The Atlantic Council announced today an array of programming at the 2023 United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP28) in Dubai, aimed at addressing the full range of climate-related issues, including security, economic prosperity, and sustainability.

Anchored by the Global Energy Centre and the Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Centre (Arsht-Rock), the Council will deploy its renowned convening power and deep bench of expertise to elevate bold ideas to meet decarbonisation and adaptation goals and tackle the climate crisis.

With contributions from nine different programmes and centres, the Council’s agenda will span the Global South, conflict zones in Ukraine and the Middle East, and the most pressing foreign policy challenges posed by climate change.

“Man-made climate change has brought us to an inflection point, and COP28 is an opportunity for the global community to meet the moment,” said Frederick Kempe, President and CEO of the Atlantic Council. “As an organisation devoted to shapi
ng the global future with partners and allies, it is our responsibility to prioritise climate mitigation and resilience work and engage fully in the important dialogue at COP28 this fall.”

The threat of climate change demands that global leaders join together to shape a sustainable, resilient, carbon-free future. Through collaboration and dialogue with government, industry, civil society, and public stakeholders, the Council will elevate key issues and outcomes at the climate conference through:

1. Coming together: The Clinton Global Initiative and the Atlantic Council’s Arsht-Rock Resilience Center are collaborating on a series of events with Secretary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton that will call attention to the growing impacts of extreme heat on women and girls in vulnerable communities.

In addition, the Atlantic Council will host high-level hybrid public and private discussions supporting climate mitigation and adaptation to address extreme heat, climate adaptation, and resilience finance; Africa’s criti
cal role in the global energy transition; space data’s contributions to climate research; and more. Convenings will be hosted in the Blue Zone, in the Green Zone, and on the sidelines of COP28 in Dubai.

2. A flagship event: The eighth Atlantic Council Global Energy Forum at COP28 will convene the world’s top energy and foreign policy decision-makers to set the global energy agenda for the year ahead. The forum will feature themes key to addressing climate and energy security goals to be covered as priority issues at COP28.

Confirmed speakers include Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All; Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy; and David M. Turk, United States Deputy Secretary of Energy; among others.

3. COP28 hybrid platforms: Arsht-Rock is a managing partner of the Resilience Hub in the Blue Zone-a hybrid central hub for climate resilience and adaptation showcasing innovative finance and policy solutions protecting people, live
lihoods, and local economies from the impacts of climate-driven extreme heat.

The Council will also partner in the energy transition hub in the Green Zone to inform the public and key stakeholders of tangible pathways to achieve a net-zero future.

4. Publications and analysis: Council programmes and centres will contribute to a live blog and newsletter dispatches offering timely commentary and analysis on developments at the climate conference from the Atlantic Council-affiliated regional, energy, and climate experts. The Council will also launch reports on the cooperation between Turkey and the Gulf Cooperation Council for the clean energy transition, the potential impact of green banking ecosystems in Africa, and mobilising private sector finance for adaptation, as well as thought leader essays on the energy outlook for 2024.

“We cannot achieve net zero and climate adaptation without forging global consensus on practical, ambitious solutions,” said Jenna Ben-Yehuda, Executive Vice President of the Atlant
ic Council. “Our work at COP will model the cross-collaboration necessary to chart a safe path forward for our climate and the world’s most vulnerable-a path to combat climate change’s geopolitical, economic, and social challenges in partnership with friends and allies.”

Source: Emirates News Agency