Welcoming the Ninth UN Climate Change High-Level Champion

H.E. Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP 28, has welcomed the new Champion for COP 29, Ms. Nigar Arpadarai, from Azerbaijan. COP 29, the UN Climate Change Summit in 2024, will take place in Baku this November.

Ms. Arpadarai is an independent Member of Parliament for Azerbaijan, representing one of the central constituencies of Baku city since 2020. She was elected to Parliament after 15 years of professional experience in international organizations, sports and telecommunications.

Welcoming the new Champion, Ms. Al-Mubarak said: “I would like to congratulate Ms. Arpadarai on her appointment as the ninth UN Climate Change High-Level Champion. I am looking forward to us working together. The accelerating momentum of real economy climate action serves as a beacon of hope for our society's transformative journey. Businesses, investors, cities and regions, and communities worldwide are delivering action on the ground to make our lives and livelihoods greener, more prosperous, and more resilient.”

The two Champions will work together to advance the five-year plan of the improved Marrakech Partnership to drive greater ambition from non-State actors to achieve a net zero, climate-resilient future.

Further details can be found on the Climate Champions website .

Empowering Worldwide Resilience: Three Years of Impact in the Race to Resilience

This month we celebrate the third birthday of the Race to Resilience , the campaign geared to boost the resilience of the most vulnerable people around the world to survive and thrive in the face of climate-induced shocks and stresses. Through a myriad of initiatives, campaign partners have pledged to enhance the resilience of more than three billion people by 2030, towards the goal of four billion people by 2030.

Highlights from the campaign to date include:

• Concrete action plans to increase the resilience of more than 1.87 billion people and counting.?
• Partners are mobilising USD 40bn for implementation of adaptation solutions.
• 34 partners working across 164 countries.
• 86 cities and 78 regions uniting under the Cities Race to Resilience and Regions Adapt initiatives, respectively.

The latest Race to Resilience Progress Report gives a comprehensive overview of the diverse sectors and actions where the campaign partners are supporting the implementation of the Sharm El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda . Please read on for a range of solution stories from the front-line of the race towards a healthier, more resilient, and fairer world.

Celebrate the third year of the Race to Resilience with us, as we showcase two compelling resilience stories from opposite corners of the world. From a reforestation programme that is empowering women in southern Laos, to insights from the London Resilience Review on addressing extreme heat in the UK capital, these articles exemplify the diverse approaches to building resilience that are taking place to protect vulnerable communities around the world.

Snapshot: Empowering Women-led Reforestation in Laos

Race to Resilience partner, the Global EverGreening Alliance , along with WWF-Laos , and tree-planting non-profit the Arbor Day Foundation are driving deforestation impact in Laos. The hilly Xe Pian National Park in southern Laos hosts exceptional biological diversity, including the critically endangered pangolin and 51 key bird species, such as the Giant Ibis.

However, deforestation for agriculture, illegal logging, and wood fuel have taken a major toll on the region’s forest cover, causing soil degradation and loss of wildlife habitats, while reducing carbon sequestration capacity.

As Miss. Phoudone Choumaly, vice district governor of Sanam Xay District, Attapeu province, Laos, states, “Healthy forests have been destroyed and impacted by human activities – in both direct and indirect ways. In the last few years, some forest areas were destroyed due to the land clearance for planting cassava.”?

To help restore the rich biodiversity of Xe Pian, 30,000 trees are being planted, using agroforestry practices which improve crop yields, prevent soil erosion, and maintain water quality by stabilizing the soil and reducing runoff.?

Mr. Khamphai Luanglath, head of the Xe Pian National Park Office states: “Tree planting in this area is one of the activities which will contribute to the forest cover goal while also improving the livelihoods of the communities in and around the park.”?

Currently more than 200 households are involved in the project, through community nurseries, tree maintenance, community consultations, and the delivery of training on sustainable agroforestry practices.

Data shows that women rely more on natural resources than men, but they are underrepresented in environmental decision-making . This is also true of Laos, where women very often act as the custodians of agricultural knowledge. Around 360 women benefit from the Xe Pian reforestation programme, which is helping to champion the central role of women as guardians of the region’s resources.

Chris Armitage, CEO of the Global EverGreening Alliance, concludes: “Our partnership with WWF-Laos and the Arbor Day Foundation allows us to shift the paradigm on restoration efforts, allowing increased benefits to flow to small-scale farming families, whilst restoring our environment.”?

Further details can be found on the Climate Champions website .

We need to move forward on resilience, with pace - not perfection

Guest interview: Emma Howard Boyd CBE, Chair of the London Climate Resilience Review

In January, the London Climate Resilience Review, an independent review commissioned by the Mayor of London, published an interim report.

Emma Howard Boyd CBE, the Chair of the review, and Race to Resilience Global Ambassador, shared her insights on the urgent need to prepare London and other cities for extreme weather.

Why was the London Climate Resilience Review initiated?

The London Climate Resilience Review was commissioned by the Mayor to investigate the impact of the extreme weather events that London has experienced in recent years - specifically the widespread flooding that took place in the summer of 2021, followed by the heat wave of 2022, which triggered a major blaze .

The UK’s Committee on Climate Change advised in early 2022 that we would not expect to experience 40° C temperatures in the Capital for another decade, but by the summer we were already hitting those temperatures. The Mayor of London wanted to understand our preparedness for the range of climate impacts that London - and other cities, both in the UK and around the world - are currently experiencing.

What are the key findings of the Interim report?

Firstly, our overall assessment is that London is underprepared for the climate hazards that the city is experiencing now, but also expecting in coming years. Heat is a particular focus of the Review. London only very recently experienced extreme heat and everything that goes with that - including the ‘urban heat effect’ - when dense concentrations of pavements, buildings, and other surfaces absorb and retain more heat than areas close to natural spaces. Heat is a critical area where we need to ramp up investment,? activities and plans. We're delighted that our recommendation for London to hold a ‘heat exercise’ has been accepted by the Mayor - and that will take place in June this year. It follows a similar heat exercise in Paris last October, to understand how Paris would cope with 50° C heat.

A significant amount of work has previously been undertaken in London, such as the Thames Barrier which was completed in 1982 as part of a wider system of flood defences. However, an upgrade of the system is now urgently needed. The award-winning Thames Estuary 2100 program sets out the vision to boost London’s protection from sea level rise and storm surges. Last year, it was updated after ten years of monitoring in the Estuary and the data showed that over 100km of the Embankment west of the Thames Barrier - the City of London side - should be raised 15 years earlier (by 2050) than was previously anticipated. It’s clear that we need to act now to protect London from future sea-level rise and flooding.

What can other cities learn from the London Review?

A lot of the work that's been done around climate resilience shows that the whole world is underprepared - and we all have much to learn from each other. We've reviewed many resilience steps that other cities have taken - and these are very often focused on one particular climate hazard. It could be heat, or it might be flooding, or flash flooding. Very few cities today are fully prepared for the combination of hazards that climate change triggers.

Often the areas that have made the most progress are those countries that are literally one or two events away from total devastation. For example, in Asia - where temperatures are rising at twice the rate of the global average - the Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Bangladesh appointed the city’s first-ever “Chief Heat Officer” (CHO) last year. This resulted from the Global Champions for Heat Action platform , an initiative to help cities across the world tackle the challenges of extreme urban heat.

In cases like this, we see that responsibility for climate change and resilience is moving to the heart of government and at the heart of financial decision-making - because it is vital to protecting lives and property. We hope that our work shines a spotlight on the activities and actions in cities around the world, so that we can learn from each other - and start moving with pace - and not perfection.

What's the most important priority for the resilience community?

We all need to focus on the pace at which we can turn our plans into delivery and implementation. We haven't got a moment to lose and that urgency means that we must act with pace. We cannot wait for everything to be perfect. It's been excellent to see the progress made by the Race to Resilience over the three years since it launched. It couldn't be more urgent to put more heft behind that campaign and to raise the numbers of organizations and cities committed to the Race. After all, this is a race that we all have to win - and accelerate momentum as we head towards the next COP. I urge anybody and everyone to think about how they can work on the resilience agenda, through the Race to Resilience - and alongside the Race to Zero.

The full article can be found on the Climate Champions website.

COP 28 Resilience Hub Synthesis Report

COP 2 8 in the UAE was a key moment for adaptation and resilience, and the COP 28 Resilience Hub - the official home of the Race to Resilience - was at the heart of the action, hosting 14,000+ participants across 70 sessions.

The Hub recently launched a COP 28 Synthesis Report , providing a comprehensive overview of the outcomes, including key findings emerging from the Regional Hubs, the Race to Resilience Progress Report , and analysis of insights gained through the 70 sessions. It’s a vital resource for policymakers, businesses, and individuals alike, fostering a collective understanding of the progress made and the road to COP 29.?

“The Resilience Hub was a fantastic space where civil society and specifically women, youth, local and indigenous communities could showcase their solutions for a climate healthy and adaptive world.” said Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP 28.?

Race to Zero update:

• In February, Race to Zero welcomed a new Accelerator - and first from Indonesia - KADIN Net Zero Hub !
• Race to Zero member, Ovako, has become the largest recycler of Nordic steel scraps and is engaged in responsible business practices across its supply chain.
• The Net Zero Regulation and Policy Hub recently launched - with researchers across Oxford and partners collaborating to build a centre of expertise dedicated to studying and supporting the urgent task to align policy and regulation to climate objectives. Race to Zero attended the launch and is co-convening with Oxford Net Zero and the Net Zero Policy Community.

• Race to Zero is consulting on the role of professional service providers in the transition to net zero. Respond to the consultation by April.
• Exponential Roadmap Initiative (Partner) launched guidance on transition plans.??

New Global Impetus Towards Decarbonised, Resilient Buildings?

High-level representatives from the global construction sector - from Ministries, local authorities, NGOs, to businesses - will gather for the first time in Paris early next month for the Buildings and Climate Global Forum. The Forum aims to initiate a new impetus in international collaboration for building decarbonisation and resilience following the launch of the Buildings Breakthrough , supported by 28 governments, the European Commission, and 19 international initiatives at COP 28 in Dubai.

Action for the Ocean at World Ocean Summit

COP 28 provided a clarion call from non-State actors, including ?rsted, Iberostar Group and Thai Union, for ‘Sustainable Ocean Plans ’ to catalyse markets, while underpinning the achievement of the Ocean Breakthroughs and the Sharm El Sheikh Adaptation Agenda .?

The upcoming World Ocean Summit in March will provide a further opportunity for ocean stakeholders to elevate Sustainable Ocean Plans , as a powerful mechanism for governments to realize the ocean’s potential for mitigating and adapting to climate change, while promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable economic development.

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In case you missed it

• COP28 has launched the COP Presidencies Troika , a partnership among the Presidencies of COP 28 - UAE, COP 29 - Azerbaijan, and COP 30 – Brazil, to improve cooperation and continuity between current and future COP Presidencies, leading to increased climate action in support of ‘Mission 1.5°C.’ This troika is a key part of implementing the vision of UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, who called the partnership ‘an opportunity to cement what was agreed at COP28, ensure that it is enabled by COP29 and the subsequent actions taken at COP30 with new ambitious NDCs.‘ You can also access his speech on 2 February in Baku, Azerbaijan where he previewed the key issues and actions needed in the crucial years ahead, building on progress at COP28 in Dubai.
• The UNFCCC secretariat has published a list of all call for submissions coming out of COP 28 directed to Parties and non-Party stakeholders. Among others, non-State actors are invited to submit their views on experience and lessons learned in relation to conducting the first global stocktake. This call is open until 1 March. Guidelines on how to make submissions can be found here .
• Call for nominations for the Equator Prize 2024 are open until 26 February. The Prize for this year aims to acknowledge ground-breaking initiatives that illustrate how taking climate action on nature, led by Indigenous Peoples and local communities, can offer effective climate solutions and show effective transformation pathways.
• In the lead up to the sixth UN Environment Assembly from 26 February to 1 March, UNEP and FAO as lead agencies of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration have announced various World Restoration Flagship projects , which aim at improving nature and livelihoods around the world.
• The International Energy Agency (IEA ) released the Renewable 2023 report featuring the in-depth assessment of the global energy landscape and markets developments. The report provides a detailed sector and market analysis based on current policies and forecasts of the deployment of renewable energy technologies in electricity, transport and heat to 2028.
• REN21 , a global renewable energy community of actors from science, governments, NGOs and industry, has launched the Renewable Energy and Sustainability Report assessing the benefits and potential negative impacts of renewable energy deployment.
• The Exponential Roadmap Initiative launched the Transition plan template to help companies translate their net-zero commitments into concrete transition plans, which is also a requirement of the Race to Zero campaign. The template is free and ready-to-use and in line with evolving regulation and guidance from 12 different organisations.
• The 66th meeting of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Council approved $918 million for 45 projects and programs from the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund. The projects and programs will provide boosts for protected areas, landscape management, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and terrestrial and marine ecosystems and span 77 countries, including 22 Least Developed Countries and 14 Small Island Developing States. $203 million was also endorsed for 21 climate change adaptation projects funded by the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF).?

Mark your calendar

• Africa Green Economy Summit , 21-23 February, Cape Town, South Africa
• World Hydrogen MENA , 26-29 February, Dubai, UAE
• United Nations Environment Assembly , 26 February - 1 March, Nairobi, Kenya
• Powering Africa Summit 2024 , 5-6 March, Washington DC, USA
• Buildings and Climate Global Forum , 7-8 March, Paris, France
• Zero Carbon City Forum , 8-9 March, Tokyo, Japan
• World Ocean Summit and Expo , 11 - 13 March, Lisbon, Portugal
• Accelerating Nature-based Solutions Conference , 11 - 15 March, Mosi-oa-Tunya, Zambia
• Accelerating Nature-Based Solutions Conference , 11-15 March, Livingstone, Zambia
• Global Methane Forum 2024 , 18-21 March, Geneva, Switzerland
• Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue Conference , 19–20 March, Berlin, Germany
• International Renewable Energy Conference 2024, 8-12 April, Adelaide, Australia
• 2024 Ocean Decade Conference , 10-12 April, Barcelona, Spain
• World Circular Economy Forum , 15-18 April, Brussels, Belgium
• UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues , 23rd Session, 15-26 April, New York, USA
• 9th Our Ocean Conference 2024 , 16-17 April, Athens, Greece
• Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week , 16-18 April, Abu Dhabi, UAE
• World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings , 19-21 April, Washington, D.C., USA
• National Adaptation Plans Expo 2024 , 22-25 April, Dhaka, Bangladesh
• World Energy Congress , 22-25 April, Rotterdam, Netherlands
• IEA Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa , 14 May, Paris, France
• World Water Forum , 18-25 May, Bali, Indonesia
• International Transport Forum 2024 Summit , 22-24 May, Leipzig, Germany
• 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States , 27-30 May, St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda
• 60th Sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies , 3 -13 June, Bonn, Germany
• Daring Cities 2023 , TBC, in conjunction with SB 60, Bonn, Germany
• Sustainable Energy for All Global Forum, 4-6 June Bridgetown, Barbados
• G7 Summit 2024 , 13-15 June, Puglia, Italy
• London Climate Action Week, ?22-30 June, London, UK
• 26th International Union of Forest Research Organizations World Congress , 23-29 June, Stockholm, Sweden
• World Water Week 2024 , 25-29 August, Stockholm, Sweden
• SEforALL Global Forum , 3-4 September, Bridgetown, Barbados
• ?Innovate4Cities Conference , 10-12 September, Montreal, Canada
• 79th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), 24-27 September, New York, USA
• Summit of the Future , 22-23 September, New York, USA
• New York Climate Week, ?22 – 27 September, New York, USA
• The Global Nature Positive Summit 2024 - DCCEEW , 8-10 October, Sydney, Australia
• IUCN Leaders Forum 2024 , 9-10 October, Geneva, Switzerland
• United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity COP 16, 21 October - 1 November, Colombia
• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP 29 , 11-24 November, Baku, Azerbaijan
• G20 Summit 2024 , 18-19 November, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification COP 16 , 2-13 December, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia