Looking ahead at 2024: what's in store for climate and nature?

2023 was another catastrophic year with intense floods, droughts, soaring heat, wildfires and freezing temperatures bringing devastation to lives and livelihoods globally. Humanity sits at a climate ‘crossroads’ and with the window to secure a liveable future rapidly closing, the stakes have never been higher.

This event online explored what the 2023 climate negotiations delivered, how the outcomes respond to the priorities of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group, and to take a forward look at where we go from here and what to watch out for in 2024.

As the ever-intensifying impacts of climate change and the loss of nature continue to impact poor and vulnerable communities first and worst, there is no escaping the issue of climate justice.

Ahead of the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Dakar Declaration on Climate Change 2023 by the Ministers of the Least Developed Countries set out clear priorities. Hot on the agenda was the first Global Stocktake assessment, a long overdue commitment to a loss and damage fund, the climate finance framework, food sustainability and critical progress on adaptation and mitigation.

But did COP28 deliver? And where do we go from here?

Following the Dubai conference, this online event brought together leading voices from the LDC Group, together with IIED and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to reflect on the outcomes of COP28.

Speakers shared their perspectives on the proceedings, discussed areas of momentum, exposed where negotiations fell short and debated what needs to happen next to implement emergent commitments.

About the speakers

Tom Mitchell is the executive director of IIED
Madeleine Diouf Sarr is the head of the climate change division in Senegal’s Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development and Ecological Transition (MEDD) and was the chair of the LDC Group until December 2023
Yamikani J.D. Idriss is the climate change negotiator for Malawi and the LDC and transparency coordinator for the LDC Group
Jim Skea is the current chair of the IPCC for its seventh assessment cycle
Nicola Sorsby is a researcher in IIED's Natural Resources and Climate Change research groups

Event coverage

You can watch a recording of the event below or on IIED's YouTube channel, where individual links to the start of each speaker's contribution are also provided.

About IIED Debates

This event was part of the IIED Debates series. Through the convening of expert speakers and external stakeholders, IIED brings together an international community to discuss critical issues.

IIED Debates encompass both physical and digital events, including critical themes, breakfast debriefs and webinars. These events are public and are hosted regularly throughout the year online and when possible in our London and Edinburgh offices.