DAY 3 – October 16, 2024
AT A GLANCE: What sessions took place today?
Day 3 of Global Green Growth Week featured a stacked program of 8 sessions centered around youth leadership, the Road to COP29, as well as the launch of GGGI’s landmark Carbon Transaction Facility. We also welcomed high-level delegations for the Ministerial Panel and Farewell Reception for our outgoing Director-General Dr Frank Rijsberman.
In case you missed it, our featured Korean artist Chanhee Song’s series “Connection: The Story of Pine Trees Living on a Round Earth” has been on exhibition as part of Global Green Growth Week’s efforts to include youth and creative voices in GGGI’s vision for a strong, inclusive, and sustainable world. The multi-layered clay canvases feature brilliant-colored trees, paper planes, boats and sandy playgrounds in a beautiful depiction of nature and small happinesses.
Empowering the World’s Youth Leaders
The morning comprised two powerful sessions – “Unleashing Youth Power: United Action, Global Impact” and “Inclusive Green Growth: Full & Meaningful Participation of All” – focalizing the transformative voices of youth leaders involved in driving global sustainability at home and abroad. Youth entrepreneurs and speakers from organizations such as Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S), Masdar and Save the Children International joined three panels to share their visions – and barriers experienced – in their up-and-coming sustainability journeys.
Here’s a snapshot of what they had to say:
“A personal challenge that I’ve faced has been, in a way, myself. I always underestimated my capability: never invested in it, which led to self-doubt and fear. I always had this tendency. So the first time I faced this challenge was [when I interviewed VIPs] during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. I had to put myself in an uncomfortable position and make that my comfortable role.” – Ahmed Sharif Awad Abdulla Alameri, Y4S Future Sustainability Leader
“There’s the age factor… Young people are still seen as a risk in many contexts. We need to move beyond that and start looking at asset-based narratives so [that young people] can be disruptors.” – Youssra Hassan, Save the Children International
“The core value of SDG is no-one left behind. When it comes to green growth and green transformation, it opens opportunities like green jobs and green investment. But unfortunately, grassroots communities or vulnerable communities such as indigenous people, disability groups, and youth are often left out in the decision-making process. That’s why green development and green growth should be recognized as gender equality to ensure that their qualities can be involved – not only as beneficiaries but also [in leading] the decision-making process… Initiatives and policies should align with their community needs in the real world.” – Anisa Nor, ASEAN Youth Community for Household Hazardous Waste (AYCHW)
UAE’s Assistant Undersecretary of Green Development & Climate Change, H.E. Dr Alanoud Alhaj was also in attendance and had these sentiments to share:
“In recent years, the role of youth has constantly been a central theme in nearly every major global event focused on climate action and sustainability. This recurring emphasis underscores a clear, powerful message. Young people are not only key players in addressing climate challenges but are also essential in assuring a better, more sustainable future for humanity. It is crucial that we recognize and embrace that today’s youth will soon be on the frontlines leading global efforts to combat the adverse impact of climate change.”
In powerfully affirmative closing remarks, GGGI Africa Regional Director Dr Malle Fofana added:
“We must continue to invest in the capacity of young leaders to ensure that they have the knowledge, the skills, the opportunity to scale the impact of the future of climate action, green growth, and sustainable development… We must promote collaboration and cultural exchange [to foster a] world where ideas flow freely across borders and where the collective power of youth is harnessed to address more pressing challenges.”
Here’s the link to re-watch both sessions in case you missed it: “Unleashing Youth Power” and “Inclusive Green Growth”.
The Road to COP29
Our fourth session of the day, “Road to COP29”, provided a platform for the incoming and outgoing COP Presidencies to share their visions and reflections heading into the global calendar event in November, pegged by many as the “Climate Finance COP”.
Speaking on behalf of the COP29 Presidency, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to ROK H.E. Ramin Hasanov shared the Azerbaijan COP29 Presidency’s vision based on two parallel pillars to enhance ambition and enable action with climate finance as the priority:
“Climate change is not a future risk. It’s a real and present and tangible danger to billions of people around the world. The global climate crisis threatens the case of progress and impairs humanity’s future, and disproportionately affects vulnerable countries. Growing divisions in international relations shouldn’t distract us from the imperative to address climate change, one of the greatest transnational challenges of this century.”
“COP29 will be essential to delivering the means of implementation and support and ensuring that everyone reaches for the highest possible ambition – reflecting equality, and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities in the light of different national circumstances.”
GGGI Launches its Landmark Carbon Transaction Facility
Day 3’s highly anticipated afternoon sessions featured the launch of its Carbon Transaction Facility (CTF) and Ministerial Panel. After five years of implementing carbon market readiness support projects in more than 12 countries, GGGI’s new CTF marked the beginning of a new mechanism to scale up its readiness support and catalyze Article 6 carbon trading under the Paris Agreement.
Representatives of the CTF’s first buyer and seller countries, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Sri Lanka and Senegal respectively, attended a panel hosted by GGGI Director and Head of Carbon Pricing, Fenella Aouane. H.E. and GGGI President & Chair Ban Ki-moon was also in attendance for a symbolic signing event marking its launch, and shared:
“CTF is the first and only international facility that is focused solely on expanding Article 6 carbon markets. It demonstrates GGGI’s continued commitment to innovative and beneficial services to its Member States and partners as we mobilize more green finance for more green projects. It shows that if we work together, we can create innovative financial mechanisms to drive green growth for future generations.”
You can read more about the CTF launch here.
Day 3 closed with the Ministerial Panel and Farewell Reception for the outgoing Director-General Dr Frank Rijsberman, who closes his 8-year legacy at the organization this week.
