Fatih Birol, Chief Economist, International Energy Agency (IEA), presented “Redrawing the Energy-Climate Map, a World Energy Outlook Special Report,” featuring four strategies to keep the possibility of limiting temperature increases to 2°C.

Birol stressed the need for: national action while negotiating towards a global deal; parallel action to deploy low-carbon technology at scale after 2020, including carbon capture and storage (CCS); and the adaptation of the energy sector by increasing resilience of existing assets and future investments.

The four strategies include: improving energy efficiency in buildings, industrial motors, and cars and trucks; limitations on use of subcritical coal-fired plants; reducing methane releases from the oil and gas sector; and accelerating partial phase-out of fossil-fuel subsidies in both Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and non-OECD countries. He underscored that these strategies will allow for quick reductions without harming economic growth, while using existing technologies and providing benefits that go beyond CO2 emissions.

Explaining the critical role of water for energy plants, Birol urged the energy industry to pay attention to both gradual and abrupt impacts of climate change. He highlighted the need to keep two-thirds of proven fossil fuel reserves undeveloped if the 2°C target is to be achieved. Indicating that the coal industry will be the hardest hit, Birol explained that including CCS technologies will mitigate some of the revenue losses.

Speaking on behalf of UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres, Halldor Thorgeirsson, UNFCCC Secretariat, urged everyone to see the report as a call for action and stressed that building a low carbon policy framework requires actions at the national and international levels with the involvement of the private sector.

During discussions, participants raised questions regarding, inter alia: the cost of human capital to implement the four strategies; the role of renewable energy technologies; and impacts on the energy sector due to adaptation needs. Birol noted the short payback period of most energy efficiency technologies, and called for a pragmatic approach, especially regarding renewable energy technologies, given their 20% share in the global energy mix.

The event marked the launch of the new publication, “Youth in Action on Climate Change: Inspirations from Around the World,” by the UN Joint Framework Initiative on Children, Youth and Climate Change, highlighting concrete action young people take to incite their governments to scale-up action on climate change and raise ambition towards a post-2020 climate change regime. The session was moderated by Cecilia Wesslén, World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS).

Highlighting the importance of the publication, Daniele Violetti, UNFCCC Secretariat, congratulated young people on their engagement and dedication, saying this provides hope to the fight against climate change.

Speaking on behalf of Artur Runge-Metzger, European Commission, Tony Carritt, European Commission, stressed that the publication demonstrates that increased engagement of youth in the UNFCCC process mirrors growing climate action by young people in their own countries.

Adriana Valenzuela, Dominican Republic, outlined the publication and concluded with a message from UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres, saying that work by and for young people is a critical component of raising political ambition to reach a new universal agreement on climate change.

Magdalena Noszczyk, Polish Scouting and Guiding Association, presented actions carried out by WAGGGS, saying its mission is to enable girls and young women to develop their fullest potential through environmental knowledge, personal development, leadership skills and advocacy.

Jamie Peters, Youth non-governmental organizations (YOUNGO), presented a video providing examples of climate actions by young people around the world, including: the LiVe project, Mexico; the International Youth Environment Meet, Bangladesh; CliMates, France; and Vital Actions for Sustainable Development, Cameroon.

Fanina Kodre-Alexander, UN Environment Programme (UNEP), stressed the importance of education and of making young people’s voices heard.

Rachael Elisabeth Harrop, UNEP, presented a case study from the Gambia and showed how this inspired a school on the Isle of Man to limit their impact on the environment.

Jazmin Burgess, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), introduced the Zambia Climate Ambassador Programme, saying its objectives include: empowering children to act on climate change; educating children to be peer educators on climate change; and providing a platform for children’s voices on climate change.

Daniel Buckley, UNDP, presented the UNDP/Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme’s (SGP) approach to working and engaging with youth.

Julia Viehöfer, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), presented the Sandwatch project, saying it seeks to develop awareness of the fragile nature of marine and coastal environments and the need to use them wisely, while engaging youth and adults.

This event, moderated by Friedrich Barth, UNDP, presented experiences and lessons learned from three Low Emission Capacity Building (LECB) Programme countries on the different Programme work areas.

Friedrich Barth, UNDP, introduced UNDP’s LECB Programme, saying it: is funded by the European Commission and the governments of Germany and Australia; is active in 25 countries; and supports countries to prepare 60 Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) and 13 sectoral low emission development strategies (LEDS) and mitigation actions in the public and/or private sectors.

Yamil Bonduki, UNDP, said the Programme builds national capacities to define and deliver long-term transformational change, and stressed its country-driven nature and demand-driven capacity development.

Vahakn Kabakian, Lebanon, presented the envisaged NAMA governance structure in Lebanon, based on the establishment of the National Council for the Environment, and the appointment of the Ministry of Environment as the national coordinator of NAMAs.

Julia Martinez, Mexico, showcased Mexico’s private industrial sector capacity building programme for LEDS, saying its objectives are to: build capacity within the industry for implementation of mitigation actions; promote synergies and cooperation between the government and the industry; and design and adopt coherent sectoral LEDS.

Chebet Maikut, Uganda, described the NAMA framework and prioritization process in Uganda. He referred to a national study in 2012 that identified mitigation options and 32 NAMAs, of which the 10 highest ranked were from the energy and forestry sectors.

Noting Germany’s EU€10 million contribution to the LECB Programme, Julia Wolf, German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), recalled that Germany and the UK are jointly providing EU€70 million to establish the NAMA Facility.

Stressing common objectives and co-benefits with the LECB Programme, Etienne Coyette, European Commission, noted political will within the EU to continue supporting the NAMA process, and stressed that sustainable development and emission reductions feature at least 20% of the proposed EU budget.

Gregory Andrews, Australia, said the LECB Programme taps into the world’s economic realities and opportunities, allowing developing economies to harness some of the globally available US$1,414 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) flows for low carbon development.

The ensuing discussions addressed, inter alia: measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) readiness of NAMAs; role of third party verifiers in the UNFCCC debates over verification of MRV for international purposes; and readiness frameworks for low carbon economies and carbon markets.

This side event, moderated by Matthew Kennedy, EU, featured a presentation by Artur Runge-Metzger, European Commission, on the EU’s preparation of its energy and climate policies for 2020-2030. Runge-Metzger presented key issues for post-2030 climate and energy policies, such as: ensuring policy predictability; setting of targets; maintaining policy coherence; fostering competitiveness; and recognizing differing capabilities within the EU.

Runge-Metzger highlighted that achieving an 80% domestic reduction in the EU by 2050 is feasible with the currently available technologies, price induced behavioral changes, and contribution by all economic sectors at varying degrees and paces. He indicated that EU competitiveness was key and noted accompanying benefits, such as fuel savings, energy security and air quality of climate policies.

Responding to Runge-Metzger’s presentation, Harald Winkler, University of Cape Town, posed questions regarding, inter alia: a net zero emissions target as opposed to an 80% one, and its equity implications; the possibility of increasing the renewable energy target; replacing the GHG target with a renewable energy and/or energy efficiency hybrid target; and the use of fluorinated gases in new market mechanisms (NMMs).

Illustrating differences in the share of renewable energy as a part of the total energy mix among European States, Runge-Metzger noted the difficulty in maintaining policy stability amidst the fiscal downturn. He indicated that the trend in renewable energy growth over the past few years should not be seen as the norm. He also highlighted the lack of a strong price signal from the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) as an additional factor that needs to be taken into account regarding EU’s pre-2020 climate policy.

Runge-Metzger said industry had provided inputs into the discussion on having only a GHG target, instead of parallel energy efficiency and renewable energy policies, to simplify policy-making and reduce volatility in carbon prices. He also apprised the participants of developments in the European Parliament on addressing surplus allowances.

During discussions, participants addressed: prospects of an EU-wide carbon tax and its interactions with existing instruments; the ambition of the pre-2020 targets; and the impact of EU renewable energy development on developing countries.