Briefing Series: What Congress Needs to Know in the Lead Up and Follow Up to COP26 --- October 8, 15, 20, 22 and November 18, 2021

October 05, 2021

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Briefing Series on the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Glasgow -- The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to join us for a briefing series on what Congress needs to know in the lead-up to the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

This briefing series is co-sponsored by the British Embassy Washington.

We are grateful for the partnership with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation that helped make this briefing series possible.

Creating Policies, Coalitions, and Actions for Global Sustainable Development: A Conversation with Sir Robert Watson and Christiana Figueres

Friday, October 08 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM EDT

This briefing will explore cross-cutting challenges—climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, and pollution—facing the United States and countries around the world, and how policymakers are finding and implementing solutions to these challenges.

Distinguished Speakers:

Sir Robert Watson, lead author of the U.N. Environment Programme’s report Making Peace with Nature: A scientific blueprint to tackle the climate, biodiversity, and pollution emergencies, will discuss the current and projected changes in climate and biodiversity and share the range of solutions that emerge when these issues are considered together in policy design and implementation. He is the former chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and former chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Former U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres will discuss the opportunity presented by the upcoming U.N. climate change conference (COP26) and will dive into ways governments and leaders can take meaningful action on climate change globally—an urgent need underscored by the findings of the Making Peace with Nature report. Ms. Figueres is a Founding Partner of Global Optimism, co-presenter of climate podcast Outrage + Optimism, and co-author of The Future We Choose: The Stubborn Optimist's Guide to the Climate Crisis.

Co-moderated by Daniel Bresette, Executive Director, Environmental and Energy Study Institute, and Rosina Bierbaum, Professor, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan; School of Public Policy, University of Maryland. READ MORE

Momentum on Climate Adaptation

Friday, October 15 | 1:00 - 2:30 PM EDT

Climate adaptation is one of the priority work areas for COP26. This briefing will focus on the initiatives launched or scaled up in recent years that underpin the momentum on adaptation and resilience and that will inform conversations at COP26. Speakers will discuss national adaptation plans, country dialogues on adaptation, early-warning systems, and locally-led adaptation. The briefing will explore how these efforts advance work towards the global goal on adaptation ‘to enhance adaptive capacity and reduce vulnerability.’

Ben Webster, Head of Secretariat, Risk-informed Early Action Partnership
Tamara Coger, Senior Associate, Climate Resilience Practice, World Resources Institute READ MORE

The Role of International Climate Finance

Wednesday, October 20 | 1:00 - 2:30 PM EDT

International climate finance is a critical tool to increase access to climate mitigation and adaptation resources to address the growing threat of climate change. The briefing will discuss the current state of international climate finance, the role and status of the Green Climate Fund and other funding mechanisms, and Congress’s role in meeting U.S. climate finance commitments. Panelists will also describe how international climate finance dovetails with ongoing efforts of the State Department, Department of Defense, and the U.S. Agency for International Development to address the impacts of climate change abroad.

Kate Hughes, Director for International Climate Change, Department for Business Energy, and Industrial Strategy, UK Government
Bella Tonkonogy, Associate Director, Climate Policy Initiative
Ricardo Nogueira, Member, Independent Technical Advisory Panel at Green Climate Fund
Joe Thwaites, Sustainable Finance Center Associate, World Resources Institute
Sashi Jayatileke, Senior Climate Finance Advisor, USAID READ MORE

The Negotiations: What’s on the Table

Friday, October 22 | 1:00 - 2:30 PM EDT

COP26 is set to cover a wide range of topics, from negotiations on carbon markets to discussions on loss and damage, climate finance, and updated emission reduction goals in countries’ nationally determined contributions (NDCs). This briefing will bring together experts to explain the key areas of negotiation expected to be at play at COP26, review possible outcomes, and explore what it all means for Congress.

Jennifer Allan, Writer/Editor, Earth Negotiations Bulletin, International Institute for Sustainable Development
Tracy Bach, Co-Focal Point, Research and Independent NGOs, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; Visiting Professor of Law, Washington University in St. Louis READ MORE

Recap of COP26: Key Outcomes and What Comes Next

Thursday, November 18 | 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM EDT

With dozens of events and negotiating sessions happening at any one time during the two weeks of COP, it can be challenging to keep up with all the details. This briefing will review the key outcomes of COP26 and provide context and nuance to the main headlines coming out of the meeting. Panelists will then dive into takeaways from international, private sector, and local government perspectives.

Dr. Simon Evans, Deputy Editor and Policy Editor, Carbon Brief
Dr. Joanna Depledge, Research Fellow, Cambridge Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance, University of Cambridge READ MORE