Events on 18 November during the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29) addressed loss and damage at the local level, integration of aquatic foods in climate strategies, and the Global Cooling Pledge.
The Global Cooling Pledge (GCP), launched at COP 28, was the focus of a ministerial roundtable, organized by the COP 28 Presidency, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Cool Coalition. The GCP is a collective effort to reduce cooling-related emissions by 68% by 2050 and has been signed by more than 70 countries and 60 non-state actors, including 15 cities. The roundtable sought to galvanize action on cooling and provide the space for governments, cities, and partner organizations to share their progress on implementing the GCP, including on further integrating cooling into the next round of nationally determined contributions (NDCs). The GCP’s Annual Global Cooling Pledge Progress Report 2024 was introduced, according to which 55 countries have adopted energy labeling schemes and 49 have provided minimum standards for cooling equipment.
During the event, speakers noted that Grenada is incorporating cooling into its NDC and that the UK will commit GBP 15 million for implementation of the GCP, including through the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold Chain Systems (ACES) in Rwanda. Another 18 member State representatives mentioned, among others:
- Intentions to integrate cooling into the next round of NDCs;
- Changes to regulatory frameworks;
- Initiatives to promote green buildings;
- The increasing efficiency of cooling technologies; and
- The need stop dumping refrigerants and obsolete cooling technologies.
Co-organized by United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and Habitat for Humanity International, another event sought to link discussions on informality in cities to loss and damage, underscoring the need to learn from local communities themselves. Firdaous Oussidhoum, UCLG Assistant Secretary General, called for advancing the loss and damage agenda for informal settlements and mentioned a Call to Deliver Efficient Loss and Damage Reponses at the Local and Regional Level at COP 29. The event also highlighted Habitat for Humanity’s push for the inclusion of housing in climate responses.
During the first panel on losses and damages in informal settlements, speakers discussed, among others: generational neglect of informal settlements; the Roof Over Our Heads campaign, which seeks to deliver resilient, low-carbon, and affordable homes to those living in informality; and a joint campaign with Slum Dwellers International called Know Your City, which promotes joint information collection to produce change in cities.
The second panel focused on loss and damage responses at the local, regional, and global levels, with speakers highlighting: intermediary cities as the next frontier, particularly in the Global South; only 27% of NDCs include strong urban content; and Malawi’s new disaster risk management (DRM) law.
At another event, policymakers and industry experts discussed challenges and opportunities in decarbonizing sectors that are key to achieving a net-zero future. Speakers noted: the European Commission’s discussions on a new Clean Industrial Deal to bolster investments and industrial growth in Europe; global investments in clean energy manufacturing increased by 50% in 2023, contributing 10% growth in investment in the global economy; and the EU’s investment of USD 40 billion in innovation for member States.
One speaker called attention to Malaysia’s retargeting of subsidies to accelerate the growth of energy-efficient industries. Another highlighted Brazil’s people-centered approach to ensure a just and inclusive transition, and that the proportion of renewables in Brazil’s energy mix has significantly increased since 2015. The European Chemical Industry Council underscored the need to create markets that allow for cheap electricity and collaborate with governments to ensure private sector investments are rewarded in this sector. The event was organized by the EU’s Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG-CLIMA).
Another event focused on the integration of aquatic foods into climate strategies. Speakers mentioned, for example: including fisheries management in NDCs; developing climate-smart aquaculture systems; a report on ‘Integrating Blue Foods Into National Climate Strategies’; and efforts by Australia and Brazil to integrate aquatic systems in climate strategies locally. Panelists also discussed barriers that hinder integrating aquatic foods into national climate strategies, including that the focus has always been on land-based solutions. One explained that, to maintain a focus on aquatic foods and ensure its progress in future discussions, the aquatic food sector itself should be more sustainable and adaptive to climate change. The event was organized by, among others, WorldFish, the Aquatic Blue Food Coalition, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the European Bureau for Conservation and Development, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO).