There are a number of different conference themes being discussed in this year’s Climate Change Conference. Some of these include the HBCU Climate Change Conference, the Hyogo Framework for Action, and the IDEAS Global Assembly. We’ve compiled some information about the different conferences and their themes.
HBCU Climate Change Conference
The HBCU Climate Change Conference is a forum for the dissemination of research about climate change and environmental health. Young scientists and local data sharing are key components of the conference. The topics of this year’s conference included air pollution in the Gulf Coast, flood protection in coastal cities, and measuring the cumulative impact of pollution on the environmental health of communities of color.
The conference began with a trip down memory lane, focusing on the environmental racism of the 1960s. The event’s speakers emphasized the role of policymakers in ensuring community agency and recognizing the long history of environmental racism. As the conference continued, speakers pointed out the long history of systemic racism that has led to environmental injustices for decades. These issues served to refuel the fire within movement trailblazers.
Students from the HBCU Climate Change Conference will participate in the COP21 Climate Change Conference, where representatives of world governments, international organizations, and civil society will discuss the urgent need for new international agreements to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. The HBCU delegation will work alongside African Diaspora delegates to raise awareness about the impact of climate change on disadvantaged communities.
The conference co-conveners will facilitate the Justice40 session. Panelists will include Peggy Shepard, Executive Director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice, an expert panel, and student panels. They will discuss climate justice, adaptation, and community resilience. In addition, the conference will include a community forum and student panels.
Hyogo Framework for Action
The Hyogo Framework for Action for Climate Change provides guidance for reducing the risk of disasters and increasing disaster preparedness. This framework is based on a review of past disaster risk assessments and has five priority areas for action. The document calls for input from hydrological and meteorological communities to guide the implementation of the framework.
Among the themes that emerged at the Hyogo Framework for Action for Climate Change conference were: (a) climate change adaptation; (b) resilience; and (c) DRR. For DRR, countries must invest in pre-disaster preparedness, improve coordination, and build resilience for all groups.
The ECUADOR delegation noted that disaster risk reduction and resilience are interrelated and require the strengthening of scientific institutions and national agendas. COSTA RICA emphasized the need to include risk management sovereignty into national budgets. Meanwhile, GUATEMALA stressed the need to invest in ecosystem restoration and combat multiple hazards.
IDEAS Global Assembly
The Global Assembly aims to give ordinary people a voice at COP26. There are two parts to the Assembly. The first part is called the Core Assembly and consists of a representative group of 100 people. Each member is selected through a lottery, and they represent a snapshot of the world’s population. The selection process relied on a NASA database on human population density.
The IDEAS Global Assembly Climate Change Conference Theme of this conference is “Respect for Nature and Human Rights.” In particular, the Assembly highlights the inherent value of nature, and the rights of individuals. These rights should be interwoven, so that the rights of people and nature can coexist harmoniously. The Global Assembly also calls for the expansion of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This is a vital issue, because climate change threatens fundamental human rights by contributing to economic and social instability, conflict, and food insecurity. In order to prevent such negative effects, governments must promote education and engagement with communities, thereby ensuring that citizens and nations understand the connection between human rights and climate change.
The IDEAS Global Assembly 2019 has a wide range of topics. From climate change to social equity and human rights, it is a unique opportunity to share and discuss the latest research on climate change. In addition to climate change, the event also explores the challenges that the evaluation profession faces and the solutions that can be developed to address these challenges. The IDEAS GA also seeks to advance the evaluation profession by creating an ecosystem for professionals to work on such challenges.
A major goal of the Global Assembly on Climate Change was to give ordinary citizens a voice in international discussions. The assembly brought together over 100 citizens from around the world to discuss the climate crisis and the best ways to deal with it. The Assembly’s findings were presented at COP26, and will be formalized in an official report to be published in March 2022.
Innovate4Cities
The conference’s themes focus on key areas of research and innovation to address the growing challenges associated with climate change. These issues include how cities can use innovation to meet their needs and address the challenges of unsustainable resource consumption. Cities currently account for 75% of global resource consumption, produce 50% of global waste, and serve as important centers of cultural and social exchange. As such, cities require accelerated innovations to improve material flow efficiency and promote the diffusion of low-carbon, material-sufficient lifestyles.
One such theme is ‘climate-safe cities’. The conference’s themes revolve around the ‘Global Urban Agenda’ (GRAA) for sustainable cities. It was first developed in Edmonton, Canada in 2018. The themes of I4C 2021 also include ‘Justice & Equity, Health & Wellbeing, and Digitalisation/Smart Cities’.
The conference aims to build upon the previous Edmonton Cities and Climate Change Science Conference by focusing on how cities can leverage innovation to accelerate the transition to zero-carbon cities. It also seeks to engage practitioners and scientists to catalyze knowledge creation and implementation pathways. It will also focus on the challenges cities face, as well as cross-topic pathways towards success.
Paris Agreement
The Paris Climate Change Conference, which took place last week in Paris, is aimed at limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees, or less. But achieving that goal requires more ambitious actions from the world’s largest economies. There are some key themes to keep in mind as the conference approaches.
Climate change adaptation and finance are two key themes to be addressed. Developing countries and the Egyptian Presidency have stressed the need for climate action, as well as climate finance to help countries adapt to the changing climate. These concerns are important to developing countries, as they will be hit hardest by climate change. Failure to cut emissions will exacerbate the climate crisis and increase the costs of addressing it.
The Paris Agreement is a landmark document in the field of climate change. It establishes the principles of sustainable development and calls for countries to reduce their emissions and adapt to climate change. It also provides a legal framework for transparent monitoring and reporting of country’s progress towards their targets. It is also a starting point for a worldwide effort to achieve a zero emission world.
Finland is represented by Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who will deliver the country’s address at the Leaders’ Summit and participate in several high-level events. She will also attend bilateral meetings. During the second week of the Conference, her delegation will include the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Maria Ohisalo.
The Paris Climate Conference will focus on the implementation of the Paris Agreement. It will include many high-level events, mandated events, action events, and roundtables. In addition, there will be a high-level stocktake on pre-2020 implementation. There will also be a high-level dialogue on climate finance and action.
