COP23 located in Bonn, Germany and hosted by Fiji takes place from 6 – 17 November.
The hosting by Fiji is significant as as a island nation they already feel the impact of climate change more than other nations. Fiji will also bring a new consensus building and discussion approach to COP23 – ‘Talanoa’.
Talanoa is a Pacific, story telling, term for discussions aimed at building consensus, airing differences constructively, and finding ways to overcome difficulties or embark on new projects. It is one of the building blocks of Fijian society, used for centuries to foster greater understanding among a people distributed over many small islands, and carry them through a tough existence. It is hoped that Talanoa will break deadlocks that have limited COP progress over the last 20 years.
The built environment
In recognition of its crucial role of the built environment, (as part of the climate change ‘problem’ and part of the solution for reducing CO2 emissions) the sector should receive high levels of visibility at this year´s COP.
An unprecedented four-day buildings programme has been pulled together by Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction which has at its core the overarching goal of COP23:
To harness innovation, enterprise and investment to fast track the development and deployment of climate solutions that will build future economies with net zero greenhouse gas emissions, in an effort to limit the rise of global temperatures to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
You should be able to follow discussions, comments and outcomes from the four days via a combination of #COP23 #GABC twitter hashtags
Setting the scene: Building Action Symposium
9 November action is very much at the heart of the Building Action Symposium, a public event that will kick off the four-day event programme.
The objective of this action day is to identify key ingredients to achieving a low-carbon, energy efficient buildings and construction sector that will help to achieve the Paris Climate Agreement from 2015.
Turning theory into practice: Best practice examples on the ground
To illustrate that it is possible to walk the talk, the following day, a guided tour by the Federal Chamber of German Architects will showcase a selection of local buildings that are exemplary for sustainable architecture, including a day care centre and student housing.
Bringing about change within the construction and real estate sector: Human Settlements Day
Taking onboard recommendations from the Building Action Symposium on 9 November, this event will explore high impact change agents and measures, the role of private sector engagement and how to link buildings to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Linking buildings to the Sustainable Development Goals: SDG11 Day
Finally, Monday, 13 November is SDG11 Day will see a high-level dialogue between country representatives and senior industry leaders focused on ensuring the buildings sector delivers against key relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals:
- SDG11 – Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
- SDG7 – Ensure access to affordable and clean energy
- SDG13 – Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Sources: this post is based on and adapted from
Fairsnape 