This webinar explains about the Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT) Non-State and Subnational Action Guide – a tool that provides guidance for countries on how to carry out assessments for non-state and subnational climate action. WRI climate experts will introduce the guide and discuss how a better understanding of the role of non-state and subnational actors can help support national governments in meeting or exceeding their mitigation targets. Importantly, there will also be a chance to hear from the countries who have used the guide for determining their collection action and learn more about how your country can get involved.
This event will be hosted in English with simultaneous interpretation in Spanish and French.
The proposal from five EU countries to restrict PFAS in the European Union may well be the most important restriction proposal in years. The scope of the proposal is unprecedented — covering more than 10,000 substances — and will have a huge impact on almost all industries.
Contents:
• What the proposal actually says
• How different industry sectors will be affected and how they should prepare
• What ChemSec expects of the upcoming legislation process
Presenters:
Dr. Anna Lennquist, Senior Toxicologist at ChemSec
Dr. Jonatan Kleimark, Senior Chemicals and Business Advisor at ChemSec
Sidsel Dyekjær, Chemicals Policy Advisor at ChemSec
On 30 March 2023 (9:00 - 10:00 New York (EDT) (GMT-4) 14:00 - 15:00 Geneva (CET) (GMT+1)), UNECE hosted a webinar titled Critical Raw Materials in Vulnerable Geographies: Impact on Women.
The transition to lower carbon energy sources will push the demand for critical raw materials at an unprecedented pace. The shift to a cleaner energy system is set to drive a huge increase in the requirements for Lithium, Nickel, Cobalt, Rare earth elements as well as Copper and Aluminum.
The International Energy Agency states that “a scenario that meets the goals of the Paris Agreement, would mean a quadrupling of mineral requirements for clean energy technologies by 2040”. As countries increase their efforts in reducing emissions, others will proportionally maintain the effects of the increased requirements for critical raw materials. Within these accelerated energy dynamics, it is important to care for the communities and society segments that are impacted the most.
This webinar will be centered on the challenges, frameworks, and opportunities for women in countries and regions that are vulnerable. The speakers will share their insights about women’s participation in the access, development, and management of critical raw materials. We need all hands on deck, for a just transition that provides opportunities for all.
Khombada Mhopjeni, National Program Officer, UNESCO Namibia, Windhoek Office, and previous manager at Namibia Geological Survey
Alejandra W. Woods, Director, COLDELCO Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile, and CESCO Centro de Estudios del Cobre, Chil
Dr. Jessica Smith, Professor, Engineering, Design, and Society Dept Colorado School of Mines
The event will be moderated by Alfredo Alvarez Laparte; Energy Segment Leader & Solutions Leader - EY Latin America North at EY.
On 21 March 2023 (11:30-12:40 CET), the CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), endorsed as a Stockholm Convention Regional Centre (SCRC) on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), is hosting a webinar on environmentally sound management of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) containing transformer oils in India.
The webinar will spotlight project experience of the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI) in adopting the sodium reduction technology for the PCB-dichlorination from transformer oils. Within the framework of this project, 443 MT of transformer oil was successfully dechlorinated.
Objectives
Examine environmentally sound management (ESM) and safe disposal of PCBs in transformer oils as one of the priorities identified in the National Implementation Plan (NIP) in India
Highlight aspects and share successful experience of PCB dichlorination from transformer oils in India
Target participants
Researchers from think tanks, universities and international organizations
Policymakers, government officials and stakeholders involved in the development of NIPs on PCBs
Outputs
Raise awareness of environmentally sound management of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) containing transformer oils
Identification of policy implications for development of NIPs on PCBs
On 20-21 March 2023, the REMADE Institute, in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, will host a conference on circular economy technology and clean tech innovation in Washington DC.
The conference will serve as a thought-leadership event on the circular economy in the US, with the objective to advance the national conversation on a circular approach and how sustainable manufacturing can support the nation in meeting its multiple energy, environmental and economic goals. It will also feature experts highlighting emerging technologies and research that will advance and accelerate the US's transition to a circular economy.
The summit is open to REMADE members and non-members. Fees for the conference range from $299 to $699 depending on membership status.
On 16 March 2023 (11:00 - 12:00 New York (ET) (GMT-4) 16:00 - 17:00 Geneva (CET) (GMT+1)), the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) hosted a webinar titled Preventing Corruption in Energy Transition Mineral Supply Chains.
Experts have issued an urgent call for reforms to tackle the pressing issue of corruption in transition mineral supply chains.
Corruption undermines key safeguards that protect local communities and the environment, redirects public money into private hands, and disrupts and delays production just when responsibly produced minerals are urgently needed to meet climate goals.
Corruption in mineral supply chains threatens a just energy transition and risks derailing global efforts to fight climate change. The global fight against climate change relies on our ability to scale up low-carbon infrastructure, which requires more minerals than fossil-fuel-based systems.
Governments, businesses, international organizations and the climate community need to take decisive action now to tackle corruption in transition mineral supply chains.
The Expert Group on Preventing Corruption in Transition Minerals, which brings together perspectives from civil society, governments, academia and international organizations, has developed a set of key recommendations to tackle corruption in mineral supply chains. The development process was led by the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI), with advice from the OECD Centre for Responsible Business Conduct and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).
On 16 March 2023 (10:00-11:00 CET), the GGKP Gender Expert Group, with the Green Finance Platform, is hosting a webinar on "Financing Pathways for Gender-Just Energy Transitions".
The energy sector is largely dominated by a male workforce, and women and men are impacted differently by both the climate crisis and energy poverty. Transitioning towards low-emission and resilient pathways requires fundamental shifts in how we produce and use energy.
The concept of "Just Transitions" embedded within the Paris Agreement refers to the greening of economies in fair and inclusive ways. Yet gender equality outcomes are often left out from being effectively integrated into just transition initiatives, with ambition low for large scale investments in particular. Financial innovations could support the realisation of gender equality in energy transitions – while meeting investment goals. More tools are needed to integrate gender-just outcomes in climate action.
To this end, the GGKP Gender Expert Group will launch its new report–Powering a Gender-Just Energy Transition–which discusses challenges and opportunities for inclusive energy investments and proposes a Gender-Just Energy Transition Outcomes Framework. The Framework assesses and identifies actionable gender equality outcomes in just energy transition initiatives with the aim of raising the level of ambition for transformative outcomes.
Recording
*The webinar summary is available below.
Speakers
Opening: In Woo Jung, Manager, Green Finance Platform, Green Growth Knowledge Partnership (GGKP)
Moderator: Ingvild Solvang, Head, Climate Action and Inclusive Development Unit, Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)
Panelists:
Inka Schomer, Senior Gender and Infrastructure Specialist, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
“As gender specialists, it is important to understand the sector you're working in, understand the project cycle, how investments are made and work with the government and the private sector to get them to understand the opportunities. This will allow having practical conversations on embedding gender into different sectors.”
Irene Giner-Reichl, Co-Founder and Senior Advisor, Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET)
“Let the energy transition process itself be structured in a participatory and inclusive way with full participation of women. Let’s take into account how energy transitions can at the same time be socioeconomic transformations.”
Maria Elena Valenzuela, Chief Technical Advisor, International Labour Organization (ILO)
“Let's promote social dialogue, incorporate all partners into this discussion and put gender at the centre of climate change and energy transition policies.”
Taciana Peão Lopes, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Mozambique Women of Energy (MWE)
“Gender integration in climate finance and in the energy sector cannot only be a tick in the box to comply with reporting requirements. More discussions on financing women working in informal sectors will also highly contribute to tackling climate change and energy transition.”
Zonibel Woods, Senior Social Development Specialist, Asian Development Bank (ADB)
“We have to be intentional about investing in gender equality. Setting a target for women’s employment is not enough if we are not really committed to taking all the steps to attain the targets. We need to make sure that we are investing financial resources that women can benefit from the energy transition.”
Background
The GGKP Gender Expert Group convenes leading experts in green growth and gender with the aim of catalysing collective action towards gender equality and women's empowerment in global green transitions. A collaboration among leading green growth organisations, the Expert Group provides research, capacity building and knowledge sharing to respond to critical knowledge gaps and aid evidence-based policy development processes integrating gender equality in green growth approaches.
The Gender Expert Group produced three papers addressing key knowledge gaps in gender-just transition data, policy and tools.
On 9 March 2023 (15:00 CET/09:00 EST), the World Resources Institute (WRI) is organizing a webinar to discuss policies that can enable a just transition away from oil and gas and how countries can work together to support and successfully manage the transition.
As the world shifts to a clean energy economy, middle-income developing countries are in a particularly tricky position. They produce nearly half of the world’s oil and gas but have fewer resources with which to support workers and communities through the transition. There are economic and environmental benefits for these countries in shifting away from fossil fuels, but they will also face challenges in achieving a just transition.
Join this discussion with distinguished experts, practitioners and government officials from Africa and Latin America.
Speakers:
-Carlos Alvarado Quesada, former President of Costa Rica; Professor of Practice, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University
-Carlos Lopes, Former Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Africa; Professor, Nelson Mandela School, University of Cape Town; Member, WRI Global Board of Directors
-Hauwa Mustapha, Nigeria Labour Congress
-Sian Bradley, Head of Secretariat, Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance
On 23 February (11:00 GMT), the Carbon Trust will host a webinar on transparent communications to counter greenwashing.
The webinar covers the corporate sustainability context, the role of third-party assurance, and offers participants indication on how to avoid greenwashing. It will also explore how to get green claims right and discuss the importance of having integrity and being transparent on demonstrating action on climate, particularly in view of the increased scrutiny from consumers and the media.
On 23 February 2023 (15:00-15:30 CET), the International Chemical Secretariat (ChemSec) will host a webinar to introduce its new PFAS Guide website.
The website is for anyone who is interested in ridding the world of all unnecessary PFAS uses. PFAS are a large, complex group of manufactured chemicals that are ingredients in various everyday products.
Several speakers from ChemSec will present during the webinar, including Dr. Anna Lennquist, Senior Toxicologist; Dr. Jonatan Kleimark, Senior Chemicals and Business Advisor; and Joséphine Källström, Business Developer.
