COP 26 in Glasgow: MCC involved in several events

At the world climate conference, MCC researchers are focusing on topics such as the 1.5 degree target, the threat of continued coal emissions, and atmospheric carbon removal.

All eyes are on Glasgow: logo of the COP26 world climate conference. | Photo: ukcop26.org

28.10.2021

At the 26rd United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow, which takes place from 31 October until 12 November, the countries need to take further steps to implement the ambitious Paris climate targets. The Berlin-based climate research institute MCC (Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change) will be involved in the COP: the institute is supporting six side events, as host, co-host, or as panellists, addressing the 1.5 degree Celsius temperature target, climate-informed financing instruments, forest climate solutions, the political economy of coal, strategic intervention points, and carbon dioxide removal.

  • Risks and consequences of breaching 1.5 degrees: Limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius requires unprecedented societal transformation, including a technology revolution and effective negative emission technologies. MCC working group leader Sabine Fuss will be a panel discussant at a COP26 side event hosted by the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, Working Group 1) and Future Earth. The discussion will be on the risks and consequences of breaching 1.5 degrees Celsius, and possible transformation pathways to guide decision makers. Amongst other panelists, Future Earth’s Johan Rockström (Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research) and IPCC WG1 chair Valerie Masson-Delmotte will set the scene for the discussion.
    --> Tuesday, 2 November, from 09:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. local time (GMT)
          COP 26 IPCC-WMO-UKMO Pavilion

          Free livestream on the WMO YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/8tlVuxwZKZM

  • Fiscal instruments to green the Post-COVID recovery: Ottmar Edenhofer, Director of MCC and of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, will participate in a panel discussion hosted by the World Bank on “Fiscal Innovations to Deliver on a Climate-Smart Recovery”. A core priority for the World Bank Group’s engagement at COP26 is to highlight its support for countries to take action on climate and achieve mid-century decarbonisation. In particular, the WBG is working with countries to green their economic recovery from COVID-19 in a manner that aligns with and strengthens their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and long-term strategies. This requires, among other things, the development of climate-informed financing instruments.
    --> Wednesday, 3 November, from 03:15 p.m. to 04:15 p.m. local time (GMT)
          Virtual event to be hosted at the COP 26 Joint MDB Pavilion
          Follow the event on Twitter: #ClimateActionWBG or on the livestream here: http://wrld.bg/NYY750GAzXE

  • Forest climate solutions: MCC is co-hosting a COP26 side event on building climate action ambition through forest climate solutions with the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Conservation International (CI), the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC). During this session, participants will share new quantitative analysis and perspectives on how high-integrity forest climate solutions, including different approaches and mechanisms, can help enhance global climate action ambition.
    --> Saturday, 6 November, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. local time (GMT)
          COP26 Nature Zone Pavilion
          Livestream:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbI3RzDKAyo

  • Policies to phase out coal: MCC hosts a side event on “The Political Economy of Coal and its Implications for Clean Energy Transitions”. Based on a forthcoming book edited by MCC working group leader Jan Steckel and MCC fellow Michael Jakob collecting 15 country case studies, and together with experts on China, Vietnam, South Africa, and Germany, we will discuss entry points to design politically feasible policies to phase out coal across a variety of contexts and related differences in potential policy approaches. Speakers and Panelists are Jan Steckel, Cecilia Han Springer (Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center), Felix Matthes (Öko Institut, former member of Germany’s “Coal Commission”), Koos Neefjes (Director of Climate Sense), and Neva Makgetla (Senior Economist at TIPS).
    --> Thursday, 11 November, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. local time (GMT)
          COP26 Side Event Studio 1 – South Downs, Zone D
          Livestream: www.youtube.com/watch

  • Strategic intervention points for climate neutrality: The Climate Neutrality Forum 2021 co-hosted by University of Oxford, RFF-CMCC and MCC Berlin will present its final report at COP26. For a range of topics extending from greenhouse gas removal to climate finance and justice, strategic intervention points will be discussed, which the participants of the forum and the subsequent webinar suggested to raise ambition for climate neutrality by mid-century.
    --> Thursday, 11 November, from 07:30 p.m. to 08:30 p.m. local time (GMT)
          COP 26 Shared Pavilion
         
    Info: jpi-climate.eu/news-events/events/10903993/JPI-Climate-will-host-an-evening-side-event-at-the-COP-26

  • Governance of carbon removal: Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is key in addressing residual emissions on our way to climate neutrality, yet especially on the governance of land-based approaches to sequestering additional CO2 many open questions remain. MCC’s Sabine Fuss will moderate an interactive panel discussion co-hosted by LMU Munich and SWP Berlin at COP26 featuring Artur Runge-Metzger, Julia Pongratz and Kate Dooley. The discussion will focus on the trade-offs and synergies concerning the multifunctionality of land on our way to climate neutrality, to complement more technology-focused international CDR efforts, and will aim to foster dialogue of science with political decision-makers responsible for implementation of land-based CDR.
    --> Friday, 12 November, from 11:30 a.m. to 13:00 p.m. local time (GMT)
          COP26 German Pavilion
          Info:
    german-climate-pavilion.de/login