A decade from now, how will COP28 be remembered?
Global Commons Alliance
The Global Commons Alliance empowers citizens, cities, companies and countries to become stewards of our global commons.
Dear Planetary Steward, Dear friend of the Global Commons Alliance,
Despite clear evidence of a destabilized Earth system, leadership at the government level appears to be in short supply. At the UN Secretary General’s Climate Ambition Summit in New York last month, billed as a stepping stone to COP28, only a handful of leaders showed up.
With less than 60 days until COP28 in Dubai, a colossal pivot is needed. When governments gather at COP28 for the global stocktake, they are expected to identify what needs to be done to meet their climate targets - and crucially, increase that ambition. Making sure that rejuvenating nature is a key part of that process is vital - and possible.
The inextricable connectivity between climate and nature was central to many of the conversations we had with businesses, scientists, researchers and activists during Climate Week NYC, and is finally showing up in a whole new set of commitments, toolkits, guidance and real action on the ground.
One inspiring example is the action by state and non-state actors to deliver the?Mangrove Breakthrough, which is driving collaborative conservation and restoration efforts to maintain all remaining mangroves, double protection and restore half of recent mangrove losses.
There will be a high-level ministerial meeting on the Mangrove Breakthrough at COP28 to showcase what’s working, the kinds of methods and tools that can help build on these actions, and a financial roadmap to make sure enough money flows to support them. We look forward to strong outcomes from that.
COP28 will be a key political moment for sparking immediate, measurable and sustained change in the face of both worsening impacts and exponential growth in many of the solutions we need. But a decade from now, is that how COP28 will be remembered? Maybe. The global climate talks do have the potential to course-correct delivery of the Paris Agreement, in part, through a significant effort to bring nature into the center.
For this to happen, the?Global Stocktake?at COP28 must spotlight clear pathways for integrated climate and nature action such as the?Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forests and Land Use. It must also be frank about how far behind we are on honoring commitments - like the Glasgow Declaration - that recognize the interdependence of actions for ecosystems and sustainable land use in meeting the SDGs and Paris Agreement.
Limiting emissions must go hand-in-hand with protecting and restoring nature - as an integral part of building climate resilience. Nature is the lifeblood of our economy, the foundation of our health and wellbeing, and a critical carbon sink for limiting the worst impacts of the climate crisis.
Read more about why and how we must root nature into the foundations of COP28, in?my latest blog on the Global Commons Alliance website.
It is time to put nature, people, lives and livelihoods at the heart of climate action. Join us.
With all my best,
Jane Madgwick
Executive Director, Global Commons Alliance
Cool job alert!
The Climate Champions Team, which provides support to the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions to deliver on the mandate from Parties to drive climate action and enhance ambition by non-state actors, are recruiting a new Nature Team Lead. The Nature Team Lead will work closely with the Marrakesh Partnership, the UNFCCC Secretariat, COP presidencies and the Climate Champions’ teams leading system transformation, adaptation, finance and communication. A brilliant opportunity to play a lead role in addressing what is arguably the most pressing challenge in the world - but apply quickly,?the deadline is today: October 5th. ?
New nature benchmark underscores the need for urgent action
The World Benchmarking Alliance has just launched its 2023 iteration of the Nature Benchmark, which assesses 350 companies from across the food and agriculture value chain and looks at their contribution to halt and reverse nature loss. The findings are seriously sobering. Although some companies are taking significant steps to transition to sustainable production, the overwhelming majority do not yet really understand how they affect and rely on nature.
There are worrying gaps in key areas such as water use, ecosystem conversion and respecting local communities’ rights. This has serious consequences for both the planet and people, particularly in developing countries, where many of the world’s biodiversity hotspots are located. To achieve a nature-positive future that leaves no-one behind, we need to see accelerated systems-wide action and significant progress starting now.?Companies can start taking action today by preparing to set science-based targets for nature. The Global Commons Alliance Accountability Accelerator provides grant funding to the?World Benchmarking Alliance. Read 2023 Nature Benchmark.
What are ‘planetary boundaries’ and why should we care?
You already know that planetary boundaries have been mapped out for the first time with 6 of the 9 crossed, as shown by new research led by Katherine Richardson from the University of Copenhagen and in collaboration with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, the Stockholm Resilience Centre and additional scholars. But the science and impacts are overwhelming for many people. We welcome this simpler overview by the research authors that was published in The Conversation. They write: “These are boundaries, not thresholds. When we cross one, it doesn’t trigger immediate disaster.” For more information on how the Planetary Boundaries and the Earth System Boundaries are complementary, Johan Rockstr?m’s recent article in Time and the Earth Commission's?post on LinkedIn are extremely helpful. ?
Powerful group of Planetary Guardians announced
Collaborating with Professor Johan Rockstr?m, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Earth Commission Co-Chair, and the scientists who developed the Planetary Boundaries, Virgin Unite and several partners including Global Commons Alliance, has launched an independent collective of leaders who will embark on a mission to elevate the science – among them former President Mary Robinson and former President Juan Manuel Santos – called the Planetary Guardians. The Guardians will work to elevate the science of the boundaries and help make them an essential measurement framework to inform collective global action. Learn more. ?
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Science Based Targets Network at Climate Week NYC
Erin Billman, Executive Director, Science Based Targets Network, shared her thoughts from Climate Week NYC, including the importance of integrating nature and climate action. She writes: “We know there is no path to net zero without nature. We know limiting global warming and halting and reversing nature loss are mutually supporting goals. And we know human health is dependent on both, and last week showed encouraging developments on that front with events connecting climate change to human health and mobility. Nature must be fully integrated into climate action and vice versa, with social justice as a foundational principle.” Read the full blog post. ?
Collaboration is key to accountability acceleration
Global Commons Accountability Accelerator (GCAA), the Transparency and Accountability Initiative and other partners met during Climate Week NYC to discuss addressing gaps in climate and nature accountability. During a We Don't Have Time live broadcast conversation with Akanksha Khatri, Head of Nature and Biodiversity at World Economic Forum, Dr. Natasha Matic, Director, GCAA, emphasized the crucial role of collaboration: "It's important to work together with different stakeholders to create accountability architecture and create a web of accountability actors globally to push for this action." Read an event summary on Linkedin.
Event: How to Use the Systems Change Lab Data Platform
Systems Change Lab’s open-source data platform serves as a virtual situation room to track global progress across the world’s major systems, including how we power our economies, grow food, build cities and conserve nature. Join us on October 12,?10-11 am?EDT (4-5 pm?CEST) for an interactive training to learn how to use the Systems Change Lab data platform to find research, analysis and data visualizations. This virtual event will feature an in-depth platform demonstration where attendees will learn where to navigate to find and download data, explore interactive visualizations, and gain insights through case studies and system deep dives.?Register here. ?
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Every citizen can access information and demand change with EPIC
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Global Commons Alliance seeking new Chair
As Global Commons Alliance continues its transition from GCA1.0 to GCA 2.0, our implementation phase, we are seeking a Chair who can lead the Steering Committee and bring added value to the Alliance through representation and extensive networks. We are seeking someone who is passionate about the mission and vision of GCA, able to represent the ambition, and work effectively with donors, the media, staff, and Alliance members. Closing date for applications is 23 October. Learn more.
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