United Nations Climate Change Conference: COP24

UNRISD will be bringing its research results to bear at one of the biggest UN Climate Change Conferences ever, the 24th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 24) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This conference is particularly significant because participants will finalize the rules for implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change, adopted in 2015. There will also be a number of high-level events, mandated events, action events and roundtables. UNRISD will be present at 3 events.




1. Official Launch of the Just Transition Research Collaborative Report Mapping Just Transition(s) to a Low-Carbon World

When and where	Monday 3 Dec, 18:30 – 20:00: Room Vienna at the EU Pavilion
Title	The Price to Pay for Lignite and How to Take Just Transition to the Next Level
Organizers	UNRISD, Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung (RLS), Climate Action Network Europe (CAN)
Speakers	Joanna Flisowska, (CAN) Europe, Alicja Zdziechowicz, Zielony Imielin (Society of Green Imielin), Ireneusz Górniok, Zielony Imielin (Society of Green Imielin), Catalina Caro Galvis (CENSAT-Friends of the Earth Colombia), Bridget Burns (WEDO), Dunja Krause (UNRISD) Facilitation: Nadja Charaby (RLS)
Summary	This event will focus on the issue of just transition - a zero-carbon transition built on the principle of social justice. In the first part this complex concept will be illustrated with stories of local communities affected by coal infrastructure. Speakers will present the recently published report "The Real Costs of Coal: Muğla”, which provides testimonies of the villagers living in Muğla, Turkey who suffer health and environmental impacts of extracting and burning coal and analyses impacts of coal on people's health, socio-economic well being, and forest ecosystems. You will also hear from local citizens of Imielin, Poland, who oppose the expansion of the hard coal mine underneath their town. In the second part we will take a closer look at the concept of Just Transition and Dunja Krause will present the Just Transition Research Collaborative's report Mapping Just Transition(s) to a Low-Carbon World, being launched at this event. If it is to contribute to greater equality and justice, the just transition needs to promote rapid decarbonization while protecting workers and communities. It needs to challenge inbuilt inequalities and move beyond a green growth agenda. This involves questioning power relations and considering cross-sectional issues, such as human rights, gender and the participation of indigenous and local communities.

2. Research-to-Practice Workshop as Part of the "Just Transition Day"

When and where	Monday 3 Dec, 12:00 – 16:00: UNFCCC Polish Pavilion
Title	Just Transition for All – Solid Research Evidence and Implementation Pathways
Organizers	Climate Strategies, International Labour Office (ILO)
Speakers	Part I: Analytical Evidence for Just Transition Andrzej Błachowicz (Climate Strategies), Jesse Burton (University of Cape Town), Laura Merrill (IISD), Heidi Peltier (University of Massachusetts), Ulrike Lehr (GWS), Lucy Stone (Agulhas), Catherine Saget (ILO Research), Dunja Krause (UNRISD on behalf of the Just Transition Research Collaborative), Jan Witajewski-Baltvilks (IBS), Maciej Bukowski (WISE Europa), Mariola Juszczuk (PKEE) Part II: Implementation of Silesia Just Transition Declaration Moderation: COP24 Presidency UNFCCC Secretariat: Kusum Lata IndustriALL Global Union: Kemal Özkan BTeam* Eurelectric/PKEE: Maciej Burny FZZ / Kadra: Grzegorz Trefon Greenpeace: Anabella Rosemberg* Negotiators from selected countries: Australia, Austria (EU Presidency), Canada, CEE Region, European Commission, Ghana, Latin America, Philippines * to be confirmed
Summary	As currently the just transition is being discussed in multiple forums at the UNFCCC – including the forum on the response measures - there is a strong need for the solid analytical evidence on past just transitions and pathways for optimal future ones to be synthesized and presented to the right drivers of change within the UNFCCC process. This workshop is an opportunity for a more structured interaction between relevant research and just transition drivers within the UN process and with government representatives at COP23 to facilitate decision making based on current scientific and social research.

3. Official Side Event

When and where	Tuesday 11 Dec, 11:30 – 13:00: Room Warmia
Title	From Local Approaches to (Inter-)national Policy: Gender, Just Transition and Decent Work
Organizers	Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung, GenderCC-Women for Climate Justice, LIFE e.V.
Speakers	Patricia Bohland (GenderCC), Avril de Torres (Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development, Manila), Jaron Browne (Grassroots Global Justice), Dunja Krause (UNRISD) Facilitation: Nadja Charaby
Summary	Just Transition needs to promote rapid decarbonization, challenge social inequalities and overcome a green growth agenda. We need to question the predominant idea of work, power relations and consider intersectional issues (gender, human rights) and the participation of indigenous and local communities.