IUCN events at COP25

Mainstreaming climate change adaptation at several planning processes: municipal land use planning, protected area and education.
11:30 - 13:00 | WWF Pavilion
IUCN contact: Risa Smith

Mangroves - the NDC Booster
18:00 - 19:30 | WWF Pavilion
This event will highlight the multiple ways the conservation and restoration of these ecosystems contributes to reaching more ambitious climate adaptation and mitigation goals. Countries who have already recognized the contribution of mangrove ecosystems in their NDCs will share their experiences, as will countries who have indicated their intention to include mangroves in their revised 2020 NDC.

Organisers: IUCN | WWF | CI | TNC | WI
IUCN contact: Ali Raza Rizvi, Risa Smith

Advancing climate actions on resilient and sustainable agriculture food chains
11:30 – 13:00 | San Pedro de Atacama 
Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action - Nexus Roundtable. The purpose of the event is to increase the ambition for climate action in food and agriculture value chains to deliver inclusive, resilient and sustainable systems. Food and agriculture systems must transform for a hunger free, prosperous and resilient 1.5C world. Economic, health, resilience and environmental benefits and reduced food loss and waste support a global demand for change. UNCAS actions show the positive impact and challenges on the most vulnerable. More

Organisers: FAO | A2R Initiative | Global Resilience Partnership
IUCN contact: Ali Raza Rizvi

High-Level Meeting on Forests: Enhancing the role of forests in nature-based solutions
12:00 - 15:00 | Meeting Room 25
This 3-panel high-level session on forests will address enhancing ambition in NDCs through forest action, resource mobilization for forest-based solutions and stocktake of Article 5 of the Paris Agreement. Panel 3: Stock tacking of Art. 5 of the Paris Agreement, 14:00 – 15:00. This session will provide an assessment of the progress made in addressing the main drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, restoring degraded landscapes at scale, and share lessons with Results-Based Payments initiatives to date. More

Organisers: Presidency of COP25 (Government of Chile)
IUCN contacts: Carole Saint-Laurent, Adriana Vidal

Financing Nature-based Solutions for Enhanced Climate Action
13:15 - 14:45 | GEF-GCF Pavilion
There is a growing recognition of the critical role of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for enhancing resilience and mitigating carbon emissions. The GCF and the GEF are at the forefront of this evolving area of focus for climate actions, which requires a cross-disciplinary, systemic, and integrated approach. This side event will focus on how the two funds have promoted investments in NBS at multiple scales and across different sectors to address climate, environmental and livelihood challenges; including GHG emissions mitigation, climate resilience, food security, and disaster risk management. The GCF and GEF will present their funding strategies for climate actions through nature based solutions, and specialized entities and beneficiary countries will present experiences on how innovative NBS approaches can effectively address complex climate, environmental and human challenges simultaneously. Q&A session and discussion will follow.

IUCN contact: Adriana Vidal

Climate Solutions: Safeguarding Nature and People through 30% Global Conservation by 2030
16:30 - 17:30 | NDC Partnership Pavilion
Nature-based solutions are essential to make countries more resilient to the adverse impacts of climate change and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Expanding protected areas on both land and ocean is needed to help reverse the global trend of biodiversity loss, while accelerating climate solutions. The side event will highlight efforts in protecting terrestrial and marine ecosystem by expanding and effectively managing their current network of protected areas. Also, the showcase of such efforts is meant to raise awareness and emphasize the need for more ambitious global conservation goals.

Organisers: Costa Rica | NDC Partnership
IUCN contact: Risa Smith

Just Add Water: Solutions for the 2020 NDCs and beyond
10:00 – 13:00 | Room 6
Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action - Water Action Event. Water resource management is a critical component of climate planning. This year’s Water Action Event features tangible, real-world examples of how water can assist Parties in achieving their climate mitigation and adaptation goals, organized around the overarching theme of integrated management across the landscape. More

Organisers: AGWA | GIZ | French Water Partnership | GAFWAC | IUCN | SIWI | World Water Council
IUCN contacts: James Dalton, Sandeep Sengupta

The potential & challenges of scaling up Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA)
11:00 - 12:30 | Korean Pavilion
The objective of this event is to exchange perspectives and experiences from different sectors and actors on the opportunities that EbA upscaling offers and identify the major challenges and barriers to overcome towards a successful upscaling. Speakers, as well as the audience, can showcase effectiveness and evidence of EbA benefits, identify gaps and opportunities to make EbA mainstreaming effective, and share methods and tools and implementation examples for strengthening EbA into climate change and sector policies.

Organisers: FEBA
IUCN contact: Ali Raza Rizvi

Local and Indigenous Knowledge to Climate Action
12:45 – 13:45 | Paris Capacity Building Hub
Capacity-building Knowledge to Action Days are designed to bridge capacity-building gaps in the production and translation of relevant knowledge into climate action at national and sub-national levels.

Organisers: ECOJESUIT | DGM Global - Conservation International
IUCN contact: Kristen Walker

Maximizing the contribution of the land-use sector to a 1.5°C climate neutral and resilient world
15:00 – 18:00 | Torres del Paine
Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action - Land use Action Event. The event will showcase concrete examples in land use sector that successfully unite policy makers, experts and private sector to design and implement nature-based solutions addressing the climate crisis. Furthermore, the event will discuss pathways to accelerate the transformational change needed to maximize the contribution of the land use sector towards a climate neutral future in 2050. More

Organisers: IUCN | FAO 
IUCN contact: Adriana Vidal

Climate action towards 1.5 C pathway
15:00 – 18:00 | Room 6
Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action - Ocean and Coastal Zones Action Event. Addressing the impacts of climate change in coastal and ocean areas is progressing. Climate actions including nature-based solutions which simultaneously support sustainable development priorities, and examples of successful collaboration to develop climate resilience and blue economies shared. More

Organisers: Future Ocean Alliance | Global Ocean Forum | IUCN | IOC - UNESCO | Alliance of Small Island States
IUCN contacts: Dorothée Herr, Minna Epps

Blue climate action: marine nature-based solutions for NDCs
15:30 – 17:00 | German Pavilion
Nature-based Solutions significantly contribute to climate adaptation and mitigation, this is also identified in IPCC Special Report on oceans and cryosphere. Resilient coastal and marine ecosystems are key for coastal livelihoods, while additionally conserving biodiversity. Featuring tangible examples of local action and international initiatives as well as resource mobilisation, this event will highlight successes and challenges and provide clear linkages with the NDC process.

Organisers: BMZ | BMU
IUCN contact: Dorothée Herr

Aquatic Nature-based Solutions: Adapting to climate change & delivering multiple across sectors
16:00 - 16:45 | Action Hub
The event will focus on nature-based solutions in the water sector, showcasing natural infrastructure solutions for climate adaptation, the policy context and practical case-studies.

Organisers: FWP | INBO | IUCN | GAWC
IUCN contact: Sandeep Sengupta

13th Focal Point Forum of the Nairobi Work Programme
18:00 - 21:00 | San Pedro de Atacama
The NWP this year focuses on the topic of oceans. The NWP collaborates with partners and relevant organizations in this thematic area, including on organizing the 13th NWP Focal Point Forum which will be held under the guidance of the Chair of the SBSTA

Organisers: Nairobi Work Programme
IUCN contacts: Ali Raza Rizvi, Dorothée Herr, Minna Epps

Press conference IUCN Deoxygenation Report launch
09:00 - 09:30 | UNFCCC Media Center - MOCHA
Ocean deoxygenation is one of the most pernicious, yet under-reported side-effects of human-induced climate change. In a ground-breaking new report, IUCN, in partnership with leading scientists, explore the causes, consequences and socio-economic implications of ocean deoxygenation, and discusses how we, as a planet, must react.
More information for media.

Organisers: IUCN
IUCN contact: Minna Epps, Matthias Fiechter

Communities of Ocean Action for supporting implementation of SDG14
13:00 – 14:15 | SDG Pavilion
The United Nations has launched nine thematic multi-stakeholder Communities of Ocean Action (COAs) to follow-up on the implementation of the more than 1,500 voluntary commitments made at and since the 2017 UN Ocean Conference. Two years into this work, members of these COAs will discuss experiences and lessons learned with a view toward how these communities can further scale up their work with the dual purpose of protecting the ocean and mitigating the worst effects of climate change.

Organisers: UNDESA
IUCN contact: Ali Raza Rizvi

Marine Protected Areas and Climate Change
15:30 – 17:00 | Chilean Pavilion
Dan Laffoley from IUCN WCPA will be on the panel of this event organized by the Government of Chile

Organisers: Government of Chile
IUCN contact: Dan Laffoley

Governing Emerging Marine Climate Altering Technologies
16:45-18:15 | Room 2
This event will feature discussion about emerging marine climate altering technologies, how they are dealt with by the IPCC, existing and proposed research, near-term impacts on climate policy and negotiations, how various actors are engaging or can engage to ensure proper governance.

Organisers: Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs Inc. (CCEIA)
IUCN contact: Dorothée Herr

Nature-based Solutions to Climate Change: From the UN Climate Action Summit to the IUCN Congress
10:00 - 11:00 | French Pavilion
This event will highlight the critical importance of nature-based solutions in tackling climate change, and some of the key developments that took place on this topic at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit in New York. It will share the main findings of the recent report published by IUCN and Oxford University on ‘Nature-based solutions in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)’. It will also discuss how ambition and action on nature-based solutions can be enhanced further at the IUCN World Conservation Congress to be co-hosted by IUCN and the Government of France in Marseille in June 2020.

Organisers: IUCN | France
IUCN contact: Sandeep Sengupta

Ocean Frontiers: Addressing Global Climate Challenges through Nature-based Solutions
11:30 - 13:00 | Room 1
The effects of climate change on oceans continue to adversely impact economies, societies and biodiversity. Yet, the potential of coastal and marine NbS to support global mitigation and adaptation efforts remains underutilised. New science and successful NbS projects will be presented and discussed.
 

Organisers: IUCN | Ramsar Convention
IUCN contact: Dorothée Herr

Climate action, life below water and on land-linkages with human activities
11:30 – 13:00 | San Pedro de Atacama
Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action - Climate Action and SDGs 14 &15 Roundtable. This event discusses how ecosystem-based approaches, inclusive of users and uses, and nature-based solutions (NbS), can deliver climate action and, at the same time, build social, economic, and environmental resilience, when integrated and mainstreamed into the planning human activities in ocean and coastal zones, and in land-use and habitats. More

Organisers: UNFCCC | Future Ocean Alliance
IUCN contact: Sandeep Sengupta, Cyrie Sendashonga

Averting the climate and biodiversity crises: natural solutions pivotal in delivering NDC ambitions
15:00 — 16:30 | Room 1
Wetlands, peatlands, mangroves, forests, and other primary ecosystems retain massive carbon stocks and improve resilience. Biodiversity underpins carbon storage and sequestration. Harnessing and mapping linkages between nature-rich and carbon-rich areas will catalyse higher ambition for NDCs

Organisers: Wetlands International | BirdLife International
IUCN contact: Sandeep Sengupta

Ocean Deoxygenation, why should I be concerned, and what can be done?
16:30 – 17:30 | Pacific Pavilion
Ocean deoxygenation refers to the loss of oxygen dissolved in the ocean. The launch by IUCN will include key scientists involved in this major initiative and will detail some of the main findings on causes, impacts, consequences and solutions. Speakers include young scientists and experts in the field of ocean deoxygenation. Together with practitioners we will discuss the impacts of ocean deoxygenation and what can be done about it.

IUCN contact: Dorothée Herr

Climate finance for coastal resilience – what is next for Blue Natural Capital?
18:30 – 20:00 | EIB BENELUX Pavilion
This event will feature investors, including governments, MDBs and private investors, discussing the landscape and needs for fast-tracking investments into coastal resilience projects. Experiences and lessons learned from the Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility and other actors will be discussed.

IUCN contact: Dorothée Herr

Nature-Based Solutions on the ground (SDG15): UN support to people and landscapes
18:30 – 20:00 | Room 1
Faced with the need for greater NDC ambition, UN agencies and partners show how land is a key to nature-based solutions with a mitigation potential of 1/3 of the gap. UN partners, including indigenous peoples, share experiences of protecting and restoring diverse biomes, like mountains and forests.

Organisers: United Nations Agencies
IUCN contact: Sandeep Sengupta

Driving adaptation in mountains through community- and ecosystem-based innovation
15:00 – 16:30 | Room 2
Placing mountains at the center of policies and interventions for climate action so that they can continue to provide global goods and solutions to the planet. This event will explore innovative and impactful approaches to both further implementation and enhance ambition.

Organisers: The Mountain Institute | IIED | International Potato Center 
IUCN contact: Ali Raza Rizvi

Accelerating action to build a resilient 1.5 C world
15:00 – 16:30 | San Pedro de Atacama
Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action - Resilience Roundtable. Actions on and investment in transformative change for the most affected by climate change must be accelerated. It will focus on increased awareness on needs for resilience building and how to translate these into action including by accelerating UN Climate Action Summit initiatives and use of tracking for learning

Organisers: UN A2R Initiative | Global Resilience Partnership
IUCN contact: Ali Raza Rizvi

Integrating Coastal Blue Carbon in Nationally Determined Contributions
18:30 - 20:00 | Room 1
This event will highlight practical actions underway and launch new guidelines for countries considering including these ecosystems in their NDCs and greenhouse gas inventories

Organisers: Conservation International
IUCN contact: Dorothée Herr

GEF Challenge Program for Adaptation Innovation
11:00 – 12:30 | GEF-GCF Pavilion
The GEF Challenge Program for Adaptation Innovation catalyzes private sector investment and innovation in developing countries. Open to project concepts from any private or public institution, the Challenge Program supports scalable, bankable adaption solutions that can help industries and people cope with the adverse impacts of climate change. This event will share the innovative nature of “winning” project concepts for catalyzing private investment in adaptation.

Organisers: GEF
IUCN contact: Sandeep Sengupta

Accelerating Action on Nature-based Soutions Together in 2020
16:30 - 18:30 | Torres del Paine
The purpose of the event is to help translate the outcomes of the 2019 Climate Action Summit into an action agenda for 2020. The event will link ambitious aspirations for 2030, that set the compass for NBS over the coming decade, with the concrete actions that can take place in 2020.

IUCN contact: Sandeep Sengupta

Leaving no one behind in the transition to climate neutrality
18:30 - 20:00 | EU Pavilion
In the face of the climate emergency a just a fair transition towards carbon neutrality should be carried out in order not to leave anyone behind. At this event, different stakeholders will discuss the need of a fair and just transition involving the most vulnerable members of society and young people in the decision making-process.

Organisers: European Economic and Social Committee
IUCN contact: Luc Bas

Climate, Nature and our 1.5°C Future: A synthesis of IPCC and IPBES Reports
19:30 - 21:00 | WWF Pavilion
WWF launches a flagship report, which pulls together findings from the IPBES Global Assessment, and the three recent IPCC special reports (Global Warming of 1.5°C; Land; and Oceans and Cryosphere). The focus is on climate change as a key driver of nature loss and the ways that nature can help humanity to mitigate, build resilience and adapt to climate change.

Organisers:WWF
IUCN contact: Angela Andrade

Pathways to the Future: The Law for Next Generations and Scenarios for Decarbonizing the Earth
16:15 - 20:00 | Carlos III University Madrid Campus Puerta de Toledo, Room 0.A.09 (Madrid city center)
The chair of the IUCN WCEL climate change specialist group, Prof. Christina Voigt, and the chair of the IUCN WCPA climate change specialist group, Dr. Risa Smith, will be panellists in this event co-organized by IUCN WCEL. The full programme can be found here.

Organisers: IUCN WCEL | ICEL | UC3M | Instituto Pascual Madoz
IUCN contacts: Christina Voigt, Risa Smith

Enhancing Nature-based Solutions in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)
11:30 – 13:30 | EU Pavilion
There is increasing awareness of the important role that the world’s ecosystems can play in delivering practical and effective nature-based solutions to climate change. IUCN has been a pioneer on this topic. This session will provide some practical examples of the climate benefits of nature-based solutions. It will also share how countries can integrate nature-based solutions more strongly within their future Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), drawing on a recent study published jointly by IUCN and Oxford University.

Organisers: IUCN
IUCN contact: Sandeep Sengupta

The challenge is on: Marine nature-based solutions for NDCs
13:30 - 15:00 | German Pavilion
Nature-based Solutions significantly contribute to climate adaptation and mitigation. Resilient coastal and marine ecosystems are key for coastal livelihoods, while additionally conserving biodiversity. Yet, such blue solutions still play a minor role in countries’ climate action toolboxes. Featuring tangible examples of local action and international initiatives, this event will highlight successes and challenges and provide clear linkages with the NDC process.