Unpacking the climate and nature COPs: what happened and what next?
IIED and partners reflected on the nature COP16 and the climate COP29 – two key global conferences – and examined what will happen next.
Etc. venues, 50-52 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1HL
Workers drain a flooded thoroughfare after a night of severe thunderstorms in Kisumu, Kenya, 2016. Extreme weather events are set to become more frequent in coming years due to climate change (Photo: Peter Kapuscinski/World Bank, via Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
2024 has culminated in two major opportunities for the global community to come together to accelerate action for the climate and nature crises: the COP16 nature conference (the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity) and the COP29 climate conference (29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).
Climate and nature finance has topped the agenda at both summits, with many pushing for progress to secure the scale and flow of finance needed to support resilience and adaptation, address interconnected impacts of biodiversity loss and climate change, and deliver positive outcomes for nature, climate and people.
COP29 also served as an essential milestone for building momentum on the road to COP30 – the midpoint between the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015 and the 2030 climate targets deadline.
Other key issues coming out of both COPs include strengthening support and recognition of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and scaling up action to create more secure, climate-resilient food systems.
This in-person and online event brought together perspectives from leading thinkers in climate and nature to explore the outcomes from COP16 and COP29 in the context of geopolitical and economic shifts.
Speakers considered what these global changes mean for COP processes and the issues they're meant to address; how we can adapt our approaches to a different global context; and what might we expect to see in 2025 in response to these changes.
About the speakers
Dr Dilys Roe leads IIED’s work on biodiversity and conservation. Dilys is chair of the IUCN Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group Chair of the Collaborative Partnership on Sustainable Wildlife Management. She is also a member of the UK government Darwin Expert Committee (DEC) and Illegal Wildlife Trade Advisory Group; and the Scottish First Minister’s Environment Council.
Subhi Barakat is a global strategic multi-disciplinary leader – MBA, lawyer, engineer - with 16 years of experience in digital transformation, business and strategy development, multilateral negotiations, international diplomacy and influencing senior stakeholders in the private and public sectors.
Sheela Patel is the founder and director of the Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres (SPARC) India, which is based in Mumbai, and works in partnership with the National Slum Dweller Federation and Mahila Milan.
Edward Davey is Head of World Resources Institute (WRI) Europe's UK office, where he represents WRI (including its 70 UK-based staff) to the UK government, philanthropies, private sector, NGOs, and WRI's Royal Patron, HM King Charles III.
Event coverage
You can watch a recording of the event below or on IIED's YouTube channel.
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.
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Contact
Juliette Tunstall ([email protected]), IIED internal engagement and external events officer
