SDG 13: CLIMATE

Coming Together: ESG and the Future of the Finance Function

In March 2022, the US Securities and Exchange Commission released its climate change disclosure rule proposal. For companies committed to their green agendas, the proposal has sparked critical questions about their approach to compliance and its impact on their business. Chief among them: who is going to lead the way? How do the finance and sustainability functions need to work together and adapt? And how can we tech-enable our processes? For many, the answer is creating a new ESG council.

The Scope 3 Challenge

The number of net zero commitments has grown dramatically in recent years. The challenge now facing business is building on this momentum and turning ambitious commitments into meaningful action. One of the keys to success is understanding Scope 3 and having a clear view of emissions across your entire value chain. Understanding Scope 3 emission presents new but necessary challenges.

In this closed-door roundtable discussion, we will explore how to navigate these challenges when they arise.

Getting going: Breaking down the barriers to corporate climate action

Oliver Wyman and Climate Group recently interviewed over 25 corporate sustainability leaders on their experiences turning their climate commitments into action. This session will draw on key insights from this research to explore some of the main barriers and enablers in the transition to net zero. Participants will share their own pain points, successes, and challenges associated with driving the climate transition

Building city resilience

Cities are leading the charge to get it done in the fight against climate change. But they are also under enormous pressures when it comes to delivering public services, upgrading their energy infrastructures and dealing with the consequences of extreme weather events. Investing in energy efficiency provides cities with many co-benefits, helping to achieve their climate goals, as well as presenting wider socio-economic opportunities.

Unlocking collaboration across the Americas

States, regions, and businesses across the Americas face common challenges when addressing and implementing climate policy. Shared borders, geography, and trade agreements mean that successful climate policies are dependent on collaboration.

This session aims to address these common challenges and highlight potential shared solutions by breaking down silos between government, business, and other key stakeholders. In this way we can enable meaningful collaboration and identify key target areas.

The winning formula: Creating an American green hydrogen economy

Green hydrogen will play a crucial role in the decarbonization strategies for governments and businesses. Hydrogen is a solution for stationary applications or for fuel heavy transport, including aviation and shipping.

In this closed-door roundtable we will discuss the opportunity green hydrogen offers to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors and how increased collaboration between states, federal government, and the private sector can accelerate the delivery of this new green resource.

Actions after impacts: How can businesses address climate losses and damages?

Millions of people are suffering from climate change impacts. Science is unequivocal that these will increase in magnitude and frequency. No sector, no business, no community will escape from having to recover from climate losses and damages. Action is needed now. The great double injustice is that those who have done the least to cause climate change are among those paying the highest price.

Leading with purpose: Driving meaningful corporate engagement on global climate justice

Delivering economically just, and globally inclusive solutions to the challenges posed by the climate crisis sits at the heart of the climate justice debate. This session will delve into this topic, exploring the intersection of people and planet. Participants will be joined by leaders from the climate and environmental justice movement to analyze the current state of the movement in North America and the Global South.

The Climate Pledge in action: Net-zero carbon by 2040

The Climate Pledge is a cross-sector community of companies working together to reach net-zero carbon by 2040. The partnership formed by signatories Amazon and Infinium, is a great example of this collaboration in action.

Join this session to learn more about The Climate Pledge, The Climate Pledge Fund and more about signatories working together to reach net-zero carbon by 2040.

Accelerating the transition to clean energy and a green economy

The 2020s are critical to laying the bedrock for achieving ambitious climate goals laid out by countries, governments and the private sector. Over the next decade, moving towards low carbon alternatives such as renewable energy, hydrogen and clean electricity and deploying new, innovative technologies will be pivotal in meeting the challenges of the climate crisis. The panel will bring together government, business, and industry experts to reflect on the barriers, solutions, and policy required.

Under2 Coalition General Assembly

The Under2 Coalition General Assembly is the annual meeting of our member states and regions. It brings us together to share knowledge and first-hand experience of climate action and to challenge the international community to increase its ambition and play its part.

This year we look forward to hearing from our five co-chairs for 2022-2024 as well as governors, premiers and first ministers from across our global membership. We look at how we and our networks work towards a net zero world.

The Climate Pledge in action: net-zero carbon by 2040

The Climate Pledge is a cross-sector community of companies & organizations working together to address the climate crisis and solve the challenges of decarbonizing our economy. Bringing together those that are prepared to run the furthest and fastest, The Climate Pledge calls on its cross-sector community of more than 300 signatories and counting to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040‚ years ahead of the Paris Agreement.

Advancing Environmental Health Equity

Climate change is a global public health crisis, but the impacts are not distributed equally. While work to mitigate climate change is essential, action must also be taken to accelerate resiliency and adaptation – especially in communities that are feeling the impacts of climate change today. This session by Johnson & Johnson will bring together frontline healthcare workers, climate specialists and community advocates to discuss both the challenges and opportunities for climate change and health equity.

Accelerating Supplier Climate Education and Action

Addressing the carbon impacts beyond a company’s direct operations is one of the biggest challenges and areas of opportunity for global businesses. Large corporations can significantly contribute to the need for collective climate action by bringing their suppliers along the greenhouse gas emissions reduction journey, but where do they begin?

Join Estée Lauder Companies and Supplier on Leadership on Climate Transition (S-LoCT) for a discussion on reducing these wide-ranging emissions.

Global Africa Business Initiative

Under the leadership of the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Amina J. Mohammed, the inaugural Global Africa Business Initiative is designed to place Africa in its proper spot on the world stage, bringing to focus a roadmap for Africa that is sustainable, inclusive, just, and managed by Africans for Africans. The conference will take place during the United Nations General Assembly week from 18-19 September 2022. There will be robust dives on how Africa offers a powerful business ecosystem when activated brings prosperity to all Africans and citizens of the world.

Reimagining A Fair Data Future: Launch of the Data Values Campaign

This side event, hosted by the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, will launch the Data Values Campaign, a global campaign centered around a manifesto for change that sparks dialogue, builds a movement, and catalyzes action to unlock a fairer data future for all. The campaign will be a movement that brings together diverse and often underrepresented perspectives, stories, and expertise on issues around data and power. The event will frame the need to critically examine the ways that power is distributed in the production, sharing, and use of data, and in how data use and governance can challenge or exacerbate existing power imbalances.