A race against time and against ourselves. Against the dangerous idea that we can’t do this, that there is no way.
Unlike most races, it won’t have one winner. In this race we all win, or we all lose. Winning it requires a radical, unprecedented level of collaboration, from all corners of our world. From our cities, businesses, regions and investors. From people everywhere.
Together we’re racing for a better world. A zero carbon and resilient world. A healthier, safer, fairer world. A world of wellbeing, abundance and joy, where the air is fresher, our jobs are well-paid and dignified, and our future is clear.
To get there we need to run fast, and get faster. We need more and more people to join the race, and right now. This is not about 2050, it’s about today.
Together, we can do this. And we’re already on our way.
As we approach COP28, the stakes for our future have never been higher, nor the call to action clearer. Across the globe, increasing numbers of businesses, investors, and governments are uniting behind a shared vision: to elevate nature, ensure a just and swift energy transition, and channel financial flows to where they’re needed most.
Key to our progress is the understanding that climate action secures economic benefits and mitigates risks. Our direction is set. With nature at the heart of climate solutions, we’re aiming to unlock its potential to provide up to 30 percent of the necessary mitigation, all while building the resilience we desperately need.
Decarbonizing the power system and heavy industry has become a priority, with concerted efforts to balance supply, demand, and investment while piloting frameworks for a just transition across all regions. The financial sector is pivotal, turning net zero commitments into actual financial flows, particularly in emerging markets.
Public commitments are surging: the Race to Zero campaign now boasts nearly 13,000 members, representing a significant portion of global financial assets and population. Each member has pledged to reach net zero by 2050, with interim targets and transparent reporting paving the way.
As we lay the groundwork for COP28, the proof of progress is tangible. Businesses, investors, cities, states and regions are delivering action to:
Put nature at the heart of climate solutions which could contribute up to 30 percent of our necessary mitigation response and build much needed resilience, emphasizing the importance of Indigenous People’s in leading that stewardship
Decarbonizing the power system and heavy industry, tackling supply demand and investment, piloting frameworks to ensure a just transition in all regions.
Turning net zero finance commitments into financial flows, especially in emerging markets, demonstrating that mitigation and adaptation projects and solutions are ripe for investment. Calling for macro financial reforms to reduce debt, and ensure public finance is being used effectively to mobilize private finance at scale needed.
The first Global Stocktake (GST) will offer a rigorous evaluation of our collective actions, informing an action plan that matches the urgency of our times.
Discover our agenda and priorities across each thematic day below.
Launched at COP26, Top of the COP (TOTC) is the go to publication for the NSA community, UNFCCC and media looking for a concise, accessible round up of key deliverables and announcements by High-Level Champions, Marrakech Partnership, other NSA partners and the Presidency.
Read all the newsletters and subscribe here to receive TOTC as soon as it’s published on LinkedIn – and stay on top of the COP28 news before it’s happened.
The World Climate Action Summit convenes heads of state and government, alongside leaders from civil society business, youth, Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, frontline communities, science and other sectors to discuss concrete actions and plans aimed at scaling climate action. The summit serves as an important platform for major announcements and is intended to provide momentum and guidance to the remainder of the COP.
These two themes – new for COPs – aim to boost policies and investments that protect lives and livelihoods and support community resilience and stability. COP28 will host the first Health Day and climate-health ministerial that aims to build consensus on priority actions for the health system’s response to climate change, paired with financing commitments for implementation. Relief, Recovery, and Peace Day will focus on accelerating adaptation, preventing and addressing loss and damage, including in fragile and conflict- affected contexts, which face severe barriers to accessing climate finance and strengthening climate action.
The Adaptation and Resilience Breakthroughs, announced today, present an adaptation solutions agenda with clear and coordinated actionable targets towards making 4 billion vulnerable people more resilient by 2030.
COP27 Presidency launches Adaptation Agenda to build climate resilience for 4 billion by 2030
The Sharm-El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda – a comprehensive, shared agenda to rally global action around 30 adaptation outcomes that are needed to address the adaptation gap and achieve a resilient world by 2030 – is launched at COP27.
The Sharm el Sheikh Adaptation Agenda: Catalysing collaborative action towards a resilient future
Resilience experts and members of Race to Resilience’s MAG advisory group, Anand Patwardhan, Emilie Beauchamp, Ana Maria Lobo-Guerrero, and Paulina Aldunce, underline the transformative impact of the Sharm El Sheikh Adaptation Agenda in driving collaboration and fast-tracking action to bridge the adaptation gap and support the world’s most vulnerable communities.
This thematic day at COP28 will focus on three key aspects: scaling up efforts, improving access, and enhancing affordability. This will involve reforms to the international financial system, the delivery of enhanced concessional support, the development of sustainable finance markets, and strengthening voluntary carbon markets. Additionally, COP28 will introduce trade as a means for climate-smart, equitable growth, including supply chain decarbonization, transition, and resilience.
We must also address the challenges that hinder financial support for women, girls, and marginalized groups. This includes ensuring a fair transition and finding solutions to broaden access to finance. The program will also examine accountability mechanisms to turn promises and
ambition into tangible results.
The main objectives for this day are:
Showcase a coherent and ambitious action agenda on finance with a range of public, private, and blended finance solutions to accelerate action and close the climate finance gap. These solutions will involve actions in financial and carbon markets by UAE institutions and international partners, IFIs, and Philanthropies, building on efforts taking place both inside and outside the UNFCCC process, and generate new financing resources for climate transition, and specifically for developing economies. The initiatives are designed to highlight how climate finance must be
structured moving forward to achieve real transformation.
Promote a gender-just transition by advocating for equal opportunities for decent work in impacted and emerging green sectors, supported by gender-disaggregated data and gender-responsive finance.
Establish accountability by reinforcing accountability measures at COPs. This includes defining common standards and creating a foundation for greater accountability, especially for the private sector, including a high-integrity net-zero accountability and recognition system.
Elevate the potential of international trade as a lever in climate action by setting the stage for the international trade community to step up their role in the design and delivery of solutions around climate action, especially around supporting a just transition and enabling market access policies or MSMEs to engage meaningfully with global supply chains and governments.
Mobilizing finance for climate projects in the Arab world
With COP28 just three weeks away, the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, together with the COP27 and COP28 Presidencies and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA) hosted the Second Arab Regional Forum on Climate Finance at the Dubai International Financial Centre.
Dr. Mohieldin urges banks to drive green growth, and discusses digitalization for climate action in the Arab region
Banking sector must play bigger role in transitioning towards green economy and achieving climate change adaptation, says UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP27.
Financing urban mobility to improve energy efficiency in Tunisia
Listen to Fathia Nejri, Director of Strategy and Projects for Tunisia’s Ministry of Transport explain why investing in additional metro lines will benefit the health, wealth and livelihoods of the country and its people.
GFANZ launches Latin America & Caribbean network to support climate finance in the region
New regional network will support engagement with financial institutions and policymakers across Latin America and the Caribbean to capitalize on the net-zero transition opportunity for the region
This day will focus on levers and pathways for rapid decarbonization, job growth, and economic opportunity and just transition across the full energy and industrial value chains. While accelerating economic opportunity and job growth taking a holistic view of the just transition and the socio-economic considerations across all sectors, including energy.
Key topics in the energy and industry track will include massive deployment of renewable energy, greater energy efficiency, innovation and action for heavy-emitting sectors (including steel, cement, and aluminum), unlocking the potential of hydrogen, and decarbonization of oil and gas supplies, including through methane abatement and carbon management technologies.
The day will also address universal energy access and the needs of workers across the energy sector transition and will have an additional special focus on cooling as a critical mitigation and adaptation factor.
Indigenous Peoples Day will recognize the importance of Indigenous Peoples’ intergenerational knowledge, practices, and leadership in climate action and in stewarding planetary health, as well as mechanisms to improve their direct access to finance. The day will notably strengthen the role of Indigenous Peoples – and reinforce the urgency of a fully inclusive, all-of-society approach – in the just transition.
COP28 will feature a historic presence of local leaders, including mayors, governors, parliamentarians, business and civil society leaders, united to accelerate climate action across all levels of government and society. The day will also highlight solutions to transition to low- carbon and resilient built environments and infrastructure, sustainable and circular waste systems, and sustainable mobility and freight. The day will particularly look at action in urban areas, where population growth, economic activity and greenhouse gas emissions converge.
This day seeks to empower young people to shape the outcomes of COP28 and beyond, particularly considering the disproportionate risks and impacts from climate change for children and youth. The day will look at equitable representation, stronger engagement mechanisms, and resource allocation across the COP themes and policy tracks. Focuses will include investment in youth-led innovation and entrepreneurship, inclusion in policymaking processes capacity-building, and transforming education to close the skills gap for green jobs aligned with climate action.
The conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of nature is integral for achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.
In seeking to transition land use and ocean systems to support climate-aligned and nature positive development, this thematic day will focus on scaling robust solutions that protect, restore and effectively manage natural ecosystems, address drivers of nature loss, empower Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and create resilient livelihoods. The day will also spotlight enabling actions that unlock new financial flows and mainstream climate-nature synergies across transition plans and reporting frameworks.
The day will additionally showcase efforts that accelerate the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the recently adopted agreement that provides a clear framework for halting and reversing nature loss – to help deliver a climate-safe future.
Climate change is creating severe pressure and risks for the agri-food and water systems that underpin human well-being.
At the same time, these systems are also key contributors to climate change: one-third of all human-made GHG emissions derive from agri-food systems, and 70 percent of freshwater consumed worldwide is used for agricultural production.
Specific food and agriculture focuses include innovation investment, regenerative agriculture, and national transformation pathways, underpinned by financing mechanisms and project preparation. Water programming will also look at freshwater restoration and conservation, infrastructure for urban water resilience, and integrated governance and management of water-food systems.
From empowering youth to mobilizing finance, Bonn 2023 sets the stage for COP28
Youth involvement, Indigenous perspectives, and enhanced local financial commitments to nature-based solutions were among the key priorities identified at this year’s Bonn Climate Change Conference.
High-Level Champion sets out ambitious vision for COP28 at the 14th Petersberg Climate Dialogue
“Three of the most powerful things we can do is to embrace nature positive action, mobilise finance at scale, and be truly inclusive,” said H.E Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for the COP28 at the 14th Petersberg Climate Dialogue.
Global Stocktake report underscores the need for greater urgency and stronger climate action across all levels of government, the economy, and society
There is still an urgent need to implement and scale up “a rigorous ‘all of economy, all of society approach’” this decade, according to the first-of-its-kind global stocktake technical report released today.
UN Climate Change High-Level Champions present a finance blueprint to narrow the climate & nature funding gap
The UN Climate Change High-Level Champions today launch two important papers that specify recommendations to break financing barriers for just climate transition and restore nature in Emerging Markets and Developing Economies (EMDEs).
