Ulrich Graute’s Post

As COP29 nears its second week, funding climate solutions remains the topic of the day, both in Baku where the global climate conference is held and in Rio de Janeiro where the G20 is about to kick off with global leaders converging here. This is the perfect opportunity for mayors who are also gathered in Rio for the Urban 20 meeting to underscore the significant impact urban action can have in our global fight against climate change. In fact, cities can substantially accelerate national climate strategies, and bridge 40% of the emissions gap between national climate plans and 1.5C targets. It’s a massive gain that requires governments and development banks to raise more funds to finance city action in energy efficient buildings, electric buses, mass transit, etc. Cities are responsible for 70% of carbon pollution and see the impact of the climate catastrophe first hand. But cities are also where the solutions can be rolled out. It’s way past time to accelerate public and private funding in their clean and sustainable transition.

🌍 At COP29, cities and the built environment were spotlighted as critical drivers of climate action. Here are three key takeaways shaping the future of urban sustainability: 1️⃣ Urban Climate Resilience: The ambitious $1.3 trillion climate finance goal by 2035 will fund adaptive infrastructure to protect urban populations from intensifying climate risks like floods and heatwaves. 2️⃣ Decarbonisation Targets: Cutting-edge technologies like AI and circular construction are enabling cities to achieve net-zero emissions faster while reducing waste and energy consumption. 3️⃣ Nature-Based Solutions: Integrating green corridors, biodiversity hubs, and eco-urban planning strengthens ecosystems while improving urban liveability. Globally, the built environment sector is undergoing a paradigm shift, driven by innovation in materials, digital tools, and sustainability mandates. Singapore exemplifies these trends with its Green Plan 2030, sustainable design leadership, and smart city advancements. As we rethink urban development, the convergence of technology and nature points the way forward. Read more insights from COP29: https://lnkd.in/gVqvJ2Qp. #BEAMP #BEIH #myBEITM #OpenInnovationSG #ClimateChange

Results of Climate Change and Zero Carbon City Week 「気候変動・脱炭素都市ウィーク」開催結果について   The Ministry of the Environment (MOE), Japan, designated the period between February 26 and March 1, 2024, as “Climate Change and Zero Carbon City Week,” and held the following three events related to climate change and the decarbonization of cities during this period. ・ Seminar on City-to-City Collaboration for Zero Carbon Society ・ International Symposium: Japan’s Contribution to the 7th Assessment Cycle of IPCC and Collaboration with IIASA on “Climate Change and Cities“ ・ JCM Global Partnership Meeting   ■ Outline of Climate Change and Zero Carbon City Week Toward achieving the 1.5 degrees target of the Paris Agreement, it is essential to take initiatives to decarbonize cities that account for 70% of the global GHG emissions and more than 60% of energy demand.  MOE held the following three events related to climate change and the decarbonization of cities intensively during a week: (1) Seminar on City-to-City Collaboration for Zero Carbon Society; (2) International Symposium: Japan’s Contribution to the 7th Assessment Cycle of IPCC and Collaboration with IIASA on “Climate Change and Cities”; and (3) JCM Global Partnership Meeting. Through these events, MOE Japan provided opportunities for participants in Japan and from abroad to share the latest status of initiatives and discuss future policy measures and initiatives regarding the decarbonization of cities.   ■ Seminar on City-to-City Collaboration for Zero Carbon Society (1) Outline Date: February 26-27, 2024 Organiser: Ministry of the Environment (MOE), Japan Co-Organiser: Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) Venue: Iino Hall & Conference Center 4F Room A (on February 26) (IINO BUILDING, 2-1-1 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan)     Continue reading: https://lnkd.in/gmBs7n_v

🌍🏗 Decarbonizing buildings is crucial to our fight against climate change, with the potential to reduce up to 21% of global greenhouse gas emissions. By empowering subnational actors, we can accelerate progress towards a net-zero and resilient buildings sector. 📣 Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, in partnership with ICLEI as part of Daring Cities, will organise a session on "Building Decarbonisation: Empowering Subnational Actors for Net-Zero Acceleration in the Buildings Sector", as part of the Urban October 2024. 💬💡 Ruth Zugman do Coutto, Chief, Mitigation Branch, Climate Change Division, UN Environment Programme, will be speaking at this event and highlight the importance of the establishment of the Subnationals Action Group under the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), co-led by UNEP, ICLEI, UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme) and GIZ, for more effective delivery of the building sector decarbonization through the stronger engagement of subnational governments and other actors. 📅 Date: 15 October 2024 🕒 Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM CEST 🎤 Speakers: 🔹 Dr. Lutz Morgenstern, Head of Division at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) 🔹 Ruth Zugman do Coutto, UNEP 🔹 Liliana Campos-Arriaga, Partnership for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (PEEB) Mexico 🔹 Maryke van Staden, ICLEI 🔹 Rudolf du Plessis (moderator), GIZ 📍 Join here: https://lnkd.in/eBj65XR5

The report of UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre and OECD - OCDE launched the Global Monitoring of Policies for Decarbonizing Buildings The Buildings Breakthrough Agenda was formally launched in December 2023 at COP28 UAE and has the support of 29 countries. In March 2024, the Priority Actions of the Buildings Breakthrough were launched. - The Breaktrhough Agenda Report 2024, evaluated the progress made through international collaboration over the past year against the recommendations for the buildings sector. - Supporting these initiatives, the OECD - OCDE published the report, "Global Monitoring of Policies for Decarbonising Buildings A Multi-level approach", which call for effective collaboration across all levels of government. -The Policy Highlights offer a comprehensive summary of key findings from the 2024 OECD Global Survey on Buildings and Climate with 28 participating countries: Belgium (Flanders), Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States Full report attached. High-Level Climate Champions, Dima Khoury, Will Wild, Chiara Delmastro, Ph.D., UNEP Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme) and Partnership for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (PEEB) The Buildings Breakthrough Agenda was formally launched in December 2023 at COP 28 and has the support of 29 countries. In March 2024, the Priority Actions of the Buildings Breakthrough were launched. - The Breaktrhough Agenda Report 2024, evaluated the progress made through international collaboration over the past year against the recommendations for the buildings sector. - Supporting these initiatives, the OECD - OCDE published the report, "Global Monitoring of Policies for Decarbonising Buildings A Multi-level approach", which call for effective collaboration across all levels of government. -The Policy Highlights offer a comprehensive summary of key findings from the 2024 OECD Global Survey on Buildings and Climate with 28 participating countries: #Belgium (Flanders), #Brazil, #Canada, #Colombia, #CostaRica, #Côted’Ivoire, #Finland, #France, #Germany, #Greece, #Iceland, #Italy, #Japan, #Korea, #Lithuania, #Mexico, the #Netherlands, #Norway, #Philippines, #Poland, #Singapore, #Spain, #Sweden, #Switzerland, #Thailand, the #UnitedKingdom, and the #UnitedStates High-Level Climate Champions, Dima Khoury, Will Wild, Chiara Delmastro, Ph.D., United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme) and Partnership for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (PEEB) Osama Fawzy Georgy HENEIN, MBA

💬 Join Us at COP29: Financing Urban Resilience for Climate Action 🌍💧 I am pleased to announce today’s session at COP29 (November 13, 3.30pm to 5:00pm), organised by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the Global Water Operators' Partnerships Alliance/UN-Habitat (GWOPA), Arup and AquaFed. We are delighted that Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, Managing Director of GIZ, will offer the opening statement. This session will delve into one of the most pressing issues of our time: financing urban resilience. Cities face increasing climate risks, and building resilient infrastructure is more critical than ever. This session will focus on practical solutions for public authorities and utilities, examining the scale of funding needed and showcasing innovative, value-generating models. It will bring together public and private sector voices to discuss how we can better align investment interests with resilience goals. If you are interested in how we can unlock financing to help cities adapt, transform, and thrive, join the session at the Water for Climate Pavilion in the Blue Zone. Let’s work together to create sustainable solutions for a climate-resilient future. #COP29 #ClimateAction #UrbanResilience #WaterforClimate #SustainableDevelopment #GIZ

🌱 Decarbonisation of buildings: sharing lessons from the Ground 🌱 💪 Liliana Campos-Arriaga will share experiences from PEEB's past work in Mexico in this online event organised by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in partnership ICLEI (as part of Daring Cities). Topics will include: 🤝 Collaboration strategies and multi-actor alliances 💵 Mobilisation of funding for sustainable buildings and construction 🌐 🛠 Global initiatives with on-the-ground action 🆕 The session is also an opportunity to get to know the Subnationals Action Group of Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC). This group, co-led by UN Environment Programme, ICLEI, and UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme), will work for a more effective delivery of building sector decarbonization through stronger engagement of subnational governments and other actors. ⬇ Read more for details and access information

#COP29: Prioritizing Housing on the Global Agenda With #COP29 underway, Habitat for Humanity International's latest white paper underscores a critical gap: most countries lack a clear commitment to addressing housing challenges. Housing must be central to climate action and sustainable development discussions. This is our moment to advocate for tangible commitments and innovative solutions. Let’s ensure housing takes its rightful place at the forefront of global priorities. #COP29 #HousingForAll #ClimateAction #SustainableDevelopment

With recent reports of failing carbon sinks, the need to reduce emissions is ever more urgent. With the built environment accounting for a significant proportion of global emissions, reductions in this area will have a significant impact. Better collaboration is definitely needed to this end.

In this week's #esg top stories: the UNDP revealed that 80% of the population in the world wants stronger action in the face of climate change. This and more in your weekly roundup! #MexicoBusinessNews #MexicoBusiness #WeeklyRoundups