Towards a global, socially equitable, inclusive, and financially-viable Green Recovery
Dr Agota Mockute and Professor Dan Parsons
COVID-19 has significantly affected the world, with many lives and livelihoods impacted, alongside a significant slowdown in the broader global economy. Through putting the world to a halt, COVID-19 has also provided the opportunity to emerge stronger and better, with a transition to a more equitable, prosperous and sustainable future, provided that the set of reforms that enable the economic recovery are resilient and “green” — this has been called the Green Recovery.
To be successful, a Green Recovery needs to balance environment, law, finance, and society, ensuring that a transition to a carbon neutral future is just and socially equitable across the globe. The first day of Climate Exp0 will therefore, through a series of panel discussions, workshops, presentations, and poster sessions, address the multifaceted challenges associated with achieving a global, socially equitable, inclusive, and financially-viable Green Recovery.
Morning
The Green Recovery day, led by the University of Hull, will begin with the opening of Climate Exp0 including a scene-setting session on Climate Risk with the Met Office, exploring tipping points, systemic risk and much more.
The first policy session of the day will be a panel debate addressing “Global perspectives on a responsible green recovery”. Chaired by Professor Daniel Parsons, a panel with six noteworthy participants will discuss global perspectives on responsible green recovery, addressing aspects of social justice, protection of nature, and climate change, as well as the roles of government, trade, industries, and academia in fostering enabling a green recovery.
Afternoon
There will be six parallel sessions throughout the day, and each of which will include a sequence of 10-minute presentations focusing on the following aspects of Green Recovery:
- Investments and entrepreneurship
- Economy-wide impacts
- Socially equitable green recovery
- Place-based solutions
- Inclusivity
- Engagement and participation
These parallel sessions will be complimented by:
- a Student-led session focused on longer term sustainable transitions;
- a Lunch break Primer on climate negotiations, addressing how to navigate COP26, track specific items of interest during negotiations, understand COP26 policymakers’ need for research, and how to bring your research to the negotiation;
- a workshop addressing, “Delivering green recovery and just transition in the context of rapid technological change”, organised by the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, and
- a rapid-paced Pecha Kucha “Solution Stars” session, which will see 15 presenters take two minutes each to highlight their mitigation solutions for a green recovery — technologies that might just provide some of the solutions for a greener future.
Closing session
Led by the University of Strathclyde, and last on the day’s programme, is a closing policy session focused on “The role of ‘local’ in delivering a Green Economic Recovery. Policy insights for the UK and beyond”, which will explore the role that “local” can play in stimulating action and driving Green Economic Recovery, focusing on issues such as:
- the role of local leadership, delivery, and responsibility and accountability;
- the local development of supply chain industries and career development and progression over time;
- the role local action can play in supporting socially equitable recovery;
- the interplay between local and national action, and what changes are needed in governance structure to enable positive action;
- and the opportunities to learn from overseas, and ensure UK education supports the international community.
Throughout the day there will be a poster hall, which includes a suite of engaging posters paired with two-minute video recordings from researchers across the globe.
Online, free and open to all — see you at the Climate Exp0! Register today at https://www.climateexp0.org/
Climate Exp0 is the first virtual conference from the COP26 Universities Network and the Italian University Network for Sustainable Development (RUS), sponsored by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Cambridge University Press, the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI), and the 2021 UN Climate Change Summit (COP26).
Running from 17–21 May 2021, it takes place at a critical juncture in the COP26 pre-meetings and negotiations, and is part of the All4Climate Italy 2021 official pre-COP26 initiatives. Learn more and register your place via https://www.climateexp0.org.
