Future Economy Forum’s Post

With almost 40 per cent of the world's land already degraded and further degradation expected to lead to escalating energy costs, depleting food supplies, increased water scarcity and more, we must join forces to restore 1.5 billion hectares of lands by 2030. To achieve this goal, it is crucial that the private sector plays its part by working towards more sustainable business operations and channeling their resources and finances to achieve land degradation neutrality (LDN). Join us on September 4 at 15:00 for a webinar on land degradation and desertification, hosted in partnership with the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). This session will provide valuable insights on how companies can take meaningful action to restore degraded lands and build resilience against pressing global challenges like drought, food shortages, and rising energy prices. Register now: https://lnkd.in/en-UkQEZ #UNCCD #COP16 #UNGC #Desertification #LandRestoration

🌍 The UNCCD Conference of Parties 16th session (COP16Riyadh) begins today, running from 2–13 December. This year’s COP16 is a landmark event, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the UNCCD. It is set to be the largest UN land conference in history and the first UNCCD COP hosted in the Middle East and North Africa region, an area deeply familiar with the challenges of desertification, land degradation, and drought. Over the next two weeks, global leaders, experts, businesses, and advocates will come together to tackle these critical issues, focusing on restoring ecosystems, addressing climate change, and fostering sustainable livelihoods for communities across the globe. At Natura &Co, we are deeply committed to preserving the planet’s natural resources and embracing the spirit of collaboration that defines COP16. Together, we can co-create solutions to turn challenges into opportunities for a regenerative, equitable, and resilient future. We’ll be following along to see how businesses, communities, and individuals can work together to protect and restore our planet. #COP16Riyadh #UNCCD #30YearsOfImpact #Sustainability #CollaborationForGood  🌱

From COP 29 to COP 30 - My Quick Reflection COP 29, in Baku, has left some scars on the process (and on me – I am now dealing with a fracture in my foot and torn ligaments. That happened while trying to get to the venue on time with a mind full of stress, concerns, commitments – I wasn’t 'mindful' for a moment and tripped on some steps near Koroghlu station). This is not a reflection on the process, as others have already done (some of these are spot on, others not so much). My view is that the process has its weaknesses and limitations, but also positive aspects, as any other multilateral process. But no better alternative so far has presented itself. Maybe I’ll go into that in detail in another opportunity. I am also not going to dwell on what we all know were bad results: an NCQG far from developing countries’ needs and no concrete or tangible follow-up on what we conquered in Dubai in 2023, specially on transitioning away from fossil fuels. I want to reflect on the way forward, since all those things were basically kicked down the road for the next Bonn Sessions and/or COP to sort out (or so people expect). Brazil has a tradition in diplomacy, with a dedicated institution create in 1945 with its schools of thought and very well-prepared diplomats. Civil society participation, as well as the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, will be broader than any other COP before. We also have a very different government from 2021, when the previous NDC was presented, and a much stronger and more engaged Ministry of Environment headed by the one and only Marina Silva. Will all this be enough to foster different results? I really don’t know. The role of a Presidency is key. But it is a multilateral process, so it also depends on other countries. One Presidency alone can’t get the results we want without the engagement and collaboration of others. And the Brazilian civil society is already doing their homework to influence our delegation while also fighting for improving domestic policies. Working for a big international organization, I ask myself what we can do as global civil society to push our countries to tackle climate change, rather than investing in wars and other issues. We need the world to wake up to what is a civilizational challenge that puts the future of generations to come at stake, as well as the systems and ecosystems their lives depend upon. And this is an answer I don’t have yet but I truly want to keep being part of.

As always, Nathan Truitt has a great pulse of what is going on in the Climate space and Carbon Markets. Here is his amazing commentary from Day 1 of COP 29. For the carbon markets, it means that countries have given the green light to further carbon market rules that provide more structure and transparency. This will serve as further tailwinds for AVID.ooo and our AVID Climate Units as we are transforming financial markets with a new asset class that empowers retail investors access to the carbon markets.

Come join us in Riyadh this week where we will discuss the latest thinking around greening technologies and the regional applications, policies and strategies!

Some takeaways from Day 1 of COP 29 in Azerbaijan: - In a day 1 victory for common sense, and reflecting an appropriate sense of urgency, parties agreed and approved operationalization of the Article 6.4 Mechanism of the 2015 Paris Agreement. Although there is still much work to do, this largely clears the way for an international carbon market in which both countries and companies can participate. Such a market can enhance ambition and reduce the global cost of reducing emissions by driving funding to the most cost-effective mechanisms for reducing emissions and / or removing GHGs from the atmosphere. - This is especially important given what we heard about the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) - which is basically the pool of money that mainly developed countries will put forward to pay for fighting climate change. It is extremely clear that there is simply not an appetite amongst the developed countries of the world to simply foot the bill for the global transition away from fossil fuels - to say nothing of the costs of adaptation or compensation for loss and damage due to climate change. In his opening address COP 29 President Mukhtar Babayev said that the part of the NCQG that would come from straight up contributions from developed countries would be in the "hundreds of millions," while most analysis I have seen suggests this number needs to be a minimum of $1 trillion per year. That's a big gap. That means that a tool like carbon markets, which BOTH brings in private finance to stand alongside government funding, AND reduces the cost of the transition, is absolutely essential. - The side events and conversations I have attended so far have all been energetically grappling with this emerging reality. How do we stitch together a patchwork quilt of government commitments, market-based tools, and private finance to get to where we need to go? And how to we maximize the efficiency of the system to make every single dollar go further? To paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, we are clearly going to have go to war with climate change with "the army we have," which I realize is quite different from the army we WISH we had. We WISH that citizens and politicians would realize the massive damage we are doing to future generations and fully fund a quick, comprehensive and just transition. But that is quite obviously not going to happen - and so we all have to understand the task now is not to design increasingly perfect and increasingly fantastical "what we should do" scenarios, and instead look around at the scattered mess of imperfect tools at our disposal and figure out how to make this whole Project Humanity work regardless.

COP16 SO FAR Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed delegates, and fellow advocates, I am Clifford Edevbie , Executive Director for Clean Climate and Environment Campaign Initiative , Lagos , Nigeria As we reach the midpoint of COP16, I am heartened by the progress we've made so far. The energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to combating desertification and land degradation have been palpable throughout our discussions. We've witnessed inspiring stories of resilience and innovation from local communities, civil society, and the private sector. We've seen governments, international organizations, and stakeholders come together to share knowledge, expertise, and best practices. Key takeaways from our discussions include: - The urgent need for scaled-up action to address the interconnected challenges of climate change, land degradation, and biodiversity loss. - The critical role of sustainable land management in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. - The importance of inclusive, participatory, and gender-responsive approaches to land restoration and sustainable development. As we move forward, let us build on this momentum. Let us continue to work together to drive meaningful change, to support each other, and to hold each other accountable. Together, we can achieve a future where land is restored, ecosystems thrive, and communities flourish. Thank you. #unccd2024 #riyadh2024 #cop16riyadh2024

In this COP 29 series, we sit down with a representative from the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) to unpack the key outcomes of COP 29. As the summit draws to a close, we reflect on NRGI’s efforts to advance equity, accountability, and justice in mineral-producing countries while protecting local communities. Guest: Denis Gyeyir The full video is on Green Growth Television on YouTube. LINK:https://lnkd.in/dEy3rPv2. Kindly Subscribe and leave your comments. #fyp #cop #copazerbaijan #cop29 #cop29azerbaijan #Azerbaijan #GreenGrowthAfrica #GreenGrowthTV #SustainableDevelopment #ClimateChange #CarbonEmissions #EnergyResources #GlobalEconomy #EnvironmentalGoals #foryoupage

In 2014, I attended my first COP and ten years later, I spent a week in Riyadh for COP16. It's incredible to reflect on how the conversation has evolved, yet remained centered around the same core issue: the importance of supporting farmers and their stewardship of our soil as we transition our agricultural systems. Conversations are critical, but action is paramount. I recognize that change is slow—our economic and social systems are deeply entrenched and difficult to shift. Transitioning to a more sustainable future will require hard decisions, and those decisions often come with consequences that challenge business models and social structures. But we cannot shy away from those tough choices if we’re to build a just transition. It takes real commitment and good faith to keep pushing these conversations forward, making sure they remain on the agenda, and working to show tangible impact. There’s valid criticism around the pace of progress, the investment required, and the ways we measure success. But as I leave Riyadh, I do so with a sense of hope. I am heartened by the dedication of those working—each in their own field—to the same goal. It’s a lot of work, and the next decade will be crucial. The will to double down on action is palpable, and I am inspired by the collective determination to create meaningful change. #COP16 #Sustainability #Agriculture #ClimateAction #JustTransition

During the COP 28 held at Dubai, certain decisions were taken as below:- The UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan announced a $30 billion fund for global climate solutions that aims to attract $250 billion of investment by the end of the decade. The parties to COP also pledged $700 million in funding to help lower-income countries cope with the loss and damage caused by climate change. Governments will have to work to close the $18 trillion investment gap, prioritizing long-term gains over the costs in the short to medium term. This means setting granular, year-by-year targets to ensure pledges are met. There is also an urgent need to increase adaptation and resilience financing. In 2020, financing flows for climate adaptation and resilience reached only 10% of what is needed. More than 130 countries signed a declaration to include emissions from agriculture and farming into their national plans to tackle climate change. In addition, a group of 25+ leading food and agriculture organizations joined forces to scale regenerative agriculture, partnering with 3.6 million farmers to accelerate the transition of over 160 million hectares to protect the soil and limit carbon emissions. Fifty oil and gas companies pledged to reach near zero-methane emissions by 2030, and submit a plan to meet those targets by 2025. A fund was also announced for methane abatement projects in emerging markets and developing economies. The group of fifty firms also agreed to net zero greenhouse gas emissions from their operations by 2050. Some 118 countries have agreed targets to triple renewable power generation capacity to 11,000 GW, and double energy efficiency this decade. Apart from above, a debate is imminent amongst BASIC (Brazil, South Africa, India and China) and EU with regard to the EU’s plan for a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)-essentially a carbon tax on import Let’s wait and watch the progress in above domains during the course of COP 29 being held in Baku in Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 as certain slippage is already there in many areas, both in physical and financial terms, especially referring to the targets to be achieved with regard to achieving NZE by 2050!