Nature’s Climate Hub events at the UN Climate Week

At what might be the most high-profile summit on climate change since the 2015 UN conference that led to the Paris Agreement, nature will play a central role as a lead theme and one of the key six ‘action’ areas in September in New York during Climate Week.

The summit will bring together governments, the private sector, civil society, local authorities and other international organizations to develop ambitious solutions in a total of six areas: a global transition to renewable energy; sustainable and resilient infrastructures and cities; sustainable agriculture and management of forests and the ocean; resilience and adaptation to climate impacts; and alignment of public and private finance with a net-zero economy.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres is calling on leaders to come to New York with concrete, realistic plans to enhance their nationally determined contributions by 2020, in line with reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45 percent over the next decade, and to net zero emissions by 2050.

To celebrate and endorse nature’s role as a climate solution and its intrinsic value providing a third of the climate solution by 2030, UNDP, along with the Nature 4 Climate and other partners, will co-host four days of powerful programming at the Convene 101 Park Avenue and Central Park Zoo from September 22nd to 25th.

“Without nature, our response to climate change is lacking. In addition to the rapid decarbonization of the energy, industrial and transport sectors, enacted through a just and inclusive transition, the emergency response must include a major investment in nature, said Lucy Almond, Head of Nature 4 Climate.“

“These solutions – which focus on removing emissions from the land sector and enhancing the ability of natural ecosystems to remove carbon from the atmosphere – are viable, cost-effective, and scalable – and can be used in every country on Earth, she added.”

Nature’s Climate Hub is a collaborative venture with more than 130 submissions, from more than 50 organizations – and organized by a coalition of 20 partners. The Hub will be home to a series of lively ‘big idea’ talks showcasing the best of nature-based solutions; interactive sessions tackling the challenges we face – and opportunities to meet the experts; commitments from governments and companies and communities; sessions involving art, storytelling, film, and music.

UNDP will be hosting a variety of panels throughout the Nature’s Climate Hub on topics including the Equator Initiative, REDD+, the New York Declaration on Forests, and indigenous peoples and local communities.

• Forest and Restoration Hub on Sunday 22nd September
• Food, Soils and Agriculture Hub on Monday 23rd September
• Ocean, Freshwater and Marine Ecosystem Hub on Tuesday 24th September
• Nature-Based Solutions Nexus Hub on Wednesday 25th September

Original source: UNDP
Published on 19 September 2019