The UN Climate Change Conference aims to accelerate climate action
This year’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP) marks the 25th gathering to bring together the world’s governments to negotiate solutions for tackling the climate crisis. It’s an important milestone – and yet the state of climate action can seem grim. Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere have reached a record high, emission reduction pledges are insufficient, and countries plan to produce far more fossil fuels than consistent with Paris Agreement goals.
Despite these challenges, the COP presidency’s goal remains unchanged: to make COP25 about ambition. SEI research offers some ideas for making this reality.
SEI research – and experts – offers ideas for evidence-based solutions
See below for research and experts on four negotiation issues and three “hot topics”. Feel free to contact experts directly. For help scheduling interviews – including in-person at COP25 – contact communication officers Emily Yehle at emily.yehle@sei.org (at COP25 Dec. 1-8) or Andrea Lindblom at andrea.lindblom@sei.org (at COP25 Dec. 4-12). SEI Press Officer Ylva Rylander, in Stockholm, can also assist.
Also see SEI’s guide to COP25
The negotiation issues
Article 6 in the Paris Agreement
A new study in Science lays out three principles for UN climate negotiators, to ensure international carbon markets don’t hinder climate goals. The study’s authors – SEI Senior Scientists Derik Broekhoff and Michael Lazarus – emphasize the need for common international accounting rules that protect against double-counting, or the use of the same emission reduction more than once to achieve climate mitigation targets.
Experts:
| Derik Broekhoff SEI Senior Scientist derik.broekhoff@sei.org +1-310-733-6332 |
Michael Lazarus SEI US Center Director and Senior Scientist michael.lazarus@sei.org +1-206-375-7677 |
Loss and damage
A key issue at COP25 is the future governance of the Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM) for dealing with loss and damage associated with climate change impacts. Should it be moved under the sole responsibility of the Paris Agreement parties, or continue to be shared between the Paris Agreement parties and the parties to the UNFCCC? This is an important question in light of developments like the USA’s imminent withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and controversy over liability for loss and damage. Tricky questions around financing to address loss and damage are also expected to surface.
During the first week on COP25, the Civil Society Review released it’s 2019 equity report, Can climate change fuelled loss and damage ever be fair? Produced by a diverse and global mix of civil society organizations, it recommends the establishment of a loss and damage financing facility, among other things.
Experts:
| Richard J.T. Klein SEI Senior Scientist richard.klein@sei.org +49 152 0908 1560 |
Sivan Kartha SEI Senior Scientist, contributor to the equity analysis of the Civil Society Review report sivan.kartha@sei.org |
Climate adaptation
The effects of climate change cross borders – and so do the impacts of our adaptation responses. The Adaptation Without Borders initiative responds to this challenge and creates opportunities to strengthen international cooperation on adaptation, paving the way towards lasting global resilience.
Learn more:
Managing climate risks: adaptation without borders
Adaptation Without Borders
Five principles for gender-transformative climate adaptation
Expert:
Kevin M. Adams
SEI Research Fellow
kevin.adams@sei.org
IPCC report
The final version of the Special Report on Climate Change and Land (SRCCL) is now available on the IPCC website.
This IPCC report represents the first comprehensive scientific synthesis on the land-climate interface and its significant implications for climate and development goals and targets.
SEI Research Fellow Francis X Johnson is a lead author of the report.
Experts:
| Francis X Johnson Lead author of IPCC report and SEI Senior Research Fellow francis.johnson@sei.org |
Richard J.T. Klein SEI Senior Scientist and internationally leading expert richard.klein@sei.org +49 152 0908 1560 |
Hot topics
Limiting fossil fuels
The new Production Gap Report — produced by SEI, IISD, ODI, CICERO, Climate Analytics and the UN Environment Programme — shows that the world is on track to produce far more coal, oil and gas than would be consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C or 2°C, creating a “production gap” that makes climate goals much harder to reach.
Attend the related COP25 event
Learn more:
Read the Production Gap Report and press release
How the fossil fuel “production gap” hinders climate goals
Experts:
| Michael Lazarus SEI US Center Director and Senior Scientist michael.lazarus@sei.org +1 206.375.7677 |
Cleo Verkuijl SEI Research Fellow cleo.verkuijl@sei.org |
Climate Finance
Getting to net-zero emissions requires more public and private finance. At this stage it is still hard to figure out which donor is spending how much money on what and where, to what effect. That’s where SEI’s new Air Atlas tool comes in: an easy-to-use, interactive platform visualizing all development finance flows.
Learn more:
Explore the ‘Aid Atlas: a new tool to visualize development finance flows’
Read journal article ‘An analysis of small island developing states (SIDS)’
Experts:
| Richard J.T. Klein SEI Senior Scientist richard.klein@sei.org +49 152 0908 1560 |
Kevin M. Adams SEI Research Fellow kevin.adams@sei.org |
| Aaron Atteridge SEI Senior Research Fellow aaron.atteridge@sei.org +46 73 707 8562 |
Georgia Savvidou SEI Research Fellow georgia.savvidou@sei.org |
Industry transition
Industry represents 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions. The sector has a decisive role to play in getting to net-zero emissions. In order to reach the goals in the Paris Agreement, more must be done to tackle these emissions.
Sweden and India launched the leadership group for industry transition at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York in September. The group is open for both government and business leaders and aims to enable the transition of heavy industry towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
SEI research also shows how to decarbonise industries such as steel, cement and road.
Learn more:
Expert:
Robert Watt
SEI Communications Director
robert.watt@sei.org
Stockholm Environment Institute is an international non-profit research and policy organization that tackles environment and development challenges. We connect science and decision-making to develop solutions for a sustainable future for all. Across our eight centres in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, we engage with policy processes, development action and business practice throughout the world. www.sei.org @SEIresearch @SEIclimate