High-Level Climate Champions

A powerful new tool has just been launched that illustrates the strategy to accelerate the net zero transition!  The ‘Conveyor Belt’ model from the Net Zero Tracker explains how climate governance - and non-State action converge to propel rapid, credible climate action. The four ‘cogs’ of the Conveyor Belt comprise: 1️⃣ Voluntary initiatives: Cities and businesses take the first step, innovating and experimenting.  2️⃣ Orchestration initiatives: Campaigns like Race to Zero scale and align these efforts. 3️⃣ Standards: Credible benchmarks, such as ISO Net Zero standards, create consistency. 4️⃣ Regulations: Finally, binding laws amplify the impact, locking in progress. The four cogs of the Conveyor Belt are together greater than the sum of their parts, forming a governance ecosystem around net zero. But the connections between the cogs are not automatic - they have to be developed and regularly maintained. In 2025, we look forward to helping to ‘grease the cogs’ of the Conveyor Belt. Through the Race to Zero and other initiatives - we can boost the efforts of non-State actors - such as cities, businesses, investors, and civil society, to create the foundation for standards - ultimately leading to impactful regulations. Join us in turning the ‘Conveyor Belt’ concept - into action. More: https://lnkd.in/e2WzMqNf

Our final newsletter of 2024 is live! This month, a thank you from the departing UN Climate Change High-Level Champion, Razan Al Mubarak; reflections from COP 29 by fellow Champion, Nigar Arpadarai; also Gonzalo Muñoz Abogabir, the COP 25 Champion discusses food systems transformation; and news from the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Riyadh, and more.

TWO years ago, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework gave us a new roadmap with an ambitious mission to halt and reverse nature loss: to be Nature Positive by 2030. 🌱 But the work isn’t over. Across cities and in the countryside, on your travels, and out your own window - nature is still disappearing. Fewer insects. Vanished birds. Concrete jungles. Degraded coastlines. 💔 Nature loss isn’t just heartbreaking; it’s driving climate change. When ecosystems are destroyed, their ability to absorb carbon dioxide disappears too. This fuels the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. ✊ The challenge is great, but so is our opportunity. The Nature Positive Initiative is bringing people together to restore nature - which will help communities, wildlife, and the climate. Learn how you can take action to build a nature-positive future: https://lnkd.in/e7JRTvtY #NaturePositive #BiodiversityLoss #ClimateAction #TwinCrises #KMGBF

The momentum to transform food systems is unstoppable. At COP29 Azerbaijan, Gonzalo Muñoz Abogabir CMG, High-Level Climate Champion for COP25, joined over 300 stakeholders—farmers, Indigenous Peoples, businesses, and civil society—in endorsing the Food Systems Call to Action. Together, they highlighted the urgency of sustainable transformation to meet climate, nature, and people’s needs. As we move toward #COP30 in Brazil, the focus shifts to implementation. With milestones like the UN Convention to Combat Desertification COP on land restoration and drought resilience, the global community must unite for resilient and equitable food systems. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gxD_RgNA

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬: Land, Water, and Food Systems Day at #COP29. A crucial day emphasizing the interconnectedness of land, water, food, and agriculture in addressing climate change. Responsible for nearly a quarter of global emissions, these sectors also hold the key to transformative solutions. Initiatives like the Bonn Challenge aim to restore 350 million hectares by 2030, showcasing significant strides in regenerative farming and sustainable land management. Central to the discussions was the crucial role of nature as a carbon sink, essential for food security and biodiversity preservation. Key actions included promoting nature-based solutions such as reforestation and sustainable agriculture, with a focus on empowering local communities and Indigenous Peoples, who steward a substantial portion of the Earth's terrestrial surface. The day stressed the importance of integrating these approaches into global climate strategies, ensuring that local needs and ecological contexts guide restoration and conservation efforts. Check more COP29 photos here: https://lnkd.in/gCWPZMcP

By inviting collaboration across the agri-food value chain, the COP28 Action Agenda on Regenerative Landscapes has helped accelerate the global transition to regenerative agricultural practices since its launch last December. Participants in the Action Agenda – co-led by BCG, COP28 UAE, WBCSD – World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and supported by High-Level Climate Champions – must demonstrate significant progress measuring impact across a range of dimensions, including soil health, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity, water management, and farmer livelihoods. In the run-up to COP30, we invite all food and agriculture value chain stakeholders, financiers, and policymakers to engage with the opportunity to shape the future of food, fuel, and fiber. Let’s work together to create a resilient system that benefits us all. Learn more and get involved: https://on.bcg.com/4gK5Ukv

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬: Human Capital/ Children & Youth / Health/ Education Day at #COP29. Marking the first-ever dedicated day to human development at COP, stakeholders across sectors united to affirm that human progress—health, education, and a decent standard of living—is crucial for a just transition to a net-zero, nature-positive, and climate-resilient future. Highlighting this commitment, the 79th UN General Assembly's Pact for the Future pledged to protect future generations amidst current global crises. Actions from the Race to Resilience now cover over two billion people, with new partners like the UNESCO Youth Climate Action Network engaging over 105,500 youths in climate initiatives. Additionally, over 70 health institutions are integrating climate considerations into healthcare through the Race to Zero, supporting a significant push by Health Care Without Harm to double involved institutions and bolster resilience for 100 million people. Check more of our COP29 photos here: https://lnkd.in/gCWPZMcP

We’re seeking a Carbon Removal Lead to play a key role in advancing the global carbon removal agenda, in support of the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions for COP 29 and COP 30. This exciting role is perfect for someone with 10+ years of experience, a deep understanding of the carbon removal landscape, and a strong network of system-level actors driving progress in this space. As Carbon Removal Lead you will take ownership of shaping and delivering the Carbon Removals work plan and collaborate closely with the senior members of the tram to ensure impactful outcomes. 🔗 Learn more about the role: https://lnkd.in/dbnj63VA 📄 Ready to apply? Start here: https://lnkd.in/emPMPpN5 🗓️ Deadline: Monday, 6 January 2025. Interviews: week commencing 13 January 2025. #ClimateJobs #SustainabilityJobs #ClimateAction #CarbonRemoval

The International Mangrove Restoration Conference in Abu Dhabi is off to a powerful start, with experts from around the world sharing insights into the right way to restore mangroves. A few standout takeaways:   🗣 Jurgenne Primavera reminded us that context is everything. Planting in #mudflats or #seagrass beds is counterproductive, and the wrong species can spell disaster. Her example of 1 million propagules lost to a typhoon while naturally grown #mangroves survived speaks volumes. 🗣 Judith Okella emphasized that local ecological knowledge is key to understanding #mangrove degradation – sharing examples from Northern Kenya. 🗣 Camilo Trench from Jamaica's University of the West Indies shared an innovative, cost-effective method for reviving mangroves in deep #ponds. Using waste materials like #sargassum #seaweed, they created “dispersal centers” where propagules could thrive. 🗣 Apri Astra from Wetlands International Indonesia showcased success along North Java’s eroded coastlines. Instead of rigid seawalls, permeable structures restored sediment balance, allowing mangroves to regenerate naturally – all while collaborating closely with local communities and using Wetlands International's Biorights finance mechanism to support sustainable livelihoods, including mangrove-friendly aquaculture solutions. 🗣 Claudia Teutli-Hernandez from Yucatán, Mexico, shared a science-based approach built after $10 million worth of failed projects. The focus? Fix #hydrology and #topography first, then monitor closely. 🗣 Ken Kraus from the US underscored the importance of improving hydrology for mangrove regrowth in South Florida. 🌿 And finally, Stefano Cannicci highlighted an often-overlooked hero: mangrove #fauna. #Crabs, for instance, play a vital role in #carbon and nitrogen cycling, geomorphological processes and lots more.   These insights are a clear reminder: Effective mangrove restoration isn’t just about planting trees. It’s about understanding ecosystems, hydrology, and local knowledge – and always working with nature, not against it. 🌍💚 #MangroveRestoration #Conservation #Ecology #BestPractices #ClimateAction #NaturebasedSolutions #IMCRC Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), Global Mangrove Alliance, Mangrove Action Project (MAP), The Nature Conservancy, IUCN, Emirates Nature-WWF, WWF, High-Level Climate Champions, UN Environment Programme

#Finance Highlights from #COP16Riyadh. Global funding for drought #resilience, land #restoration and the fight against land degradation received a major boost with over USD 12 billion now pledged to these efforts. Financing land conservation, protection and restoration will help us reach our #climate and #nature targets. Scaling solutions – such as reforestation, regenerative agriculture, and investments in Indigenous communities – can yield significant economic returns, cut global emissions, strengthen #climate resilience, reverse #biodiversity loss, and sustainably feed a growing population. The first ever UN Convention to Combat Desertification Financial Needs Assessment Report establishes that the world could save billions annually, and earn trillions more by restoring land back to health and building resilience to drought. We know we need to: 💲 Scale up investment for nature. 🌱 Strengthen plans to deliver a triple win for people, nature and food security. 👩🌾 Support the full and effective participation of farmers, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities. Deploying finance to protect, manage, and restore nature creates an ambition loop that promotes positive outcomes for nature across the three #RioConventions, which is critical on the path to #COP30 in Belém, Brazil.