ESCWA at COP 28

The United Arab Emirates is hosting the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). ESCWA is organizing and contributing to events being organized during the conference and in pavilions with partners during the thematic days designated by the COP 28 Presidency.

The Climate Change and Natural Resource Sustainability Cluster is co-organizing, leading and/or participating in several initiatives and activities during many side events in different pavilions from the 1st of December till the 12th of December 2023. Additionally, an official high-level side event is organized with a focus on "Arab Cooperation for Climate Action in Water, Energy, and Food Systems."

Listed below are the events which ESCWA is organizing and contributing to. The areas are related to water, food, energy, climate change and sand and dust storm.

ESCWA events:

Sustainable Energy Solutions in Conflict Areas to Increase Resilience for the Most Vulnerable - In partnership with: RCREEE, Government of Sweden - 3 December 9:00 to 10:00 (UAE time) - RCREEE Pavilion
Arab Cooperation for Climate Action in Water, Energy and Food Systems - In partnership with: LAS, AFESD, UNEP, WMO, FAO, Government of Sweden - 3 December 11:30 to 13:30 (UAE time) - SE Room 9
Multi-Sectoral Rural Development through Renewable Energy Access - In partnership with: Government of Sweden - 3 December 14:30 to 15:30 (UAE time) - UNDESA/SDG Pavilion
Carbon Markets for Sustainable Energy Transitions: Insights and Pathways for the Arab Region - In partnership with: LAS, RCREEE - 4 December 9:00 to 10:30 (UAE time) - LAS Pavilion
Climate Resilience and Finance in the Arab Region - In partnership with: LAS, Government of Sweden, IsDB, AFESD - 4 December 12:00 to 13:00 (UAE time) - LAS Pavilion
Regional Platforms for Climate Finance: Unlocking Climate Finance Flows through Project Acceleration - In partnership with: UNECE, UN CLIMATE CHANGE HIGH LEVEL CHAMPIONS - 4 December 16:00 to 17:30 - Action Arena - Al Wakri
Global Energy Interconnection: Advancing Just and Inclusive Energy Transition - In partnership with: GEIDCO, UNFCCC - 5 December 9:00 to 11:00 (UAE time) - UNFCCC Pavilion
Unlocking Clean Hydrogen as Decarbonization Pathway for the Arab Region - In partnership with: LAS, RCREEE - 5 December 11:00 to 12:30 (UAE time) - LAS Pavilion
Powering the Arab Future: The Pan-Arab Electricity Market Progress and Vision - In partnership with: LAS, RCREEE - 5 December 13:00 to 14:30 (UAE time) - LAS Pavilion
Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) for Clean Cooking - In partnership with: KAPSARC, OSP/Middle East Green Initiative - 5 December 15:00 to 15:45 (UAE time) - Share presentation stages: Arena 3
Accelerating the Adoption and Integration of Electric Vehicles in the Arab Region’s Transport Sectors - In partnership with: LAS, RCREEE - 6 December 11:00 to 12:30 (UAE time) - RCREEE Pavilion
Responsible and Inclusive Management of Critical Energy Transition Minerals - In partnership with: ECE, ESCAP, ECA, ECLAC - 6 December 11:30 to 13:00 (UAE time) - Room 4
Innovation for Sustainable Energy Transition in the Arab Region: Smart Buildings, AI, and Blockchain Applications - In partnership with: RCREEE, LAS - 6 December 12:30 to 13:30 (UAE time) - LAS Pavilion
Regional Dialogue on Transboundary Sand and Dust Storms in the Arab Region - In partnership with: Iraq, FAO, UN Habitat - 6 December 16:00 to 17:00 (UAE time) - Iraq Pavilion
Enhancing the Resilience of Arab Food Systems in light of Environmental and Climate Challenges: The Role of Rainfed Agriculture - In partnership with: AOAD, Government of Sweden - 10 December 12:00 to 13:00 (UAE time) - LAS Pavilion
Discussion Panel on Water Scarcity in MENA Region - In partnership with: AYGVN - 10 December 13:00 to 14:00 (UAE time) - Saudi Green Building Forum Pavilion
Water Desalination with Renewable Energies: Challenges and Opportunities in the Arab Region - In partnership with: LAS, RCREEE - 10 December 15:00 to 16:30 (UAE time) - RCREEE Pavilion

ESCWA at partner events:

High level dialogue - Conveners: The EMG Secretariat, UNEP, UNFCCC, and UN Resident Coordinator - 2 December 15:00 to 16:00 (UAE time) - UNEP Pavilion
Closed roundtable for Launching MENA Nature – Climate platform “Building the Enabling Environment for Nature – Positive Future in MENA” - Conveners: COP28 Presidency, LAS, UN CLIMATE CHANGE HIGH LEVEL CHAMPIONS - 3 December 14:30 to 15:30 (UAE time) - LAS Pavilion
Bridging the Science-Policy Gap: Adaptation Solutions for the Climate, Peace, and Security Nexus - Conveners: CGIAR, FAO, IFAD and Rockefeller Foundation - 3 December 17:00 to 18:00 (UAE time) - Food Pavilion
Climate-Refugees Nexus Initiative: The way forward - 4 December 10:45 to 11:45 (UAE time) - Lead convener: Government of Jordan - IUCN Pavilion
Roundtable Discussion on the Objectives of the Sustainable Debt Coalition and a Task Force on Sustainability-Linked Sovereign Financing for Nature and Climate - Conveners: Sustainable Debt Coalition, UN Economic Commission for Africa, The Nature Conservancy, Sustainability-Linked Sovereign Debt Hub, NatureFinance, Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, and the University of Oxford - 4 December 15:00 to 16:00 (UAE time) - Implementation Lab
Advancing Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation through Integrated Innovative Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions - 4 December 16:00 to 17:00 (UAE time) - UNDESA/SDG Pavilion
Open Society Foundations (OSF) High-Level Discussion on "Financing for Resilience" - 4 December 17:00 to 18:00 (UAE time) - UNFCCC Pavilion
Energy Transition and Circular Carbon Economy in GCC - Lead convener: GCC - 5 December 10:30 to 11:30 (UAE time) - GCC Pavilion
Shaping and Funding Circular Futures forum session - 5 December 12:15 to 13:15 (UAE time) - UAE Pavilion
High-Level Roundtable on Renewable Energy and Climate Action in the GCC: Achievements, Plans, and Priorities - Lead convener: IRENA - 6 December 14:00 to 15:10 (UAE time) - IRENA Pavilion
The Water, Energy, Food, Ecosystems–Nexus (WEFE Nexus): Sustainable Development Approaches in the Arab region - Conveners: Arab Water Council (AWC), Center for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE), LAS, and the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) - 9 December 15:00 to 16:50 (UAE time) - LAS Pavilion
Taking Stock of Climate Action on Water “Hydrating Climate Action” - Conveners: SIWI, AGWA, IWMI, INBO - 10 December 10:00 to 11:00 (UAE time) - Room GCA Action Zone, Amphitheatre 1
Water, Food and Energy Securities in the GCC Countries and Climate Change Challenge - Lead convener: GCC - 10 December 10:00 to 11:00 (UAE time) - GCC Pavilion
Local Authorities and the Management of Water Stress - Lead convener: General Directorate of Local Authorities in Morocco - 10 December 11:00 to 13:00 (UAE time) - Morocco Pavilion
Sand and Dust Storm (SDS) and Climate Change in the GCC region, SDS analysis in the Mashreq and Regional Collaboration - 11 December 11:00 to 15:00 (UAE time) - GCC Pavilion
Climate Change Research in the GCC Countries - Lead convener: GCC - 11 December 10:00 to 11:30 (UAE time) - GCC Pavilion
Enhancing localization to Reduce Climate Damage and strengthen climate justice in the Arab Region - Conveners: Green Generation Foundation (GGF), Somali Youth Development Foundation (SYDF) & Arab Network for Environment and Development (RAED) - 11 December 11:30 to 13:00 (UAE time) - SE Room 3