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United Nations Climate Action: Race to Zero and Resilience Forum
supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies

Wednesday, September 21, 2022
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM EDT

The Plaza Hotel, New York, NY

The United Nations Climate Action: Race to Zero and Resilience Forum

Michael R. Bloomberg and the UN Climate Action High-level Champions for COP26 & COP27 hosted a landmark summit during the UN General Assembly and Climate Week in New York City, convening business, finance, government, civic and cultural leaders. During this week of pivotal federal convenings, this event bridged the gap between government leaders and non-state actors to ensure the fulfillment of pledges and commitments, and drove the radical collaboration needed to deliver on climate goals. The forum shined a light on the need to accelerate the mobilization of capital, to continue reducing emissions without exacerbating debt, and to build climate adaptive and resilience communities across all corners of the world.

Since the launch of the Race to Zero and Race to Resilience campaigns ahead of COP26, over 8,000 businesses, 1,100 cities and 500 financial institutions have committed to robust net-zero targets and over 30 initiatives representing more than 2,000 organizations are leading the way to build the resilience and adaptation of the most vulnerable communities. We took stock of the progress made and explored what more is needed from all stakeholders to create an inclusive and resilient economy. 

United Nations logo

Speakers

Joshua Amponsem

Climate Lead
Office of the UN Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth

Sekou Andrews

Poetic Voice

Dr Jean Baderschneider

Non-Executive Director
Fortescue Metals Group

Xiye Bastida

Climate Justice Activist
Co-Founder
Re-Earth Initiative

Producers and DJs
Hip Hop Caucus

Gillian Caldwell

Chief Climate Officer and Deputy Assistant Administrator
USAID

Kristalina Georgieva

Managing Director
International Monetary Fund

Michael R. Bloomberg

U.N. Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Ambition and Solutions
Founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies & Bloomberg L.P.

Mark Carney

Co-Chair, GFANZ
Board Member, Bloomberg Philanthropies

DR. JANE GOODALL, DBE

Founder
The Jane Goodall Institute
UN Messenger of Peace

Dr. Thomas Hale

Professor of Global Public Policy
Blavatnik School of Government
University of Oxford

Francine Lacqua

Anchor & Editor-at-Large
Bloomberg Television

Mindy S. Lubber

CEO & President
Ceres

Catherine McKenna

Chair
UN High-Level Expert Group on Net-Zero Commitments of Non-State Entities
Founder and Principal
Climate and Nature Solutions

Kathy Baughman McLeod

Director
Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center
SVP, Atlantic Council

Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin

UN Climate Action High-level Champion
COP27

Gonzalo Muñoz_

Chair
Climate Champions Advisory Board
Former UN Climate Action High-level Champion
COP 2019-2021

Joseph Muturi

President
Slum Dwellers International (SDI) Network

Annette L Nazareth

Chair
Integrity Council

Gavin Newsom

Governor
California

Yvonne AkiSawyerr

Mayor of Freetown
Sierra Leone

Erik Schatzker

Editorial Director
Bloomberg New Economy

Mayor or Chefchaouen
Morocco

Simon Stiell

Executive Secretary
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

His Excellency Sameh Shoukry

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Egypt
President Designate of COP27

Frans Timmermans

Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal
European Commission

Sumant Sinha

Chairman and CEO
ReNew Power

Nigel Topping

UN Climate Action High-level Champion
COP26

Laurence Tubiana

CEO
European Climate Foundation

President Gustavo Petro Urrego

His Excellency Gustavo Petro
President of the Republic of Colombia

Mark Watts

Executive Director
C40

Shemara Wikramanayake

Managing Director and CEO
Macquarie Group

Jennifer Zabasajja

Anchor
Bloomberg Quicktake

Agenda

All times are in EDT

1:30 PM

Event Open

1:45 PM

Race to COP27

In this session, H.E. Sameh Shoukry will share goals for the upcoming 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh and discuss the role that Egypt will play in facilitating this conference on the African continent.

1:55 PM

Inspiring Action: Voices of Our Climate Future

2:00 PM

Race to Mobilize Capital

Against a background of growing global macroeconomic uncertainty, how can we better mobilize finance and direct financial flows to emerging markets and developing economies to help them achieve sustainable growth and accelerate their transitions to net zero.

2:25 PM

Race to Restoration

  • Mark Carney, Co-Chair, GFANZ; Board Member, Bloomberg Philanthropies
  • Moderator: Francine Lacqua, Anchor & Editor-at-Large, Bloomberg Television

2:40 PM

Race to Collaboration

H.E. Gustavo Petro, President of the Republic of Colombia discusses his top climate priorities, and the importance of collaborating with non-state actors to reach net zero goals.

2:50 PM

Inspiring Action: Voices of our Climate Future

2:55 PM

Race to Transparency

Commitments have been rising – yet progress to 1.5C remains woefully inadequate. We must ensure these commitments are being met by adequate implementation on the ground, and are being monitored transparently to track emissions reductions globally.

3:05 PM

Race to Action

3:15 PM

Closing Remarks

  • Secretary General António Guterres, Secretary General, United Nations (Virtual)

3:20 PM

End Of Plenary

Breakout Sessions

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Breakout
Session 1

Race to Zero: The Pivot Point

Climate change is the most pressing global crisis that the world faces, and efforts to deliver transformative action that keep global temperature within 1.5C need to be accelerated. The Paris Agreement and subsequent COP decisions, such as COP26’s Glasgow Climate Pact, set the level of ambition. Momentum has been building over recent years to deliver these promises, though progress towards our global goals remains inadequate. Both state and non-state actors must now pivot to new ways of collaborating and shaping net zero governance; and must do so with the urgency and innovation the world desperately needs.

A key aspect will be using all policy, regulatory and legislative tools available to create the standards and ground rules for the global economy that enable the transformation to a just, resilient net-zero world. This breakout session will address how to accelerate the transformation from voluntary action into the fit-for-purpose domestic and foreign policies needed in a world of interconnected geopolitical crises.

Welcome Remarks

Governance That’s Fit For Purpose

The Power of Voluntary Action

Breakout
Session 2

Building Climate Resilient Communities

How can we build the resilience of cities and states, regions and devolved governments in the context of worsening climate disasters? To address this, we need solutions that impact at a system level by a variety of different actors. This session will explore the transformation and solutions needed to build resilience for people living in cities/human settlements. We will hear from local authorities, organizations and think tanks about the efforts they are making to work together with communities to increase resilience to the different impacts of climate change, from energy challenges to extreme heat, from urbanization to the role of nature-based solutions.

The Role of Mayors

How to Increase Resilience in the Face of Climate Disasters

  • Joseph Muturir, President Slum Dwellers International (SDI) Network
  • Moderator: Katherine Baughman McLeod, Senior Vice President & Director, Adrienne Arsht Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center

Closing Remarks

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