I will participate in a range of public and private sessions at the UNFCCC COP17 meetings in Durban, South Africa, from 1 -9 December 2011.
Here is a summary of my speaking engagements.
World Climate Summit 20113 December 2011, Southern Sun Elegani Hotel
Session: European Investment Bank (EIB) discussion on cooperation between business and the financial sector for creation of a sustainable economy 10.30 -12.30
At the World Climate Summit, the EIB will host a session moderated by Simon Brooks, vice president of the EIB, involving a high-level panel representing business, government and finance. The panel will discuss how regulatory frameworks can create green incentives for business, as well as the critical factors enabling climate action projects’ development and essential elements allowing for good cooperation between financiers and climate project promoters.
Panel members: Harry Verhaar, Head of Strategic Sustainability Initiatives, Philips; Tulsi Tanti, Chairman, Suzlon Energy; Virginie Marchal, Policy Analyst, Climate Change, OECD; Terence Sibiya, Executive Head of Capital Division, Nedbank.
Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) side event5 December 2011
Session: Green Growth in Action, 13.15-14.45
More emphasis should be placed on green growth approaches to tackle climate change without jeopardizing economic growth in developing countries. The GGGI (I am a senior fellow at the GGGI) will have the privilege to present the outcome of country programs in 2010-2011 and share its vision to become an intergovernmental organisation by 2012.
WWF panel discussion on Renewable Energy Finance5 December 2011, EXPO area
Session: The Role of Public Finance to leverage Private Finance, 14.00 -18.00
Moderated by Samantha Smith, leader of WWF‘s Global Climate and Energy Initiative (GCEI), the panel discussion will address:
- How can public finance leverage private investments into renewables at scale
- Lessons learnt from existing projects: what are innovative solutions to financing the incremental costs of renewables, to minimize the burden for domestic energy consumers and the economy
- The role of international co-operation to secure the necessary concessionary finance and risk gurantee instruments in a manner that stimulates private investment, (including the instruments agreed upon under the UNFCCC)
Panel members and presenters: Ole Andreas Lindeman, Norwegian Energy and Climate Initiative; Energy+ Silvia Kreibiehl, Deutsche Bank; Darren Thompson, Yingli Green Energy Europe; Lettemieke Mulder, First Solar; Mr. Liang Meng, People’s Bank of China; Holger Liptow, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ); Dr. Jochen Harnisch, KFW Development Bank.
The Durban Trade and Climate Change Symposium6 December 2011, Southern Sun North Beach Hotel
Session 9: Harnessing Trade for Climate Change Mitigation: 15.25 – 17.10
The International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) ( I sit on the main Board and on the Executive Committee responsible for financial oversight) is co-organising the Durban Trade and Climate Change Symposium together with the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Department of Trade and Industry of the Republic of South Africa (the dti).
This session will highlight the importance of reducing trade and market-related barriers for sustainable energy goods and services (SEGS), and the role that SEGS can play in facilitating climate change mitigation and the transition to a ‘low-carbon’ economy. Given the current impasse in various trade and climate-related multilateral processes, the session will focus on the role that alternate approaches – such as a plurilateral or ‘stand-alone’ Sustainable Energy Trade Agreement (SETA) – can play in addressing these barriers.
Speakers: Carlos Cavalcanti, Director of Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (FIESP); Ricardo Meléndez-Ortiz, co-founder and Chief Executive of ICTSD.
Launch of The South African Renewables Initiative7 December 2011, CCR Networking Tent, 19.00
The South African Renewables initiative (SARi) has been established by the Government of South Africa to support the rapid and ambitious scaling up of renewables in South Africa in a manner that delivers economic, social and environmental benefits without incurring unacceptable domestic cost burdens. SARi’s objective is to establish financing arrangements to allow a critical mass of renewables to be developed, without incurring unacceptable domestic cost burdens. The envisaged approach supports the effective alignment of energy, industrial and economic, climate and public finance policies and practices.
The SARi International Partnership will be launched in December 2011, in the context of the Durban Climate Conference. This partnership will bring together many of South Africa’s existing partners as well as new partners into a systematic and more ambitious approach to driving renewables development in South Africa.The launch of the Partnership marks the end of an intensive period of design, engagement and planning, and the start of an equally intensive process of turning plans into actions, and actions into positive development and climate outcomes. The Initative’s development has been supported by the SARi Project Team which has been led by me over two years.
Emerging Economy Trade-Related Response Measures to Climate Change Emissions Trading Schemes7 December 2011
Session: Designing Emerging Economy Response Measures to Climate Change that Maximize Effectiveness while Avoiding Adverse Effects, 21.00 -21.30
Emerging economies are increasingly active in mitigation action. One response measure under consideration is emissions trading schemes. This complex tool requires a good understanding of the expected impact on the domestic economy, as well as on third countries through international trade. This session – co-organised by ICTSD and South-South Global Assets and Technology Exchange – will look into pilot projects in emerging economies from this angle and will be moderated by Ricardo Meléndez-Ortiz, chief executive, ICTSD.
University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainable Leadership (CPSL) Fresh Thinking Lounge, 8 December 2011, 09.00CPSL will host The Oasis – a hub for fresh thinking and leadership for a low climate risk economy. The Lounge is designed to accelerate solutions-based, fresh thinking.
African Development Bank, COP 17 Africa Pavilion8 December 2011
Session: Climate Finance for Africa, including the design of African Green Climate Fund 13.15 -14.45
The Africa Green Fund is Africa’s preferred vehicle to dispersing climate finance, but under what rules, who decides these rules and what Measurement Reporting and Verification (MRV) will be required to access these funds? What are the major impediments in Africa to date in accessing climate finance?
The Africa Pavilion is organised by the Government of South Africa, the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
