Though COP26 has been delayed, climate action cannot be put on hold. For this reason, the UN Global Compact Network UK organised a two-day virtual event to ensure the climate conversation is advanced and action delivered while COVID-19 challenges are navigated.
The Climate Forum brought together business, government and civil society leaders to progress, shape and showcase ambitious climate action. The event featured a programme dedicated to supporting businesses to transition to a net zero future, with keynotes and panels by experts and leaders, and facilitated debates and webinars. The discussions were framed around several themes, including green recovery, green jobs, ambition loops, and emissions reduction.
Agenda
DAY 1: Wednesday 25th November, 2020
UK Government and Business Climate Dialogue: Reaching Net Zero Through Science-Based Targets
In Partnership with
This dialogue convened government and business leaders to advance business adoption of 1.5°C aligned science-based targets and advance the UK governments’ net zero goal. UK Ministers, CEOs, and climate experts shared their climate objectives, showed a pathway of how companies from all sectors and sizes can commit to 1.5°C science-based targets, and support understanding of the role that each stakeholder must play to increase climate action ambition, and ultimately transition to a net zero economy.
Climate Q&A Surgery: Decarbonising Logistics
In this Q&A surgery, participants engaged in a conversation with experts around: the barriers to EV uptake and how to overcome them; the role of government and business to accelerate the transition to electric transport; the benefits of transitioning to electric fleets; and more.
Global Goals and the Just Transition
This session explored how a Just Transition towards a low carbon economy can ensure we protect workers’ livelihoods, generate new industries and create a fairer society. We heard from some of the organisations who are taking steps to make the Just Transition a reality.
DAY 2: Thursday 26th November, 2020
Reducing Scope 3 Emissions - Use of Sold Products
10:00 - 10:45 GMT
This session focussed on the Scope 3 category defined in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, “Use of Sold Products.” The webinar aimed to support companies by exploring how to begin measuring emissions from the use of sold products and practical steps for reducing these emissions.
13:30 - 14:30 GMT
Each year, we invest £20 billion through our corporate pensions. But where does this money go, and what kind of world is it building? In this session we heard from a panel including Richard Curtis, filmmaker and cofounder of Make My Money Matter, on how purpose-led companies can increase their impact by aligning their staff pension scheme with one that supports a net zero and sustainable world.
Closing Debate - Carbon Offsets
15:00 - 16:30 GMT
This formal debate aired the arguments for and against carbons offsets and aimed to enable companies to make better informed decisions about how they may utilise carbon offsetting in their own net zero carbon strategies.
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Release of Briefing - Race to Zero: Mobilising Leadership for a Net Zero Economy
Limiting average global warming to 1.5°C requires an enormous transformation of our economy and energy systems. The movement of companies, governments, countries and cities setting ambitious net zero targets and leading this transformation is building momentum faster than ever. Though progress is being made, climate action must continue to be accelerated and accompanied by efforts to address the various environmental and societal challenges we face as a planet.
In the UN Global Compact Network UK’s latest Briefing, we explain how businesses can be at the forefront of this growing movement and why it is important to continue raising ambition and take immediate climate action.
Click here to download your free copy
With expert insights from:
- Rebecca Marmot, Chief Sustainability Officer, Unilever
- Paul Simpson, CEO, CDP
- Tanya Steele, CEO, WWF-UK
- Fiona Ball, Director, Bigger Picture, Sky
- Thomas Hale, Associate Professor in Global Public Policy, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford
Discover the steps your company can take to reach net zero and lead the transition to a greener, healthier, more equitable world, by reading this short Briefing today.
We hope you enjoy it.
Get in touch with the team:
Alexandra Ranft
Climate Action Programme Co-ordinator
Email: alexandra.ranft@unglobalcompact.org.uk
Candy Telani Anton
Global Programmes Engagement Manager
M: +44 (0)7784177693
Email: candy.telani@unglobalcompact.org.uk