies to drive climate ambition through a just clean energy transition. It will show how policies can accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, supporting investment in clean energy, in particular renewables, energy efficiency and electrification.
Speakers:
(Opening remarks) Maria Mendiluce – CEO, We Mean Business Coalition
Francesco La Camera – Director General, IRENA
Rafael Mateo Alcalá, CEO, Acciona Energy
H.E. María Susana Muhamad, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Colombia
Jesper Brodin, CEO, Ingka Group
(Closing remarks) Eliot Whittington, Executive Director, Chief Systems Change Officer; Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)
Unlocking SME Growth & Resilience Through Value Chain Collaboration
Hosted by: SME Climate Hub
Join us for an insightful session at COP29, where we explore how value chain collaboration can drive sustainable growth for SMEs and strengthen global value chains. In two dynamic fireside chats, we’ll discuss how leading companies are leveraging innovative financial partnerships to support SMEs in their supply chains and networks to achieve ambitious sustainability goals.
Speakers:
María Mendiluce, CEO, We Mean Business Coalition - moderator and keynote
Fireside chat 1
David Eichberg, Vice President, ESG Strategy, Center for Inclusive Growth, Mastercard
Oli Cook, CEO and Co-Founder, ekko
Fireside chat 2
Jesper Brodin, CEO of INGKA Holding
The move to clean energy systems: accelerating electrification and tripling renewables through business policy advocacy
Hosted by: Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
The aim of this panel event is to foster dialogue between the business community and policymakers on the clean energy agenda, specifically regarding how we accelerate the energy transition, particularly the need for electrification, tripling renewables, and phasing out fossil fuels. The session will highlight CISL’s work in this area, including CLG Europe’s business agenda asks around industrial electrification and the Corporate Leaders Network for Climate Action’s ‘Robust Laws for #MoreRenewables’ campaign, as well as We Mean Business Coalition’s Fossil to Clean campaign. The event will be followed by a networking reception.
Speakers:
Eliot Whittington, Chief Systems Change Officer, CISL
Beverley Cornaby, Director, Policy and Systems Change Collaborations, CISL
Gonzalo Saenz de Miera, Director of Climate Change and Alliances, Iberdrola
Chris Stark, Head of ‘Mission Control’ for Clean Power 2030, DESNZ
COP29 High-Level Champion Special Event: High-level multi-stakeholder roundtable on SMEs as a driver of a just transition and a resilient green economy
Hosted by: SME Climate Hub, COP29 High-Level Champion
This 90-minute event will be an interactive discussion focused on the vital role of SMEs in transitioning to a resilient, net zero economy, exploring how different stakeholders can empower and enable SME climate action through increased access to finance, capacity building and innovative partnerships. We invite participants to listen to Climate-Proofing SMEs campaign collaborators’ insights and contribute ideas to the session to foster further collaboration. The SME Climate Hub, an initiative of the We Mean Business Coalition, is a key collaborator of the Climate-Proofing SMEs campaign.
Speakers:
MC welcome - Rebecca Kershaw, Business Engagement Lead, Climate Champions Team
Opening remarks - Nigar Arpadarai, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP29
Azerbaijan Government perspective - Orkhan Mammadov, Chairman of the Management Board of the Small and Medium Business Development Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan (KOBİA)
SME perspective - Majda Dabaghi, CSO, Ekko
This event seeks to initiate an urgently needed discussion on how the UNFCCC, governments, civil society, investors, and positive business can ensure processes for developing and implementing climate policy are free from the undue influence of fossil fuel and other vested interests.
Speakers:
Keynote: US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, followed by a panel of speakers of business and investor speakers.
Lessons From the Film & TV industry on Climate Storytelling: Conversations and catered reception
Hosted by: Futerra Solutions Union, BAFTA albert, Sustainable Entertainment Alliance
Moderator: David Garrido, SkySports Presenter
The Film & TV industry reaches audiences worldwide with iconic stories, characters, and messages that shape cultural norms. Join leading practitioners from Hollywood, Bollywood, BAFTA, and beyond as they share insights on how sustainability and climate issues are increasingly represented in global media. Learn how policymakers can support the industry and creative community through Article 12 of the Paris Agreement.
Programming includes a panel discussion, exclusive content screenings, and a reception with entertainment industry members. Food and drinks will be provided.
Speakers:
Tamseel Hussain – CEO & Founder, People Like Us Create (PLUC.TV)
Catherine Ellis – Head of Climate Content, Bafta albert
Sam Read – Executive Director, Sustainable Entertainment Alliance
Solitaire Townsend – Chair, Futerra Solutions Union
Wode Maya, YouTuber
Cali to Baku: Forging public / private partnerships to deliver investable NDCs and NBSAPs that benefit nature, climate and people
Hosted by: Nature4Climate
Given that NDC revisions are due in the coming year, this event will continue the conversation from Cali between businesses and governments to demonstrate how they can turn their nature ambition across NBSAPs and NDCs into action. The event will showcase examples of partnerships delivering high-integrity NbS, exploring the conditions needed to mobilize private capital and better alignment between public policies and business needs.
Transforming Grid Infrastructure: Embracing Technology & Systems Innovation
Hosted by: National Grid
Moderator: Lisa Jacobson, President, Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE)
We are witnessing unprecedented electricity load growth worldwide, requiring substantial investments to expand our energy delivery networks to meet long-term demands.
These challenges call for the private sector and governments to optimize existing grid infrastructure by scaling innovative technologies and system enhancements. Solutions such as distributed energy resources, grid-enhancing technologies, demand response programs, non-wires alternatives, and virtual power plants play a critical role.
This panel will explore how companies are implementing innovative approaches and pursuing investments to optimize grid infrastructure, empower customers, and enhance the reliability and resilience of our energy networks.
Speakers:
Carla Frisch, Principal Deputy Director, Office of Policy, U.S. Department of Energy
Sandy Grace, Vice President of Policy and Regulatory Strategy, National Grid
Neil Wilmshurst, Senior Vice President of Energy System Resources, EPRI
Paige Morse, Enterprise Director for Sustainability, AspenTech
Caroline Choi, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Public Policy, Edison International
Regeneration: Aligning Business Strategy with Systemic Positive Outcomes for People, Nature, and Society
Hosted by: Natura & Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
Moderator: Ana Costa, VP, Natura
In a world facing multiple interconnected crises—climate change, biodiversity loss, and social inequalities—businesses must rethink their relationship with - and impact on - the systems that sustain them. This requires many fundamental shifts including the full integration of impact into the core business model, a greater focus on collaboration and a stepped-up approach to engaging in system level change. Together these approaches can support a business to regenerate life and the ecosystems that support it.
The panel, co-hosted with Oxford’s Saïd Business School, will examine how regeneration, with its systemic and restorative approach, can serve as a guiding framework for aligning its business strategy with positive outcomes for people, nature, and society. It will also explore how Natura applies the Integrated Profit & Loss (IP&L) methodology to measure and drive its progress toward becoming a regenerative business.
Speakers:
John Elkington - Volans (video)
Ana Costa, Vice President of Sustainability, Legal and Reputation - Natura
Mary Johnstone-Louis - Management Practice Fellow, Oxford University, Saïd Business School
Roberto Waack, Board President - Instituto Arapyau
Thomas Lingard, Global Head of Sustainability (Environment) - Unilever
Malkia (Mutwoki) J., COP29 Business Fights Poverty Youth Ambassador
Angela Pinhati, Chief Sustainability Officer - Natura
Stakeholder Engagement and Co-Creation for a Just Transition
Hosted by: BSR, The B Team, We Mean Business Coalition
Moderator: Anine Bundgard, Climate and People Manager, BSR
We need to accelerate the transition to a net-zero economy to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change, ensuring a just transition that is fair, equitable, and inclusive. Since a net-zero future requires transforming economies and societies, a just transition is essential for all sectors. Businesses must examine how climate change and climate solutions affect people across their value chains. Meaningful engagement with workers and communities, along with co-creation of solutions, is critical, as the transition cannot be 'just' unless those most affected are included.
This event will highlight the importance of engaging workers and communities, and share insights on stakeholder engagement.
Speakers:
Diana Junquera, Director of Energy Industry and Just Transition for IndustriAll / Co-Director of ITUC's Just Transition Center
Cristina Moral, Senior Analyst - Climate Policies and International Alliances at Iberdrola
Ana Costa, VP of Sustainability, Legal, Reputation and Corporate Communication at Natura & Co
Breaking Barriers: A Networking Event to Bring Together the Zero-Emission Transport and Energy Sectors
Hosted by: CALSTART/Drive to Zero
This invitation-only event unites leaders from the transport and energy sectors to foster cross-sector collaboration. With interactive networking, decarbonization discussions, and a group photo of Global MOU signatories and endorsers, it promotes unity in shaping a sustainable future. Join us for a fully interactive experience that breaks down the traditional silos separating energy and transport. As the world moves toward sustainability, this event serves as a dynamic platform for collaboration, encouraging these historically distinct industries to align on shared goals. Organized by CALSTART/Drive to Zero.
Invite-only
Speakers:
Stephanie Kodish, Global Director Drive to Zero, CALSTART
Building Climate Resilience for APAC Industries and WBCSD @COP29 Networking Reception
Hosted by: WBCSD
The session will begin with a keynote presentation by a CII representative, summarizing key findings and recommendations on building resilience in emerging markets. Following the keynote, a panel discussion will bring together four experts from various sectors in APAC on climate adaptation and resilience strategies. Moderated by WBCSD, the panel will explore sector-specific challenges, adaptation strategies, and opportunities for collaboration across APAC industries. We will wrap up the session with a WBCSD networking reception.
Speakers:
Shikhar Jain - Executive Director - CII
Diane Holdorf - Executive Vice President, Pathways - WBCSD
Jyotin Kutty Sastabhavan - CSO - Tata Motors
Ankit Todi - CSO - Mahindra
Nisheeth Srivastava - Head of ESG Reporting - AIA
Pending WBCSD Member
Next Generation NDCs: Catalyzing Economy-wide Transformation
Hosted by: WRI, Chile, the UK, We Mean Business Coalition and ICAT
This official side event at COP29 will bring together leading government and business voices to reflect on the benefits of setting sector-specific targets in NDCs, such as for energy, land-use and agriculture. Panelists will reflect on how targets for key sectors can speed up the transition away from fossil fuels, create economic growth, leverage the power of cities and the private sector and importantly help unlock much-needed investment to bolster resilience and accelerate the transition to clean energy.
Bridging the gaps: advancing GHG emissions calculations and reporting for a decarbonised transport sector
Hosted by: International Transport Forum
The event will bring together a diverse group of experts for a deep-dive conversation on the current standards, methodologies, and reporting frameworks that shape GHG emissions accounting and reporting in the transport sector. Insights from the latest ITF report, GHG Emissions Accounting and Reporting for Transport, will be shared to inform and stimulate discussion. This event will focus on key challenges and explore solutions that reinforce the roll-out of existing reporting standards and further align standards for ease of reporting and report comparability.
Speakers:
Representatives from the International Transport Forum, Smart Freight Centre, the European Commission, and GHG Protocol, as well as business representatives.
Sustainable Skies: Charting the Course for Aviation Fuel in Emerging Markets
Hosted by: Topsoe
Moderator: Haldane Dodd, Executive Director, Air Transport Action Group
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) are vital for achieving net-zero emissions in aviation by 2050. Made from sources like vegetable oils, waste, and captured carbon, SAFs offer a cleaner alternative. At the ICAO Conference in Dubai, countries pledged to cut CO₂ emissions by 5% by 2030 through SAF use. However, non-OECD countries are expected to contribute only 2-8% of SAF production by 2025, risking their exclusion despite significant biomass potential. This side event will bring together stakeholders to assess SAF potential in emerging markets and address barriers such as financing access.
Speakers:
Keynote speech: Jane Hupe, Envoy of the ICAO Secretary General to the UNFCCC COP
Anup Jagwani, Global Head of Agribusiness and Forestry, International Finance Corporation
Asmara Klein, Head of Strategic Policy Partnerships, Topsoe
Thomas Koch Blank, Managing Director, Rocky Mountain Institute
Çağatay Ölken, Strategy and Sustainability Executive Director, Tüpraş
Natasha Santos, VP Head of Sustainability and Strategic Engagement, Crop Science Division, Bayer
The event will be a platform to showcase India’s advancements in sustainable mobility, spotlighting efforts to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Climate Group and the Sustainable Mobility Network (SMN), a collaborative network of over 20 think tanks and civil society organizations across India, are hosting the event. The session aims to highlight India's leadership in the EV transition, emphasizing state-level innovations and industry partnerships. The event will be held on the 20th of November 2024, which is also the Transport thematic day at COP29.