The Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association (EMEA) will participate in the COP 28 – UN Climate Change Conference, held this year in Dubai, UAE, from the 30th November to the 10th December 2023. More than 200 governments are invited to Dubai and heads of state or prime ministers from 167 countries have confirmed they are going. Leaders from France, Germany, India, Brazil, Japan and the UK are among those who have confirmed that they will attend. In total, 70,000 people are expected to attend the summit – more than any other COP so far.
EMEA will participate as a member of the Mediterranean Coalition, a delegation made up of key regional and international institutions working to find impactful solutions to mitigate and adapt effects of climate change in the Mediterranean and beyond.
At COP27, EMEA held key events with high-level stakeholders covering climate finance and the roles of high-, middle-, and low-income countries and innovative solutions to the effects of climate change that empowers and engages with all levels of society. In this framework, the Sustainable Transformative Alliance, a network to develop innovative thinking and projects to accelerate the transition towards a sustainable, greener, and more resilient models in Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa, was launched.
This year, at COP28, EMEA will hold 6 events covering key issues in the Mediterranean and Africa under the Mediterranean Coalition. Each event engages with the mandate of the Sustainable Transformative Alliance to generate a holistic understanding to the solutions needed to mitigate the effects of climate change.
EMEA Events
EMEA at COP28: Brain Capital: Vital to the Post-SDG Agenda
Sustainable development demands brain health; however, brain health is seldom included in existing goals. The session aims demonstrate that brain capital is well-placed to serve as a key pillar for the post-SDG agenda, given how much the latter needs to be about systemic change.
AGENDA
Moderator: Prof. Rym Ayadi, EMEA President and Founder
Speakers:
- Dr. Harris Eyre, MD PhD, Baker Institute, EMEA Advisor
- Gareth Presch, CEO, World Health Innovation Summit
- Nathalie Hilmi, Section Head of Environmental Economics, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, EMEA Advisor
- Dennis Pamlin, Executive Director, The Net-Zero Compatibility Initiative, Mission Innovation
- Grammenos Mastrojeni – Senior Deputy Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean
Date: 3rd December, 16:00-17:00 GST/13:00-14:00 CET
Venue: COP28, Dubai – UAE, Mediterranean Coalition Office
Organiser: Co-organised by EMEA and the Brain Capital Alliance
For more info: https://euromed-economists.org/event/emea-at-cop28-brain-capital-vital-to-the-post-sdg-agenda
EMEA at COP28: Energy Transition in the Mediterranean and Africa: Needs and Perspectives
The session aims to explore the current paths for energy transition in the Mediterranean and Africa and consider future scenarios. It seeks to bring into the discussion the role of the African civil society, investigating the main challenges and opportunities for the region and the possible conflicting interests at stake.
AGENDA
Moderator: Prof. Rym Ayadi, EMEA President and Founder
Speakers:
- Lisa Guarrera, Director of the Monitoring and Modeling Division, OME
- Nadim Abillama, Middle East and North Africa Programme Officer, IEA
- Giulia Giordano, ECCO think tank Head of International Programmes
- Bhekumuzi Dean Bhebhe, Campaigns Lead, Power Shift Africa
- Federico Pontoni, Program Director of Technology for the Energy Transition Research Program, FEEM
Date: 5th December, 14:00-15:00 GST /11:00-12:00 CET
Venue: COP28, Dubai – UAE, Mediterranean Coalition Office
Organiser: EMEA
For more info: https://euromed-economists.org/event/emea-at-cop28-energy-transition-in-the-mediterranean-and-africa-needs-and-perspectives
EMEA at COP28: “We need trillions, not billons”: the role of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) in climate finance
Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) play a pivotal role in climate finance, not only due to the capital they have at their disposal and accessibility to international markets, but also given their position working with governments and the private sector to create the conditions for investment and transformation.
This session aims to look at structural changes that could enhance the impact of the MDBs, consider how private finance can be further mobilized, and consider whether more additional oversight would be helpful in reaching climate finance goals.
AGENDA
Moderator: Prof. Rym Ayadi, EMEA President and Founder
Speakers:
- Demetrio Innocenti, Climate Lead, 2X Global
- Alisher Mamadzhanov, Multilateral Governance Manager, Green Climate Fund
- Eleanora Cogo, Senior Associate International Financial Reforms, ECCO Think Tank
- Alina Saba, Program Officer for Climate Justice at the Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR).
- Carola Mejía, Climate Finance Analyst – Latin American Network for Social and Economic Justice (LATINDADD)
Date: 6th December, 12:00-13:00 GST /09:00-10:00 CET
Venue: COP28, Dubai – UAE, Mediterranean Coalition Office
Organiser: EMEA
EMEA at COP28: The Built Environment and Green Living Areas as resilience and adaptation approaches to climate change in cities
A systemic and holistic vision is necessary to design and implement solutions to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change in our cities. This challenge is tackled by the EU INTERREG Euro-MED Green Living Areas Mission. This session aims to discuss the main challenges of living areas in the context of climate change, as well as the actions that should be adapted to make it more sustainable.
AGENDA
Moderator: Joanna Grodzka, EMEA Senior Project Officer
Speakers:
- Judith Cazas, Project Officer, Interreg Euro MED
- Upali Nanda, Global Practice Director, Research Partner at HKS, Assoc. AIA, EDAC, ACHE
- Amaia Celaya Alvarez, Shelter & Settlement and Climate Resilience, Advisor at UN – IOM
- Julie Hiromoto, Principal and Director of Integration at HKS, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, LFA
- Esteban Leon, Head, City Resilience Global Programme (CRGP), United Nations UN-Habitat
- Sheba Ross, Global Practice Director, Cities and Communities, and a Partner at HKS, AICP CUD, Intl., Associate AIA, CDT, LEED AP
- Alejandro Lafarga Martinez, Programme Officer, Interreg NEXT MED
Date: 6th December, 15:00-16:00 GST/12:00-13:00 CET
Venue: COP28, Dubai – UAE, Mediterranean Coalition Office
Organiser: EMEA
EMEA at COP28: ESG in Focus: Driving Sustainable Growth and Responsible Investments
The session will take stock of government progress on standardisation and disclosure requirements, whilst raising awareness about the significance of considering ESG factors in decision-making processes. It will also explore the hurdles faced by companies and investors when incorporating ESG considerations, discuss emerging policy frameworks and regulatory developments in the ESG space, and outline strategies to enhance transparency, comparability, and reliability of ESG data and reporting.
AGENDA
Moderator: Yeganeh Forouheshfar, Senior Researcher, EMEA
Speakers:
- Giovanni Ferri, Professor of Economics, LUMSA University, EMEA Advisor
- Alex Struc, Founder and CEO, GOALSFIRST
- Véronique Ormezzano, Founder and Chairperson, VYGE Consulting
- Kwame Sarpong Barnieh, Partner, KPMG Ghana, EMEA Executive Board Member
- Andrea Abbate, ESG and Impact Specialist, Banca Etica
Date: 8th December, 15:00-16:30 GST/12:00-13:30 CET
Venue: COP28, Dubai – UAE, Mediterranean Coalition Office
Organiser: EMEA
For more info: https://euromed-economists.org/event/emea-at-cop28-esg-in-focus-driving-sustainable-growth-and-responsible-investments
EMEA at COP28: Agroforestry sector in the Euro-Mediterranean: Towards novel policies, cooperation and financing frameworks
Recent scientific studies reveal the need for a policy framework that links food systems, agriculture, forestry and rural development for a holistic approach to environmental, economic and social sustainability to overcome the most critical barriers to agroforestry adoption in the Euro-Mediterranean region. This session will present the latest developments and knowledge on finance and policies applicable to the agroforestry sector, supported by new tools and approaches.
AGENDA
Moderator: CIHEAM
Speakers:
- Ivan Hajdukovic, EMEA Researcher
- Martin Lukac, Professor in Ecosystem Science, University of Reading, Coordinator of the ReForest project
- Rico Hubner, Researcher, Deutscher Fachverband für Agroforstwirtschaft (DeFAF) e.V
- Martin Heibel Communication manager. Interreg NEXT MED Programme
Date: 9th December, 14:00-15:30 GST
Venue: COP28, Dubai – UAE, Mediterranean Coalition Office
Organiser: Co-organised by EMEA and CIHEAM
