This side event at the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP28) will explore how to leverage sciences and emerging technologies to build resilience to climate change for a just transition, providing examples of how the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) aims to help Member States mitigate and adapt to climate change through ethics, education and sciences. Bringing together high-level policymakers, the session will discuss how to address the ethical challenges of emerging technologies for climate change, including climate engineering, and identify possible routes to strengthen international governance in their research and deployment.

Participation

This in-person event will take place in Side Event Room 2, in Zone B6, Building 78. It is open to COP28 participants.

Please note that participants in UNU events may appear in photography, screen captures, videos, and/or audio (see disclaimer).

Language

This event will be held in English.

Organizers

This event is organized by UNESCO in partnership with UNU-IAS and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Background

UNESCO's Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme addresses climate vulnerability and supports Member States in developing robust adaptation policies for hydroclimatic impacts. Open and citizen-validated scientific tools, like Early Warning Systems and training particularly for vulnerable groups, can bridge the science-policy-society gap. UNESCO has supported the development of flood and drought monitoring platforms in Africa and Latin America. UNESCO’s bottom-up Climate Risk Informed Decision Analysis allows decision-makers to tailor adaptation pathways for specific climate risks, involving stakeholders and communities. Education plays a vital role in driving social transformation for successful adaptation.

Programme

Moderator:

Abou Amani (Director of the Division of Water Sciences, Secretary of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme, UNESCO)

11:30–11:35 Opening Remarks

Lidia Brito (Assistant Director-General a.i. for Natural Sciences, UNESCO)

11:35–11:45 Presentations

Key Intervention

Koen Verbist (Programme Specialist, UNESCO): Sciences and Emerging Technologies for Resilience Building

11:45–12:05 Panel 1

Moderator:

Anil Mishra (Chief of Hydrological Systems, Climate Change and Adaptation Section, UNESCO)

Panelists:

Shinobu Yume Yamaguchi (Director, UNU-IAS)
Abdalah Mokssit (Secretary of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC))
Nigel Crawhall (LINKs)
ICIReWARD representative

Rapporteur: