The Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Past Event
2024-11-20
COP29 Side Event: Climate Risk Assessment and Management: Bridging the Gap Between Science and Policy
Date: 20th November 2024 (Wednesday)
Time: 10am - 12nn
Venue: Botswana Pavilion
Speakers:
- Oscar Leung - CarbonCare InnoLab’s Youth Delegate, Co-founder of HealingParks
- Eriga Reagan Elijah - Policy Advocate, Political Scientists and Analyst
- Chin Chin Lam - Hong Kong Institute of Planners, Community Climate Resilience Concern Group, Sustainability Urban Planning Officer
- Patience Agyekum - Strategic Youth Network for Development, Head of Climate Change and Policy Program
- Carmen Roberta Taboada - Internationalist
The side event at COP29 delved into methodologies for assessing climate risks and integrating them into policy-making, with a focus on themes such as adaptation, mitigation, land use, nature-based solutions, gender, and youth perspectives. Discussions aimed to bridge the gap between scientific research and policy implementation, ensuring comprehensive climate risk management across governance levels.
During the event, discussions highlighted the challenges and opportunities in translating complex climate data into actionable policies, emphasizing evidence-based decision-making. Chin Chin shared insights on using tools like C40's Rapid Climate Change Risk Assessment Module for simpler risk assessments, stressing the importance of incorporating local knowledge through workshops and mapping exercises, especially from vulnerable groups.
Oscar brought in his experience from HealingParks, discussing the integration of sustainable land use practices into climate risk assessments and policy development. He emphasized designating special land use zoning based on climate risk assessments and implementing resilience measures in high-risk areas to reduce environmental impacts. The role of nature-based solutions (NBS) in addressing climate risks was emphasized by Oscar and Chin Chin, highlighting how NBS like urban parks, mangroves, and vegetation can act as climate shelters, flood barriers, and aid in carbon mitigation. Strategies for incorporating NBS into policy frameworks were explored, including incentives and scientific demonstrations of their feasibility.
Gender perspectives in climate risk assessments and policy-making processes were discussed by Chin Chin and Carmen, stressing the need for direct involvement of women in identifying climate risks, collecting gender-specific data, and ensuring women's participation in decision-making spaces for inclusive and effective climate action. Strategies to engage and empower youth in climate risk management and policy development were addressed, emphasizing youth-led initiatives and accessible education on climate issues, as highlighted by Carmen. Scaling up successful case studies of risk assessment integration into national policies was discussed by Chin Chin, mentioning models and risk assessments for climate migration as replicable practices to aid in early preparation.
The event also highlighted challenges and opportunities in translating complex climate data into actionable policies, focusing on overcoming resource limitations, ensuring clear communication with vulnerable groups, and fostering ongoing dialogues between policymakers and implementers for impactful outcomes in climate action and policy-making.