JRC at the COP28

Programme

1. 1 Dec 2023, 15:00 - 16:00 (CET)

   Tackling disinformation on climate change

   The side event will focus on disinformation on climate change in news and social media. We will give an overview of the prevalent narratives and show approaches that can assist media analysts by leveraging advancements in AI.

   Two communication experts will share their perspectives on how a better understanding of disinformation content, along with an understanding of the individuals or groups responsible for its spread, can be harnessed for communication purposes. Eventually, we will discuss insights from behavioral science to assess the effectiveness of pre- and debunking to counter disinformation.

   Speakers: Hendrik Bruns (JRC), Eileen Coughlan (DG COMM), Jeremy Herry (CLIMA), Kristina Kovacikova (JRC)

   Event webpage

2. 4 Dec 2023, 10:00 - 11:00 (CET)

   Monitoring green financial flows

   The monitoring of capital flows towards sustainable investments links with the implementation of the EU Taxonomy Regulation, and it was further specified in the EU Commission’s Sustainable Finance Strategy published in summer 2021. The Commission is taking various actions to step-up such monitoring.

   Under its new mandate, the Platform on Sustainable Finance, which is an advisory body of experts, is undertaking work on the monitoring of capital flows within a specific subgroup. Rapporteur(s) of the subgroup will present the methodology being developed to monitor capital flows towards sustainable investments, to measure achieved progress and trends, and to conduct a first analysis based on this methodology and available data.

   In addition, leveraging on the use of the Technical Support Instrument (TSI), the Commission will present how it supports several EU Member States in strengthening their public and private framework to enable the investment towards sustainable activities and addressing greenwashing. The discussions will also focus on the challenges and opportunities of such exercises at a non-technical level looking at how science can help provide effective and easy to read indicators, both at the country and the single firm level.

   Speakers: Wojciech Furmanski (DG CLIMA), Laura Rinaldi (DG REFORM), Annamaria De Crescenzio (OECD), Melina London (JRC), Francesca di Girolamo (JRC)

   Event webpage

3. 11:30 - 12:30 (CET)

   Assessing climate-related financial risks

   The EC will provide an overview of the climate risk related work, along with an update on the rationale behind, and the key features of the Fit-For-55 stress testing exercise.

   There will then be a panel discussion (possibly involving some of the European supervisory institutions and academics) on the main challenges policymakers and researchers face in measuring climate risks and on possible practical solutions to address them, focusing on both transition and physical risks.

   The discussion will also touch upon the support provided by the Commission through technical support instrument to enhance supervisory authorities’ capacity to access and use data and methodologies enabling to capture the impact of climate risks on various financial institutions and market segments.

   Speakers: Wojciech Furmanski (DG CLIMA), Laura Rinaldi (DG REFORM), Carmelo Salleo (ECB), Francesca Erica De Girolamo (JRC), Cornelius Schmidt (DG FISMA)

   Event webpage

4. 6 Dec 2023, 14:45 - 15:30 (CET)

   Global cooperation on clean energy innovation: the role of critical raw materials

   This session will delve into the crucial importance of securing and sustainably managing the supply of critical raw materials, emphasising the need for international collaboration, technological innovation, and effective regulatory initiatives to secure a sustainable supply chain and advance the global energy transition.

   Speakers: Janez Potocnik (IRP), Piotr Szymanski (JRC), Roland Roesch (IRENA), Rosalinde van der Vlies (DG RTD)

   Event webpage

5. 16:30 - 17:30 (CET)

   The science behind the decarbonisation of the built environment

   According to the IPCC, climate mitigation in buildings can be advanced at each of the design, construction, retrofit, use and disposal stages of the life cycle. Moreover, sufficiency measures can limit the demand for energy and materials over the lifecycle of buildings. The decarbonisation of buildings and construction is a key aspect of the European Green Deal.

   The European Commission has proposed several policy initiatives to meet this objective, such as revisions of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). In Europe and other developed economies, renovation of buildings is a significant challenge. Action at the district level can be effective in tackling various barriers at scale. The complexity of the challenges and opportunities faced by the built environment in a climate neutral future call for a multi-disciplinary and holistic approach. In addition, social and environmental goals can be achieved simultaneously in the built environment, using participatory approaches and justice-aware interventions.

   The session will present European policies and initiatives in relation to the contribution of buildings and construction to climate mitigation and offer a forum for discission on some of the implications for the built environment and the wider society.

   Speakers: Laura Pallares (World Green Building Council), Philippe Moseley (DG GROW), Mariangola Fabbri (Buildings Performance Institute Europe), Matti Kuittinen (Aalto University), Josefina Lindblom (DG ENV)

   Event webpage

6. 8 Dec 2023, 10:00 - 11:00 (CET)

   Education for Climate: boosting green competences for education transformation

   What is the EU doing on green education, at EU level, but also at global level in terms of partnership? Come to learn more about EU actions for the green transition, with insights from policy officers of various European Commission departments together with Education for Climate community members, from main organisations such as the Office for Climate Education to teachers acting on the ground, all sharing with us their good practices and initiatives to boost green competences for transforming education.

   Speakers: Fons Janssen (EUClimatePact), Grozdena Chalakova (Secondary School Georgi Bregov), Ulrike Pisiotis (DG EAC), Annika Sundback (DG INTPA)

   Event webpage

7. 11:30 - 13:00 (CET)

   Reducing consumer food waste, protecting the planet

   The environmental impacts of EU food production and consumption have risen along time, transgressing some planetary boundaries. Biodiversity footprint is driven by land use and climate change-related impacts, which are associated mainly with animal-based products. More balanced diets, where animal-based food consumption is reduced and vegetable-based proteins are preferred, could reduce the environmental impacts. Nearly 59 million tonnes of food waste (131 kg/inhabitant) are generated in the EU each year, and 63% of food is wasted at consumption stage. Meat and dairy contribute to less than 20% of food waste generated in mass, but are responsible for more than 50% of the environmental impacts of food waste. This is responsible for more than 70% of the environmental impacts of food waste generation, stressing the need to focus on prevention efforts at household and food services level. Food waste generation emits 254 Million tCO2 eq. if EU food waste were a Member State, it would be the EU’s 5th largest emitter.

   Food waste is a global concern, but if all stakeholders work together, it can be prevented!

   Speakers: Laura Garcia Herrero (JRC), Valeria De Laurentiis (JRC), Hendrik Bruns (JRC), Anne-Laure Gassin (DG SANTE), Richard Swannell (WRAP), Serenella Sala (JRC)

   Event webpage

8. 13:30 - 14:30 (CET)

   EDGAR: Data for and efficient policy making and the potential of Earth observation to improve GHG emissions estimates.

   First, the role of EDGAR in providing robust emissions to measure the impact of mitigation measures, pandemic and energy crisis on emissions will be described followed by a talk of ECMWF/Copernicus on improving emission estimates through an integrated approach.

   After, a Panel Discussion will focus on the challenges to implement efficient measures for reducing the GHG emissions based on accurate emissions estimations. The audience could actively participate by asking questions to the panellists.

   Speakers: Elisabetta Vignati (JRC), Monica Crippa (Unisystems S.A.), Richard Engelen (ECMWF), Joachim Maes (DG REGIO), Vicky Pollard (DG CLIMA), Giacomo Grassi (JRC), Anna Agusti-Panareda (ECMWF)

   Event webpage

9. Show 3 more items
10. 11 Dec 2023, 18:30 - 20:00 (CET)

    Pathways to climate neutrality: science for evidence-based policy making.

    If we don’t measure, we don’t manage. Reaching climate neutrality requires understanding where we are, i.e. measuring current emissions, and modelling credible pathways towards net zero, including the energy and land use sectors.

    The event comprises two parts.

    • The first part includes brief presentations on EU and international initiatives providing scientific insights for policymaking, featuring contributions from the JRC and renowned international scientific institutions like the Global Carbon Project.
    • The second part is a high-level panel discussion on the value and challenges associated with utilizing science-based information for climate policy implementation, with insights from the EU and the IPCC.

    Speakers: Giacomo Grassi (JRC), Alessandra Zampieri (JRC), Pierre Friedlingstein (University of Exeter), Paul Dowling (JRC), Ferenc Pekar (JRC), Kurt Vandenberghe (DG CLIMA), Stephen Quest (JRC), Qiang Zhang (Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University)

    Event webpage

Practical information

Description

What is COP?

COP, or the Conference of Parties, is an annual United Nations summit about the climate crisis. The conference is where the world comes together to discuss, negotiate and chart a course towards a more sustainable, climate-resilient future.  

EU at COP28

As a global leader in climate action, the EU is going to COP28 eager to raise ambition among our international partners. This year, the focus will be on global energy targets.

But the EU’s commitment goes beyond that: it is the largest contributor of public climate finance to economies in the Global South, actively supporting these nations in their efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The EU also integrates climate action into its official development assistance, emphasizing its dedication to addressing this global phenomenon on multiple fronts. 

Learn more:

• COP28 website
• EU at COP28 website