LCAW 2020: Planetary Emergency Partnership Anniversary Series

Emerging from Emergency 2.0

A Healthy Planet for Healthy People

One year after the launch of the Planetary Emergency Partnership* during the London Climate Action Week 2019, the Club of Rome, Potsdam Institute, World Wide Fund for Nature and Planetary Emergency Partners reflect on the 'Emergence from Emergency' narrative in a post-COVID context and celebrate the achievements of the Partnership (which has grown to over 200 members) during its first year.

The anniversary series will be kicked off at 12h BST. Together with the Potsdam Institute, the Club of Rome looks forward to introducing the revised Planetary Emergency Plan taking into consideration learnings from COVID 19 and laying out the road ahead for a successful Climate COP26, Biodiversity COP15 and the necessary pillars for global resilience to future health-climate-biodiversity crises.

The afternoon programme will continue with a series of partner-led events (14h-18h BST), highlighting the multiple facets of planetary emergency (from health and nature-based solutions to sustainable finance) – a testament to the diverse nature of the Partnership and the need for immediate action to secure a healthy planet for healthy people.

A virtual reception and ‘cocktail event’ will close of the afternoon in style (around 18h BST), for it is not a true celebration without a toast.

Programme overview:

• 12-14h BST - High-Level Roundtable: Emerging from Emergency 2.0, The Club of Rome & Planetary Emergency Partners
• 14-15h BST - Discussion Panel: Together With Nature: Four Principles for Nature-Based Solutions, Global Optimism & The Club of Rome
• 15-16h BST - Discussion panel: A Nature-Positive Recovery for People Economy and Climate, Nature4Climate
• 16-17h BST - Webinar: Climate Change is a Health Emergency, The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
• 17-18h BST - Discussion panel: Financing a Resilient Recovery and Unpacking Key Barriers to Change, Triodos Bank, SYSTEMIQ & The Club of Rome
• 18h BST - Toast to the Planetary Emergency Partnership and its first anniversary

About the sessions:

12h-14h BST: Opening session

High-Level Roundtable: Emerging from Emergency 2.0, The Club of Rome & Planetary Emergency Partners

One year after the launch of the Planetary Emergency Partnership, the Club of Rome reflects on its ‘Emergence from Emergency’ narrative in the post-COVID context. This opening session will consist of two panels. Together with the Potsdam Institute, the Club of Rome looks forward to opening up a discussion with the audience on the revision of the Planetary Emergency Plan and shedding light on the importance of emerging from planetary crises during the first half of this High-Level Roundtable. During the second half of the session, roundtable speakers will be asked to address the strategic engagement opportunities and the key short-term interventions needed to ensure a green and equitable recovery from COVID and the road to success at COP15 and COP26. How can we optimise state/non-state collaboration and ensure the implementation of the Planetary Emergency Plan for a successful Decade of Action?

Speakers panel 1:

• Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Co-President of the Club of Rome
• Johan Rockström, Director of The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
• Father Augusto Zampini, Adjunct Secretary of Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
• Lucy Almond, CEO of Nature4Climate
• Professor Andrew Haines, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
• Marie-Claire Graf, Vice-President of Swiss Youth for Climate
• Moderator: Elise Buckle, Facilitator of the Planetary Emergency Core Group and Partners Group.

Speakers panel 2:

• Bernadette Fischler, Head of International Advocacy for World Wide Fund for Nature UK
• Owen Gaffney, Head of Communications for the Global Commons Alliance; Global Sustainability Writer & Analyst for The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
• H.R.H. Princess Esmeralda of Belgium, Environmentalist & Author
• H.E. Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Minister of Environment of Costa Rica
• Gonzalo Muñoz, High Level Climate Action Champion for COP25
• Peter Blom, CEO of Triodos Bank
• Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Co-President of the Club of Rome (closing)
• Moderator: Elise Buckle, Facilitator of the Planetary Emergency Core Group and Partners Group.

14h-15h BST: Session 2

Discussion panel: Together With Nature: Four Principles for Nature-Based Solutions, Global Optimism & The Club of Rome

Together With Nature is a call to corporate leaders and all sectors, to commit to the Four Principles for investing in Nature-Based Solutions. This discussion during London Climate Action Week 2020 will be a lively conversation between leaders from Science, Finance, Ecology, Civil Society and Business, aiming to ensure a stronger understanding of the Four Principles for Nature-Based Solutions, and the opportunity right now to tackle the climate, health and biodiversity crises with the same financial tools.

Speakers list:

• Christiana Figueres – Host and Moderator, Founding Partner, Global Optimism and former Executive Secretary of UNFCCC (2010-2016)
• Prof Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
• Dr Mamphela Ramphele, Activist, medical doctor, academic and Co-President of Club of Rome
• Paul Dickinson, Executive Chair, CDP
• Kara Hurst, Vice-President & Head of Worldwide Sustainability, Amazon
• Prof Thomas Crowther, Crowther Lab, ETH Zurich
• Maria Mendiluce, CEO, We Mean Business
• Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Chair, Expert Group on Economic and Societal Impact of Research & Innovation (ESIR) at the EU, Co-President of Club of Rome
• Jorn Lambert, Executive Vice President, Digital Solutions, MasterCard

15h-16h BST: Session 3

Webinar: A Nature-Positive Recovery for People, Economy and Climate, Nature4Climate

Our scientific understanding of nature’s role in the fight against climate change is now well established. So too has our understanding of the full range of benefits that nature-based solutions deliver for people around the world: whether providing jobs, filtering water, reducing air pollution, providing resilience to extreme weather or regulating local climate.

However, the economic case for nature-based solutions remains poorly defined and understood, which presents advocates of nature-based solutions with an acute challenge as massive amounts of finance are being mobilised to address the economic fall-out of the COVID-19 crisis. While there is much discussion about how recovery packages should hasten rather than impede the transition to more resilient and sustainable societies, by and large this discussion overlooks critical nature-based solutions. We believe that this is in part because their economic benefits have not been articulated and communicated effectively enough.

Join our online event to find out more about the vital role that nature-based solutions can play as part of a just and effective economic and jobs stimulus package.

Speakers list:

• Pavan Sukhdev, Founder-CEO of GIST; President of WWF-In
• ternational; Study Leader of the TEEB project; Goodwill Ambassador of UNEP
• Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Minister of Environment, the Republic of Costa Rica
• Paul Mutuku, Africa Region Co-ordinator, Youth4Nature
• Diane Holdorf, Managing Director, World Business Council for Sustainable Development
• Mark Wishnie, Executive Director, BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group
• Moderator: Nicole Schwab, Co-Director Nature-Based Solutions, World Economic Forum

16h-17h BST: Session 4

Presentation: Climate Change is a Health Emergency, The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Climate change is the greatest threat to human health in the 21st Century. As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic we are faced with an urgent need to re-build a sustainable and healthy society that is able to adapt and respond to the climate crisis. In this session, experts at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine will present evidence on the effects of climate change on our health and discuss critical policies that could protect us in the future. Topics will include the damaging effect of heat and rising temperatures in the UK, how climate change affects our food supplies and the changing patterns of infectious disease.

17-18h BST: Final session

Discussion Panel: Financing a Resilient Recovery and Unpacking Key Barriers to Change, Triodos Bank, SYSTEMIQ & The Club of Rome

We are living through one of the hottest decades on record. Climate-related natural disasters are on the rise. Human activity is responsible for widespread destruction of natural ecosystems & linked to crises like the COVID-pandemic. Despite the much-needed economic reset to tackle the planetary emergency at scale, capital continues to flow into high-carbon industries. Regulatory rollbacks & “brown bailouts” could easily embed 4-degree portfolios for years to come. How do we invest into solutions and away from the creation of risk? Join SYSTEMIQ, Triodos and The Club of Rome in a conversation about how to accelerate a green, inclusive and just recovery through a more sustainable finance system. Panelists will discuss investment products, practices and partnerships from developed economies and emerging markets which can shift capital into the resilient, regenerative, low-carbon and circular business-models of the future.

Speakers list:

• Jeremy Oppenheim, Chair of the Blended Finance Taskforce, Founder of SYSTEMIQ
• James Vaccaro, Special Advisor, Triodos Bank
• Rhian-Mari Thomas, CEO of the Green Finance Institute
• Christopher Egerton-Warburton, Founding Partner of Lions Head Global Partners.
• Moderator: Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Co-President of the Club of Rome, Chair of the TEG Sustainable Finance Taxonomy