African Union

Highlights for Friday, 15 March 2019 UNEA-4 President Siim Valmar Kiisler, and Jorge Laguna-Celis, Secretary of Governing Bodies, UNEP On Friday, delegates attended two Leadership Dialogues in the morning, while ministers delivered national statements. The dialogues addressed, in turn, life-cycle approaches to resource efficiency, energy, chemicals and waste management, and innovative sustainable business development at a time of rapid technological change. Reporting back to plenary in the afternoon, the dialogue moderators highlighted the need for a significant shift toward sustainable consumption and production (SCP), They noted there is no single definition of a sustainable lifestyle, but that a collaborative effort by all stakeholders can create a chain reaction of change, “if we have the courage to make it happen.”In the afternoon closing plenary, delegates adopted the Ministerial Declaration, 26 resolutions and three decisions, addressing many global environmental issues including marine litter and microplastics, single-use plastics, sustainable nitrogen management, and the empowerment of women and girls in environmental governance. They also adopted the UNEP Programme of Work and budget for 2020-21. The US disassociated itself from the Ministerial Declaration, and expressed its reservation regarding references in the resolutions to several international agreements, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, stating that these have no standing with regard to negotiations on trade.Many delegates expressed appreciation for the efforts of UNEA-4 President Siim Kiisler, the Committee of Permanent Representatives, and the UNEP Secretariat in preparing for and supporting the meeting. They also welcomed incoming UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen.The plenary elected Ola Elvestuen, Minister of Climate and Environment, Norway, as President of UNEA-5, and Nomvula Mokonyane (South Africa) as Rapporteur. They elected office bearers representing all regions.Delegates witnessed a presentation by children of water samples from special places around the world, and a video message from UN General Assembly President María Fernanda Espinosa (Ecuador). Kiisler thanked all participants warmly, and gaveled UNEA-4 to a close at 7.30 pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from OECPR-4 and UNEA-4, which is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Plenary Session Harry Verhaar, Philips Lighting Marcin Krupa, Katowice City Mayor, Poland View of the dais during the plenary session Wael Aboulmagd, Egypt Daniel Wai-Poi, New Zealand Solitaire Townsend, Futerra Rebecca Freitag, Youth Delegate for Sustainable Development Wanjiru Waweru, Funkidz Shady Rabab, Rabab Luxor Art Collective Ola Elvestuen, President of UNEA-5, and Minister of Climate and Environment, Norway UNEA-4 President Siim Valmar Kiisler receiving a Testimony of Appreciation from Jorge Laguna-Celis, Secretary of Governing Bodies, UNEP Wael Aboulmagd, Egypt, and Michał Kurtyka, President of the 24th Conference of the Parties (COP24) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Committee of Permanent Representatives Chair Francisca Ashietey-Odunton, Ghana, and Committee of the Whole Chair Fernando Coimbra, Brazil Koleka Anita Mqulwana, South Africa Erasmo Martínez and Lino Santacruz Moctezuma, Mexico Yannis Derbali, UNEP, and Pedro-José Espinosa, UN Office at Nairobi (UNON) From L-R: UNEA-4 President Siim Valmar Kiisler; Erik Grigoryan, Minister of Nature Protection, Armenia; and Vigen Ananyan, Armenia Patrick Luna, Brazil, and Hugo Schally, EU Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo and Jamil Ahmad, UNEP Leadership Dialogue: Life-Cycle Approaches to Resource Efficiency, Energy, Chemicals and Waste Management From L-R: Moderator Janez Potočnik, Co-Chair, International Resource Panel; Inga Rhonda King, President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC); Sarah Chandler, Apple Inc; Michael Gotsche, BASF-Africa; Stefanie Hellweg, ETH Zurich; and Leyla Acaroglu, UNEP Champion of the Earth Moderator Janez Potočnik, Co-Chair, International Resource Panel Stefanie Hellweg, ETH Zurich Sarah Chandler, Apple Inc Inga Rhonda King, ECOSOC President From L-R: Michael Gotsche, BASF-Africa; Stefanie Hellweg, ETH Zurich; and Leyla Acaroglu, UNEP Champion of the Earth Leadership Dialogue: Innovative Business Development at a Time of Rapid Technological Change Moderator Felix Dodds, University of North Carolina Hugh Weldon, 2018 Young Champion of the Earth From L-R: Pierre Courtemanche, CEO, GeoTraceability; Priya Mehra, Victory Farms; and Jane Nyakang'o, Kenya National Cleaner Production Centre Elizabeth Taylor, Colombia Carole Dieschbourg, Minister for the Environment, Luxembourg National Statements in UNEA-4 Plenary Michał Kurtyka, UNFCCC COP24 President Suleiman Hassan Zarma, Minister of State in the Federal Ministry of Power Works and Housing, Nigeria Fadi Jreissati, Minister of Environment, Lebanon Josefa Leonel Correa Sacko, African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture Alexander Teabo, Minister for Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development, Kiribati Malik Amin Aslam, Federal Minister and Adviser to Prime Minister of Pakistan for Climate Change Joseph Séka Séka, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Côte d'Ivoire Eneida De León, Ministry of Housing, Territorial Planning and Environment, Uruguay Closing Ceremony L-R: Inger Andersen, incoming Executive Director, UNEP, Siim Kiisler, UNEA-4 President, and Joyce Msuya, acting Executive Director, UNEP, water seedlings with freshwater collected by children from special places around the world as a symbol of global unity. In memory of the people lost after the Ethiopian Airlines 302 crash Around the Venue The Flipflopi Project: a boat built entirely from plastic collected on beaches and roadsides in Kenya The Ecological Pavilion: an entirely 3D printed pavilion made of biodegradable bamboo

David Nabarro, Skills, Systems & Synergies for Sustainable Development (4SD) (right), congratulates Hoesung Lee, Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (right), on the latest IPCC report. The following events were covered by IISD Reporting Services on Thursday, 13 December 2018: We Can Still End Hunger by 2030 If We Take Ambitious Climate Action Our Fijian Story for a Low-Carbon Development Pathway Building Knowledge on Climate-Smart Agriculture – Launch of the 4 E-learning Modules on Water, Soil, Crops and Livestock Photos by IISD/ENB | Natalia Mroz / Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page We Can Still End Hunger by 2030 If We Take Ambitious Climate Action Presented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) This panel, co-organized by FAO, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Food Programme, brought together high-level actors to: discuss the nexus of climate action, food systems and human nutrition; and share examples of the solutions to ending hunger and building ambitious climate action. Zitouni Ould-Dada, FAO, set the scene by explaining that: global diets have caused negative impacts for human health, the economy and the environment; and agriculture and food security are key to addressing climate change. Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General, FAO, spoke about the current state of world hunger, malnutrition and poverty, noting that the current scientific and political consensus is that, while humans produce enough food to feed the planet, hunger remains on the rise—and that global warming of 2°C will make the task of its elimination much more difficult. She urged everyone tot help scale climate action beyond policy development, including by investing in women’s education and leadership, in order to reshape the food system towards sustainability and equity for all in a low-carbon economy.  Hoesung Lee, IPCC Chair, reported back on the Panel’s Special Report on 1.5°C (SR15), and said that, of all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), SDG 2 (zero hunger) is one of the most important and at the heart of the IPCC’s work. Lee pointed out the SR15’s conclusions that carbon sequestration is essential to restoring soil quality and removing atmospheric CO2. He reiterated the Special Report’s three key messages: every bit of warming matters; every year matters; and  every choice matters. David Nabarro, Skills, Systems & Synergies for Sustainable Development (4SD), clarified that climate action requires a four-part transformation of food systems, saying that they must: yield nutritious and healthy food for all; restore ecosystems everywhere; provide decent livelihoods for agricultural and food workers; and contribute to mitigation while helping with adaptation. He expressed his satisfaction that the UN Secretary-General’s 2019 Climate Summit will place a large emphasis on agriculture and natural ecosystems, and stressed that agriculture and food systems can contribute to 30% of global emission reductions by 2030.  Joseph Jouthe, Minister of Environment, Haiti, shared some of his country’s experiences in mobilizing to avoid soil degradation on agricultural lands while preserving food security. He also recounted that intensifying agroforestry systems by converting marginal agricultural land, as well as promoting more energy-efficient dietary habits, have positively contributed to food and land systems in Haiti. Jouthe concluded by urging participants to reinforce interactions between the climate action community and the developing world.  Ryszard Zarudzki, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Poland, said that climate change has a negative impact on food security, including in Poland, where agriculture has already been affected by drought, precipitation and early frosts. He also raised the challenge of helping farmers adapt towards climate-friendly practices in the context of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy. Speaking specifically about Polish adaptation strategies, he stressed the need for early warning systems, innovation on farms, and better advice and consulting for producers.  Pramisha Thapaliya, Youth NGO (YOUNGO), stressed that smallholder farmers are some of the first affected by climate change, clarifying that poverty, climate change and hunger are linked. She suggested that focusing on smallholder adaptation can play a valuable role in climate action, highlighting the needs of recognizing local and indigenous knowledge in adaptation, and helping farmers understand how they can best adapt through practices and systems such as agroforestry and agroecology. She concluded by emphasizing that acting locally and regionally is essential to achieving zero hunger.  Raphaël Podselver, ProVeg, began by arguing that reducing the consumption of animal products is a significant way of achieving global targets and goals, including SDG 2. He pointed to policies across the world, such as food waste laws and policies on dietary guidelines, which have successfully helped to reduce CO2 emissions by helping to shift consumption towards more balanced, plant-based diets. He concluded by stressing the need to focus on younger generations.  In the following discussion, panelists and participants addressed: the importance of plant-based diets and the emissions impacts of beef production; the role of smallholder farmer cooperatives and the importance of land access; forms of food production which move beyond land-based agriculture; cultural barriers associated with shifting meat consumption, particularly in Eastern European countries; criticisms of input-based models of food production and the importance of shifting mindsets towards circular food economies; and the dual burden of malnutrition across the world, through both micronutrient deficiencies and obesity. L-R: Zitouni Ould-Dada, FAO; Ryszard Zarudzki, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Poland; Hoesung Lee, IPCC Chair; Pramisha Thapaliya, YOUNGO; Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General, FAO; Joseph Jouthe, Minister of Environment, Haiti; and Raphaël Podselver, ProVeg Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General, FAO Moderator Zitouni Ould-Dada, FAO Pramisha Thapaliya, YOUNGO IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee Participants listen to IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee Ryszard Zarudzki, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Poland Raphaël Podselver, ProVeg David Nabarro, 4SD Joseph Jouthe, Minister of Environment, Haiti Mahamadou Nassirou Ba, Economic Commission for Africa Karen Lee Mapusua, Secretariat of the Pacific Community Bruce Knotts, Unitarian Universalist Association Erika Styger, Cornell University A participant takes a photo of the panel Julia Wolf and Liva Kaugure, FAO Participants applaud at the end of the event CONTACT Julia Wolf | julia.wolf@fao.org MORE INFORMATION http://fao.org Our Fijian Story for a Low-Carbon Development Pathway Presented by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Karsten Sach, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), Germany, and Frank Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Fiji and COP 23 President, share a laugh after the event. This side event demonstrated efforts by Fiji to implement the Paris Agreement by officially launching its Low Emission Development Strategy (LEDS) (2018-2050) and committing to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The event looked at Fiji’s ambitious targets in the LEDS to reduce emissions and deeply decarbonize the Fijian economy and transition to sustainable green growth. It also shared the results, consultative process, methodology, and lessons learned from the Fiji LEDS journey. Deepitika Chand, Ministry of Economy, Fiji, moderated the event. Frank Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Fiji and COP 23 President, highlighted that Fiji and the Marshall Islands were the first two nations worldwide to raise the ambition of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and noted that Fiji could not have hosted COP 23 without the German government’s generosity. He noted that the Talanoa Call for Action expresses the need to act towards achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and expressed the commitment of the Fijian government to lead by example in achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Bainimarama underlined that, despite Fiji’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions constituting a mere 0.006% of global emissions, more can be done through political will. He stressed that Fiji is the first small island developing state to include the blue carbon sector in their LEDS, including mangrove ecosystems. He expressed gratitude towards GGGI for the technical expertise provided in developing the Strategy and stressed that increased access to finance is important in reaching ambitious outcomes. Laurence Tubiana, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), European Climate Foundation, lauded the comprehensive nature of Fiji’s LEDS, noting that as a result the country has designed a model for the global economy. She expressed admiration for Fiji’s efforts to demonstrate leadership and think in revolutionary terms, such as through the financing of decarbonization investments. She urged governments to start putting low emissions first in discussions with donors and investors in order to strengthen resilience and invest in decarbonization as soon as possible. Referring to the inclusiveness of the Strategy, Tubiana stressed the need for people to own it as a “recipe for success.” She noted that Fiji is adding its voice to the global ambition towards carbon neutrality and highlighted that several countries are revising their strategies based on Fiji’s example. She concluded by urging accelerated action and saying “the vision for carbon neutrality is not an impossibility.” Jenny Kim, Deputy Director-General, GGGI, presented Fiji’s LEDS, reporting that the LEDS is a key tool to achieving long-term sustainable development and implementation of Fiji’s NDC by 2050. She highlighted that GGGI's support emphasized understanding the country context, and underscored that the document is comprehensive in nature and encompasses all sectors of the Fijian economy, including the waste, agriculture, forestry, blue carbon, land transport, maritime transport, domestic aviation, and electricity sectors. She presented four possible low-emission scenarios per sector: Business-as-Usual (BAU) Unconditional, BAU Conditional, High Ambition and Very High Ambition. She underscored that under the Very High Ambition Scenario, net-zero emissions can be achieved in 2041, after which emissions would increasingly be net-negative. She concluded by saying that the LEDS needs to be translated into action. A short video presentation on Fiji’s LEDS highlighted that the LEDS is focused on mitigation rather than on adaptation, drawing attention to the energy sector as the largest emitter of GHG emissions in the country. Karsten Sach, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), Germany, lauded Fiji’s journey of long-term planning, urging the alignment of economic opportunities with social ones. He highlighted that it is crucial to guide financial support to ensure economic opportunities for the private sector and that investments are aligned with the achievement of the LEDS. Jeanette Samantha Mani, Ministry of Economy, Fiji, delivered a note of thanks for GGGI’s support to the Fijian government in enabling a holistic approach to the LEDS development that included the participation of all sectors. L-R: Jenny Kim, Deputy Director-General, GGGI; Frank Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Fiji and COP 23 President; Karsten Sach, BMU, Germany; and Nilesh Prakash, Fiji Moderator Deepitika Chand, Ministry of Economy, Fiji Frank Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Fiji and COP 23 President Participants take photos of Frank Bainimarama during his speech. Laurence Tubiana, CEO, European Climate Foundation Jenny Kim, Deputy Director-General, GGGI L-R: Jenny Kim, Deputy Director-General, GGGI; Frank Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Fiji and COP 23 President; and Laurence Tubiana, CEO, European Climate Foundation Karsten Sach, BMU, Germany Jeanette Samantha Mani, Ministry of Economy, Fiji Participants listen to Jeanette Samantha Mani’s remarks Participants watch a video about Fiji’s LEDS L-R: Naitoko Baleisuva, Fiji; Audrey Pereira, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme; Karen Lee Mapusua, Secretariat of the Pacific Community; Taholo Kami, Fiji; and Capt. Tagi, Fiji CONTACT Orestis Anastasia, GGGI | orestis.anastasia@gggi.org MORE INFORMATION http://gggi.org/ http://www.economy.gov.fj/ Building Knowledge on Climate-Smart Agriculture – Launch of the 4 E-learning Modules on Water, Soil, Crops and Livestock Presented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the World Bank, the Ministry of Environment, Italy, and the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Germany Moderator Tobias Baedeker, World Bank This event discussed the importance of knowledge and information for promoting climate-smart agriculture (CSA). Participants shared best practices for disseminating and encouraging the adoption of CSA, including by launching a series of new e-learning modules on the topic. Tobias Baedeker, World Bank, moderated the event. In opening remarks, Zitouni Ould-Dada, FAO, emphasized how food systems need to change in response to climate change, which is affecting both crop productivity and quality. He said the adoption of CSA is one such change, saying that it requires knowledge- and practice-sharing with and among farmers. Referring to the CSA e-learning courses that have been developed by FAO and partners, Ould-Dada stressed the importance of making them free, accessible, and as widely distributed as possible so that the maximum number of farmers can benefit from them. He underscored the need to advance integrated approaches such as agroecology and agroforestry that see food production not in isolation but as connections to biodiversity, health and sustainable production in consumption. Martien Van Nieuwkoop, World Bank, shared several insights from a recent World Bank report that tried to bring CSA to life by synthesizing 30 CSA country profiles to reveal key steps for moving forward, namely: technologies considered to be “climate-smart” are highly diverse, and considerable opportunity exists for tailoring CSA to farmers’ needs; there is growing convergence on where and when CSA can make the biggest difference, particularly on the value of improved water management, crop stress tolerance, intercropping, using organic inputs, and practicing conservation agriculture; while trade-offs exist, most CSA technologies demonstrate synergies between productivity, adaptation and mitigation, for exmaple, with silvopasture; and training and information were identified as the single largest barrier category to CSA, affecting almost 90% of all interventions. Francesco La Camera, Director General, Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea, Italy, emphasized the need for a strong transparency system to emerge from COP 24. He noted Italy’s preference to work through bilateral rather than multilateral arrangements, and for supporting countries that are most severely impacted by climate change, such as those in Africa and small island states. He stressed the importance of CSA for ensuring that all people have the chance to live decent lives in their own countries, rather than being forced to migrate. He said training is crucial to this and highlighted a partnership between Italy, FAO and the UN Development Programme to open a new center for climate and sustainable development in Africa, which will be operational from the end of January 2019. In the ensuing discussion, participants and speakers addressed the fact that training is necessary but not sufficient for adopting CSA, how CSA is not an entirely new concept since local knowledge can also be considered “climate-smart,” and the pros and cons of bilateral and multilateral financing. In a second panel discussion, Bernhard Osterburg, Thünen Institute, Matthieu Arnoult, University of Reading, and Federica Matteoli, FAO, shared examples of agricultural knowledge generation initiatives. Osterburg highlighted a good example of cooperative watershed protection and awareness-raising in Germany. Arnoult discussed econometric research on food demand in the UK that ended up generating effective insights for policymakers. Matteoli shared an example of using local radio to share CSA practices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and noted many examples where reports and documents are produced only to sit on shelves and never reach policymakers or farmers. In the discussion, panelists considered: how indigenous and scientific knowledge can be combined through CSA; the role of non-governmental organizations in sharing knowledge; why knowledge-sharing should be a constant process rather than a one-off; and how technology can be leveraged to disseminate knowledge, including through e-courses, radio and mobile phones. Matteoli emphasized that, whatever the means of dissemination, knowledge must be shared in languages appropriate for the audience. Mi Nguyen, Co-Chair, Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture (GACSA), provided closing remarks, stressing that the best way to bring CSA to life is by involving all types of farmers at every stage of the process. She noted that GACSA is working at the regional level through eight CSA alliances and hopes to be a clearinghouse for solutions developed around the world. Nguyen closed by underlining the importance of creating actionable knowledge, saying that only 10% of knowledge generated is ever put into practice. Zitouni Ould-Dada, FAO Martien Van Nieuwkoop, World Bank Francesco La Camera, Director General, Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea, Italy Moderator Tobias Baedeker, World Bank Participants listen to the presentations L-R: Tobias Baedeker, World Bank; Zitouni Ould-Dada, FAO; Martien Van Nieuwkoop, World Bank; and Francesco La Camera, Director General, Ministry of Environment, Land and Sea, Italy Participants pose questions to the panel L-R: Tobias Baedeker, World Bank; Federica Matteoli, FAO; Matthieu Arnoult, University of Reading; and Bernhard Osterburg, Thünen Institute Bernhard Osterburg, Thünen Institute Matthieu Arnoult, University of Reading Federica Matteoli, FAO A participant takes notes Participants pose questions Mi Nguyen, Co-Chair, Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture Bernhard Osterburg, Thünen Institute, takes notes Participants look at event media CONTACTS Federica Matteoli, FAO | Federica.Matteoli@fao.org MORE INFORMATION http://www.fao.org/elearning Around the Venue Participants celebrate at the Pacific and Koronivia Pavillion Participants between sessions

IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ meeting coverage, is providing coverage of selected GCC Pavilion events at the Katowice Climate Change Conference - December 2018, including written, digital and video coverage.The following events were covered by IISD Reporting Services on Tuesday, 11 December 2018: Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Technologies Renewable Energy Initiatives through Economic Diversification with Mitigation Co-Benefits Photos by IISD/ENB | Natalia Mroz / Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) Technologies Presented by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia L-R: Moderator Hussein Hoteit, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST); Tidjani Niass, Saudi Aramco; and Jim Herbertson, International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA) Posted by IISD Reporting Services on Wednesday, 12 December 2018 This panel considered the feasibility of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies in the oil and gas industry, as well as the ways in which the panelists’ organizations have applied them as carbon emission reduction strategies. In the industry, CCUS involves the capturing of carbon emissions at source to sequester it underground, or to transform and utilize it as alternative marketable products. Hussein Hoteit, KAUST, moderated the panel. Tidjani Niass, Saudi Aramco, presented on Saudi Aramco’s efforts to promote CCUS technologies. Highlighting that CCUS is a critical technology for achieving climate targets, he said, “without CCS, long-term global climate goals may be unobtainable.” He then outlined the value of CCUS for the low-carbon economy, saying that CCUS does more than reduce emissions, for example: through meeting energy demand growth sustainably; decarbonizing energy intensity; balancing intermittent renewable energies; creating and maintaining jobs; and improving energy security. Niass noted that 18 large-scale facilities are already in operation. He said that momentum for commercializing CCUS is picking up, but stressed the need to accelerate its deployment. Highlighting various ongoing CCUS initiatives such as the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, he concluded by emphasizing that: CCUS is not an option, rather it is critical for achieving global climate objectives; CCUS technology is ready for use; effective and stable market mechanisms are urgently needed; and collaboration between all stakeholders is key to promoting CCUS. In his presentation titled “Making CCS Fly,” Jim Herbertson, IPIECA, reported back on his organization’s initiatives of attempting to scale and develop carbon capture and sequestration initiatives. He mentioned that energy is at the center of every challenge faced by the global community and argued that the transition to a low-carbon economy will likely play out over the coming century, including oil and gas in the global energy mix. He linked the ways in which the oil and gas industry can map onto the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including: access to energy (SDG 7); responsible consumption and production (SDG 12); and climate action (SDG 13). He outlined that IPIECA believes that CCUS offers opportunities across sectors, and has engaged with the subject since 2003, the last workshop of which engaged on the collaborative deployment of CCUS across the industry and the diversification of business models to deal with the specific infrastructure required for CCUS management. Herbertson concluded by claiming that CCUS is a necessary development, given that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5ºC (SR15) suggests that removing it from an energy transition portfolio would significantly increase mitigation costs if global emissions mitigation strategies detailed in nationally determined contributions (NDCs) are not immediately deployed. Zaour Israfilof, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), presented on the SABIC approach to corporate carbon management, saying that SABIC has been a leader in promoting sustainability and climate change management in the GCC region. Highlighting that the company’s approach to climate change is the basis of the SABIC 2025 Strategy, he underscored the importance of addressing the risks of not reacting to climate change impacts on the business sector, noting the company’s goal and target to reduce greenhouse gas and energy intensity by 25%, respectively, by 2025 based on 2010 levels. Israfilof highlighted SABIC’s work, including: CO2 utilization plants, which supply CO2 for converting into valuable materials such as urea and methanol, and for the beverage industry; two Clean Development Mechanism projects on energy efficiency through improving boiler optimization; building a cleaner supply chain, including through the introduction of the world’s first low-emission Liquid Natural Gas carriers; investing in renewable feedstocks; and a “Home of Innovation” initiative which promotes Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Platinum rated homes in the Middle East, aiming to achieve a net-zero energy balance using renewable energy. In the ensuing discussion, participants discussed whether the necessity of CCUS is compatible with broader social realities, raising the issue that the IPCC SR15 does present pathways that avoid CCUS deployment. One participant questioned the feasibility of deploying CCUS at a large scale given present demonstrability, as well as the long-term effects of carbon utilization, considering that methanol or plastics eventually return carbon into the atmosphere. Panelists replied by arguing that it would be unfeasible to remove oil and gas from the global energy mix without incurring significant costs in infrastructure and behavioral changes. Zaour Israfilof, SABIC Moderator Hussein Hoteit, KAUST Tidjani Niass, Saudi Aramco, and Jim Herbertson, IPIECA Tidjani Niass, Saudi Aramco Jim Herbertson, IPIECA A slide from Tidjani Niass' presentation Alix Marianne Sylvie Ruhlmann, Environment Jeunesse Participants interact after the event Renewable Energy Initiatives through Economic Diversification with Mitigation Co-Benefits Presented by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia L-R: Zaour Israfilof, SABIC; Sulaiman Altaneeb, Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC); and Mohammed Al-Musbeh, Renewable Energy Project Development Office (REPDO), Saudi Arabia This panel, moderated by Mani Sarathy, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), considered the use of renewable energy technologies, such as solar photovoltaics (PV) and electricity generation through wind turbines to build low-carbon energy sources within the GCC region, and the mitigation co-benefits which emerge from these developments. Panelists presented their companies’ investments in renewable energy projects, and discussed the technical requirements and economic feasibility of these investments in light of the present high-carbon energy production mix in the GCC region. Sulaiman Altaneeb, KNPC, introduced the Al-Shagaya project, derived in the Shagaya area of Kuwait, and introduced as a result of Kuwait’s commitments after the Doha 2012 UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP) to reach an energy mix of 15% renewables by 2030. He specifically introduced the Al-Dibdibah Solar Project, the second of three phases in the Al-Shagaya project. Constructed over an area of 32 square kilometers, the Al-Dibdibah project is divided into five Solar Generating Units of solar PV panels which will generate power to be sold to the Kuwait Ministry of Electricity and Water. He anticipated that the project will result in reductions of 2.1 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent per year, and generate 3150 GWh by the project’s 25th and final year. Altaneeb also mentioned that the project focuses on: hiring workers from within Kuwait; promoting national investment; and attracting international investments. He showed a video rendering of the project which advertised that the project will, once completed, power the equivalent of 100,000 homes.  Mohammed Al-Musbeh, REPDO, spoke about the country’s ambitions in the field of renewable energy. He focused on the country’s National Renewable Energy Program, managed by the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources, noting that the Program aims to create a renewable energy industry through public-private partnerships, as well as to localize renewable energy production in the long term through: research and development; manufacturing; and connections with other sectors. He detailed that the Program invests in solar PV and concentrated solar power, waste to energy, and wind power generation. He outlined the series of projects which have presently been developed, mainly focusing on solar and wind, and which attempt to balance between an energy price that results in the user receiving a cheaper end price, and the environmental aspect of the project, which is anticipated to help meet Saudi Arabia’s 2030 energy targets, the details of which have not yet been publicly released.  Zaour Israfilof, SABIC, gave a brief presentation on SABIC’s interactions with renewable energies. He described the four main areas of business which have emerged in SABIC, namely petrochemicals, “specialties,” “agri-nutrients” and metals. As a major industrial company, he suggested SABIC is interested in tapping into the renewable energy supply to generate the building blocks of renewables which will contribute to Saudi Arabia’s 2030 plan for reducing emissions. Israfilof said that this involves creating hardware for solar panels and wind turbines, as well as exploring “alternative business opportunities.” He also presented an example from SABIC’s recent research and development, a series of materials for solar PV systems such as resins for junction boxes, mounting stations and connectors. He then outlined an “integrated roof solution” for panel installation, which, he described, was lighter and more durable than most industry standards. He concluded by presenting renewable feedstock projects, which build polyethylene and polypropylene.  In the ensuing discussions, participants asked questions about: the economic feasibility of the aforementioned projects, as well as automated technologies, which could be used to construct PV panels; whether, considering the low ambition of nationally determined contributions (NDCs), there were any discussions about ramping up mitigation ambition in GCC countries; and what the main driver was for low solar energy tariffs in GCC countries. Panelists answered that the economy of scale was extremely useful in reducing prices, given the area of deployment for solar PV, and that they were not in a position to comment on their countries’ national strategies.  Mani Sarathy, KAUST Sulaiman Altaneeb, KNPC Mohammed Al-Musbeh, REPDO Zaour Israfilof, SABIC Participants listen to the discussion A slide from the presentation A participant reads the Earth Negotiations Bulletin Panelist Sulaiman Altaneeb, KNPC, poses with participants CONTACT Nejoud Almatrodi | media@ksa-climate.com MORE INFORMATION https://ksa-climate.com/