Since the historic COP21 in Paris in 2015, Ecopreneurs for the Climate we’ve taken direct part in the annual UNFCCC Climate Summit (Conference of the Parties or “COP”), bringing the voice of our climate-championing ecopreneurs, city-level organizers and global partners to decision makers on the world stage. We make a very specific and much-needed contribution to the climate movement gathering at the Summit each year: sustainable business solutions (ecopreneurs and green SMEs) to challenges deriving from climate change (mitigation and adaptation), with the Paris Agreement as the overarching framework and guiding torch, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular #13 (climate action), #10 (reduced inequalities), and #11 (sustainable cities and communities). Moreover, our approach as a glocal community of climate practice takes roots in three fundamental pillars: local green economy ecosystems accompanying the ecopreneurs along their journey, multi-stakeholder co-creation (from climate challenges to sustainable business solutions), and a global network of city-based climate innovation labs exchanging innovation and impactful models.
At the heart of our labs’ programs, right before the COP every year, we hold the Global Week of Green Business and the Climate Movement, where cities across the planet bring together sustainability practitioners, civil society, public agencies, academia & research, the media, etc., to promote, connect and empower ecopreneurs. In 2015, 7 cities from 4 countries took part in ECO4CLIM15; growing to 22 cities from 16 countries in 2016 for ECO4CLIM16; and reaching 27 cities from 18 countries this year for ECO4CLIM17. The conclusion always comes days later at the COP, where the Week’s global winner presents her/his game-changing startup at a dedicated event, focused on the role of SMEs as key engines of sustainable innovation, cross-sector partnerships, and collaborative networks. In Paris at COP21, Gregorio from Ciclogreen marveled the audience with its incentivized mobility strategies for corporations and communities alike. In Marrakech at COP22, Cyril from Elum Energy talked at a UN Panel on “ecopreneurs and the SDGs” about his smart management tool for renewable micro-grids.
This year at COP23, Sumit Kishore, founder of TOOKLee and global winner of ECO4CLIM17, will enlighten fellow speakers and attendants with their app-based solution for sustainable urban transport at the panel “Green Transport and Innovation in Urban Mobility”, on November 10th (11.30-12.30), at the IETA Business Hub Pavilion, in the UN COP23 – Bonn Zone. All thanks to our partners from Responding to Climate Change (RTCC) and the African Climate Change Research Centre (ACCREC), with which we’ll certainly explore all opportunities emerging from this first collaboration to continue working together in the near future. Herein-bellow is the complete calendar of COP23 events we’ll be involved in, supporting our partners (RTCC and ACCREC) in enabling dynamic conversations, inviting our contacts, co-facilitating, and of course having our global climate champion show us all the way forward.
ECO4CLIM’s participation in COP23:
Green Transport and Innovation in Urban Mobility
10th of November 2017 / 11.30-12.30 @ IETA Business Hub Pavilion/ Bonn Zone / UN COP23
Changing how we travel and embracing new technologies is key to making our cities cleaner, greener and happier. While cities recognize and espouse the benefits of building low carbon, resilient economies, they need to use every opportunity to progress further. The first step is to strengthen and expand existing public transportation networks so that they are more convenient and more accessible. Secondly, we need to invest in sustainable transportation technology to create fuel efficient and low-emissions vehicles. Finally, we need to design biking- and walking friendly cities. With these investments, we can transition to a cleaner, safer, and more affordable transportation infrastructure.
Speakers:
Moderator: Karl Mathiesen – Climate Home | Global awareness for sustainable future: private sector behaviour within the UN framework
9th of November 2017 / 9:00-10:30 @ IETA Business Hub Pavilion/ Bonn Zone / UN COP23
Partnering with the private sector is the foundation of any successful large-scale development strategy. The shared nature of the global development challenges we face today calls for collective action that is inspired and shaped by the challenges and opportunities of the next fifteen years. Building vibrant and systematic partnerships with the private sector is a vital prerequisite for the successful implementation of a transformative agenda to accelerate poverty reduction and sustainable development.
Speakers:
Moderator: James Ramsey
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Fulfilling the Promise of Paris – Quality Infrastructure for the Energy Sector
9th of November 2017- 14.00 / 16.00 @ IETA-Business Hub Pavilion/ Bonn Zone / UN COP23
To combat climate change in all its impacts growing economies all around the world have committed themselves to contribute to the Paris Agreement. To achieve this joint target, economies need to find sustainable ways of generating energy. Renewable energies and energy efficiency are the two main pillars on a way towards a sustainable energy system. The diffusion and sustainable use of these technologies require an improvement of quality infrastructures in these areas. The importance of quality infrastructure for the energy sector and the transformation towards sustainable energy consumption will be elaborated and discussed during PTB’s Side-Event “Fulfilling the Promise of Paris – Quality Infrastructure for the Energy Sector”.
Speakers:
Moderator: Dr. Barbara Siegmund, Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)
| Resilient Cities, Sustainable Urban Development and Human Settlement Initiative
10th of November 2017 / 9:30-11.30 @ IETA-Business Hub Pavilion/ Bonn Zone / UN COP23
Urban development has become a driving force as well as a source of development with the power to change and improve lives. Solutions for the complex challenge of urbanization can only be found by bringing together Member States, multilateral organizations, local governments, private sector and civil society. By embracing urbanization at all levels of human settlements, more appropriate policies can embrace urbanization across physical space, bridging urban, peri-urban and rural areas, and assist governments in addressing challenges through national and local development policy frameworks. This would help systematise the alignment between cities, municipalities, towns and national planning objectives in their role as drivers of national economic and social development. Rising inequality, sharing prosperity, urban poverty and spontaneous (i.e. unplanned) urbanization.
Speakers:
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Driving climate innovation in developing countries
9th of November 2017/10.45- 11.45 @Fiji Pavilion/ Bonn Zone / UN COP23
This will be an action-oriented event demonstrating the potential of private-sector-led climate innovation in developing countries. Emerging market climate businesses and entrepreneurs driving innovation in their countries will join multinational companies and financial innovators dedicated to sustainability and active in developing markets. Developing countries now have a tremendous opportunity to grow new, climate-smart industries, such as renewable energy, climate smart agriculture, and resilient infrastructure. A focus on innovation and greater private sector involvement in these dynamic sectors can leverage significant capital flows, create jobs and spur economic growth. There is an opportunity now to go beyond discrete support and bring promising ideas, businesses, and industries to global attention, and to scale.
Speakers:
Moderator: Megan Darby Climate Home | |
