Agenda

Recent years have seen a proliferation of new green industrial policy approaches to climate mitigation. These include mission-oriented innovation policies that combine technological and social innovations to support the development of new climate change solutions. Efforts have also been made to enhance and expand domestic clean manufacturing capacities and technology deployment as part of COVID-19 recovery packages and new “Green Deals”. Although such approaches have gained traction in some countries, key questions remain. For example, how to design these approaches without distorting markets and stifling competition in ways counter-productive to long-term green innovation? How can existing mission-oriented approaches be strengthened and expanded? Can strategic international collaboration around these approaches accelerate the development and deployment of clean technologies to meet the urgency of the climate challenge? This session will discuss these questions by exploring the role of mission-oriented innovation and green industrial policies in countries’ climate mitigation efforts and identify potential gaps or shortcomings in current approaches. It will also consider how the UNFCCC’s Mitigation Work Programme could provide a useful multilateral platform for countries to share lessons and best practices, showcase relevant initiatives in key sectors, and support more effective international collaboration to help accelerate mitigation efforts in this critical decade.

Climate change mitigation scenarios are a key input to target setting, transition planning and alignment assessments undertaken by state and non-state actors, such as sub-national authorities, businesses, financial institutions and investors. While these scenarios must be consistent with the Paris Agreement temperature goal and GHG emissions objectives, they also need to reflect specificities and capacities in different sectors and geographies. Building on the findings of new OECD analysis, this session will present a framework to assess the consistency of mitigation scenarios with the Paris Agreement, and discuss the challenges in scope and granularity of currently frequently used scenarios, as well as underlying assumptions and uncertainties. The session aims to enhance understanding on opportunities for policy makers and non-state actors to contribute to improved use of climate change mitigation scenarios.

International carbon credit markets have experienced vast developments in the past decade. Patterns of carbon credit supply and demand have shifted drastically, from international standards and country-dominated trading, to a diverse and fragmented market where both corporations and countries use carbon credits to support their mitigation targets. While these markets are projected to grow, concerns have also been raised about the environmental integrity of both voluntary carbon markets (VCMs) and compliance carbon markets (CCMs). Governments are now taking a wide range of policy measures to shape VCMs and CCMs, alongside efforts to advance negotiations on the Paris Agreement’s Article 6 at COP28. This session will explore the role governments can play in harnessing the potential of VCMs. The United Kingdom, Kenya and Japan have all taken steps to make policies for, or engage with, voluntary carbon markets. This panel will gather government officials from these countries to reflect on the different roles that governments can take when engaging with VCMs and carbon credit markets overall.

More than 3 billion people were living in contexts highly vulnerable to climate change as of 2022. In this context, climate-induced displacement is likely to increase significantly. Yet efforts to address climate-related displacement are siloed and fragmented, with persistent gaps, overlaps, and no clear hierarchy. Importantly, responses to forced displacement are largely humanitarian in nature, even though most climate-related displacement is not only protracted, but likely permanent. Therefore, as a rising fixture in the future of our planet, climate-induced displacement demands a more structural, long-term, development-oriented approach, alongside short-term humanitarian responses, in the context of climate change adaptation efforts. A major channel through which to achieve this is climate change adaptation commitments, notably National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – as they are designed to set national priorities and targets, and to justify and register need for climate finance from international partners. This panel event will discuss how forced displacement is addressed in NAPs and NDCs.

2021 was a pivotal year for carbon pricing initiatives, with the introduction of emissions trading systems in several jurisdictions and many entering new phases. Moreover, emissions trading systems experienced a sharp increase in permit prices – especially the European Union emissions trading system (EU ETS). Since then, the energy crisis, exacerbated by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, has changed the policy landscape, including the use of tax and income support measures to cushion the impact of rising energy prices. This has affected implicit carbon prices resulting from fuel taxes, with permit prices proving to be more resilient. In recent years, several new realities have emerged that could shape the future of carbon pricing, including the EU carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) and phase out of free allocation of tradeable emission permits. Several countries are contemplating the introduction of carbon prices and border measures, partly in response to the CBAM. The United States has massively scaled up its mitigation efforts with the Inflation Reduction Act, relying more on support for low-carbon options than on increasing the price of carbon emissions. Proposals for integration carbon content into border measures or trade agreements are being floated. What does this mean for carbon pricing in a time of increasingly constrained fiscal space? During this session, the discussion will be informed by the results of a new OECD report, Effective Carbon Rates 2023, which tracks governments’ use of carbon pricing with a focus on emissions trading systems and of which the highlights will be presented at the start of the session.

Agriculture is one of the most vulnerable sectors to climate change. Warmer seasons, changes in precipitation and more frequent and severe extreme weather events have already impacted agricultural production in many countries, with effects on food price volatility and food security. While farmers take adaptation measures on their own, government policies play an important role in complementing these efforts and help to enhance their capacity to adapt to various climate risks. This session will explore how policies can steer effective adaptation of agriculture to climate change. Through a sharing of examples of policy measures, it will raise awareness of existing policy initiatives in different production and climate contexts and discuss what further policy actions are needed to limit the future impacts of climate change on agriculture and food supplies.

According to the International Energy Agency World Investment Report 2022, in order to get on track to achieve the objective of net zero emissions by 2050, power sector investment will need to increase from its current 3% annual average growth, to more than 25% for the rest of this decade. This year’s edition shows that annual clean energy investment is expected to rise by 24% between 2021 and 2023, driven by renewables and electric vehicles, compared with a 15% rise in fossil fuel investment over the same period. But more than 90% of this increase comes from advanced economies and China, presenting a serious risk of new dividing lines in global energy, if clean energy transitions don’t pick up elsewhere. This session will discuss how to increase private investment for the green transition in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and what policies can help enhance the contribution of businesses to meet net zero emissions targets. It is organised by the OECD Development Centre's business platform Emerging Markets Network (EMnet) and is part of the activities of its Working Group on Green Economy in Emerging Markets, co-chaired by Iberdrola and American Tower Corporation.

Currently, half of the world population resides in cities, with this figure projected to rise until 2050. The increasing trend of migration to cities is often attributed to an “agglomeration of benefits” that cities offer such as access to employment opportunities, education, and healthcare. But the health and well-being of residents in cities is negatively affected by a lack of opportunities for physical activity, exposure to high levels of outdoor air pollution, and rising temperatures more acutely felt cities. Cities are also a key contributor to global warming, consuming two-thirds of the world’s energy and producing over 70% of all CO₂ emissions. Because of widespread car ownership and car-centric urban design, people in cities frequently drive for short trips that could be walked or cycled. Overall demand for transport activity (for both passenger and freight) is growing rapidly and is predicted to roughly double between 2005 and 2050. This session will discuss projects that are being undertaken at city level to reduce both air pollution and GHG emissions, focusing on best practice policies and highlighting the importance of partnerships between cities and other stakeholders to ensure these practices are more widely promoted and taken up.

In climate policy, increasing attention is being paid to identifying “positive tipping points”, i.e. potential leverage points that could enable far-reaching systems transformations in line with environmental and climate goals. This session looks into how education systems can best contribute to positive tipping dynamics and enable social change at the scale and pace needed to mitigate climate change. The contribution of education systems to climate action is sometimes perceived as limited to incremental behavioural changes whose effects unfold over many decades and have negligible effects on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This session will bring together education thought leaders to discuss how education can enable and accelerate more drastic, encompassing and transformative types of social change to support societies in keeping up with the exponential challenge of climate change.

The green transition represents a unique opportunity for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to address the climate and environmental challenges, improve the well-being of all, tackle inequalities, tap into new sources of employment and financing, and chart more sustainable and inclusive development pathways. The region is uniquely placed to harness the potential of the green transition, as it hosts half of the world’s biodiversity, has vast reserves of critical minerals and offers unique conditions for the development of renewable energy sources. This event will discuss the implementation of priorities for climate action by LAC countries and identify best practices that contribute to advancing a green and just transition and net zero development, based on the findings and policy recommendations from recent OECD work, including the OECD-LAC Action Plan and Report on Climate Resilience and Neutrality: Key Priorities presented at the recent OECD LAC Regional Programme Ministerial Summit on Environmental Sustainability in Costa Rica, the Latin American Economic Outlook “Towards a Just and Green Transition”, and the OECD Environment at a Glance in LAC. Spanish/English interpretation is available in the video stream.

La transición verde representa una oportunidad única para que América Latina y el Caribe (ALC) aborde los retos climáticos y medioambientales, mejore el bienestar, haga frente a las desigualdades, aproveche nuevas fuentes de empleo y financiación, y trace vías de desarrollo más sostenibles e inclusivas. La región se encuentra en una posición única para aprovechar el potencial de la transición verde, ya que alberga la mitad de la biodiversidad mundial, posee vastas reservas de minerales críticos y ofrece condiciones únicas para el desarrollo de fuentes de energía renovables. En este evento se abordará la implementación de las prioridades para la acción climática por parte de los países de ALC y se identificarán las mejores prácticas que contribuyan a avanzar hacia una transición verde y justa y hacia un desarrollo con emisiones netas cero, basándose en las conclusiones y recomendaciones políticas de los recientes trabajos de la OCDE, incluyendo el Plan de Acción y el Informe sobre Resiliencia y Neutralidad Climática de la OCDE-ALC: Prioridades Clave presentados en la reciente Cumbre Ministerial sobre Sostenibilidad Ambiental del Programa Regional ALC de la OCDE en Costa Rica, las Perspectivas Económicas de América Latina "Hacia una transición verde y justa", y el Panorama del Medio Ambiente de la OCDE en ALC.

Tackling climate change means radically transforming our infrastructure basis. Power generation, transport, buildings and industry make up more than 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and determine social and economic vulnerability to climate impacts. Achieving a net zero, resilient future requires to scale-up public and private investment in sustainable infrastructure, particularly in fast-growing Asia where the bulk of new infrastructure will be built in the next decade. Planning ministries have a crucial role in facing this challenge, since their plans are designed to account for long-term risks and their convening power can influence decisions across sectoral ministries. During this session, a panel of planning ministry representatives and infrastructure experts from Southeast Asia will explore emerging good practices in planning infrastructure under uncertainty to address interconnected environmental emergencies, such as climate change – and adapting to its impacts – and biodiversity loss. These practices have been identified and encouraged by the OECD’s Sustainable Infrastructure Programme in Asia (SIPA), which actively supports Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and other emerging Asian economies to adopt infrastructure planning, evaluation and delivery to ensure their infrastructure systems set them on a course compatible with the Paris Agreement. SIPA is supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

Tackling the global energy and climate crisis will require cleaner and more resilient energy systems. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), at least half of global CO₂ emission reductions required to reach net zero by 2050 rely on clean energy technologies yet to reach full commercialisation. To achieve 2050 targets, digital technologies like AI and next-generation communication networks can accelerate the clean energy transition through greater efficiency, lower costs, and more advanced supply chain innovation. This panel discussion analyses the relationship between AI, the Internet of Things (IoT) and underlying connectivity infrastructure, and their implications for efficient energy systems. It explores the policy opportunities and challenges presented by AI-enabled and smart energy grids and the underlying connectivity that helps countries leverage the green and digital “twin transitions” in support of their climate goals. It will provide an overview of the state of clean energy systems, examples of enabling technologies that support energy resilience, and share best practices from across jurisdictions.

Join us for an exciting event to reshape transport systems in African cities to attain sustainability goals! Discover the innovative collaboration between the OECD Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC), the esteemed University of Ghana, Ghanaian researchers from the University of Manchester, and the OECD International Transport Forum. Together, we’ve embarked on a project to help transform transport systems in Accra and Kumasi. Dive into the findings and insights from this project, as we explore the crucial aspects of accessibility, gender inclusivity, and proximity of transport within the context of Ghana's largest cities. Engage in a vibrant discussion with experts, researchers, and thought leaders who are actively shaping the future of transport in Africa. Uncover the innovative solutions that are not only revolutionising transportation in Ghana but also offering valuable lessons for other urban centres across the continent. French interpretation is provided for this session.

Cities and regions are accountable for a high share of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As such they play a crucial role in meeting global mitigation targets. In particular, policy decisions shaping transport and urban planning will largely determine the spatial development of a city or a region. This will in turn determine the share of GHG emissions, making transport and urban planning policy decisions inseparable from climate action, as well as from broader action to improve people’s well-being. This session will bring together government representatives and international institutions to discuss how system innovation can help cities and regions move towards net zero. On this occasion, the OECD will present recent work that that brings systems thinking and systems innovation to the heart of climate action. Governments representatives will share experiences and lessons regarding the value added to this decision-making approach. In addition, international institutions will discuss the importance of systemic change for achieving sustainable lifestyles and the use of systems innovation for accelerating the pathway to a resilient future.

This session will take place live from Dubai at 12:15 - 13:45 GMT+4 in the Al Shaheen room in the Global Climate Action Hub and will be livestreamed here on the OECD COP28 Virtual Pavilion. The Inclusive Forum on Carbon Mitigation Approaches (IFCMA) is an initiative designed to help improve the global impact of emissions reduction efforts around the world through better data and information sharing, evidence-based mutual learning and inclusive multilateral dialogue. This session will bring Finance and Environment Ministers together with other high-level speakers from a range of countries to discuss the challenges and opportunities governments are facing in designing and implementing ambitious mitigation policies. It will focus on how the IFCMA can support country efforts towards international climate goals and Paris Agreement processes.

Building on new OECD analysis, the event will discuss opportunities to scale up finance for adaptation and the mobilisation of private finance in the context of the USD 100 billion goal, while contributing to broader climate-resilient and private sector development in developing countries. This session will take place live from Dubai at 16:45 - 18:15 GMT+4 and will be livestreamed here on the OECD COP28 Virtual Pavilion.

Asia is facing increasing vulnerabilities to climate change. Rising temperatures, increased frequency and severity of heatwaves, floods and storms, and sea level rise will increasingly challenge the region’s growth and development unless urgent mitigation and adaptation action is taken. At the same time, the region’s greenhouse gas emissions have been growing fast, with electricity and heat production being the largest and fastest-growing source of emissions, followed by manufacturing. Unlocking transition finance in Asia is rapidly needed to accelerate Asia’s decarbonisation of high-emitting and hard-to-abate sectors. In recent years, several government and market frameworks have been developed in Asia and other regions, namely national and regional transition taxonomies, sector-specific technology roadmaps, and standards for transition-related financial instruments, amongst others. During this session, organised jointly by the OECD and the Ministry of Environment of Japan, panellists will discuss key developments and progress made in Asia and other regions since last year in terms of development of transition finance policies and instruments. Policymakers and market participants will share their best practices and challenges encountered and discuss ways to strengthen mechanisms to avoid carbon lock-in in the region. This session will take place live from Dubai at 13:00-14:15 GMT+4 and will be livestreamed here on the OECD COP28 Virtual Pavilion.

Climate change is not only an environmental problem but also a political, economic and social one, posing a range of complex and interconnected policy challenges. For this reason, countries require extensive information and indicators to understand the drivers of climate change, the range of impacts across human and environmental systems and, above all, the policy response. Understanding the nature of climate impacts and the responses of policymakers in their various forms will be central to the development and assessment of appropriate policies to face the challenges presented by climate change in the 21st century, perhaps the single most important global policy problem the world has ever faced. The Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21st Century (PARIS21) and the OECD International Programme for Action on Climate (IPAC) will share insights on common challenges to access reliable climate change data and the implications this has on reaching global climate targets. The session will showcase recommendations for strengthening climate data systems, as well as good practices from country partners. New IPAC climate change indicators will also be presented and panellists will discuss how international data collection can support and complement countries’ access to relevant information.

With small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) generating around 40% of business-sector greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, there can be no net zero without SMEs. Equally, SMEs, start-ups and the entrepreneurs behind them, are important drivers of the many innovations that can advance sustainable development and the green transition. However, smaller businesses and entrepreneurs face numerous challenges in advancing on the green transition. Improving access to finance, for example, will be essential. Despite the recent and significant growth in the sustainable finance market, most SMEs still face barriers in tapping into this pool of funds. This, in part, reflects a lack of awareness, but also reflects challenges in measuring and reporting on environmental performance, not least because reporting requirements across and within countries remain heterogeneous. This session will explore the importance for regulatory and policy frameworks to support the active participation of SMEs and entrepreneurs in the green transition, taking SME specificities into account upstream. It will also consider how innovation policies are key for green start-ups and green innovation in SMEs, while upskilling and business support services can help small business owners assess their environmental performance and take concrete actions.

Industrial decarbonisation is essential to achieve net-zero emission goals, and requires swift and bold action from both industry actors and governments. Yet, the carbon dioxide emissions of the industry sector have remained stable over the last decade. Decarbonising industry requires tailored solutions that address specific domestic and sectoral challenges. This session will bring together stakeholder to share views on how to scale up industry decarbonisation, with a focus on regional and country aspects. Taking stock of the wide range of OECD work in this area, highlighted in its newly released brochure “Advancing Industrial Decarbonisation: An overview of OECD contributions”, the session will provide an overview of challenges related to technology, innovation, policy, and finance aspects of industry decarbonisation. It will in particular explore how multilateral dialogue, international collaboration and evidence-based analyses in a whole-of-government approach can support governments and industrial actors in the journey to net zero, aiming for a just and inclusive industry transition.

The transition towards a net-zero economy will have profound impacts on labour markets and the demand for skills. While, overall, the net effects of the net-zero transition on total employment are likely to be negligible, labour markets will be reshaped with new opportunities for some workers and a higher risk of job displacement for others. Moreover, in many countries, changes in employment – both positive and negative – will be concentrated in specific geographic areas. A key challenge for policymakers is to facilitate these transitions and prevent permanent exclusion from the labour market for vulnerable workers. Minimising labour market mismatches arising from net-zero policies is therefore critical to reduce delays and transition costs for individuals and businesses. If countries are to achieve ambitious climate targets, climate policies will need to be accompanied by strong investments in skills policies. At the same time, supporting workers particularly affected by downsizing of activities that generate high levels of CO2 emissions through labour market and social policies is critical. This session will discuss how to strike the right balance between intensifying efforts towards long-term climate objectives, maintaining the incentives to decarbonise and addressing pressing social and economic imperatives is the of the main tasks at hand for policy makers.

This session will take place live from COP28 in Dubai at 18:00 - 19:00 GMT+4 at the Japan Pavilion and will be livestreamed here on the OECD COP28 Virtual Pavilion. Recognising the climate urgency, the role of cities and regions and the importance of a place-based climate action in meeting the Paris Agreement goals, this session aims to discuss among national and local policymakers and experts the importance and effectiveness of a 'territorial approach to climate action and resilience', a new comprehensive policy framework to accelerate the net-zero and resilient transition at all territorial scales. This session will also launch the OECD report “A Territorial Approach to Climate Action and Resilience” that synthesises three years of work under the OECD TACAR Programme, supported by the government of Japan.

Monitoring progress towards meeting the Paris Agreement requires improving the tracking and measurement of public climate-significant expenditure, including investment, at all levels of government. The current system to classify public spending according to functions of government, or COFOG, was developed under the framework of the International System of National Accounts. While this system enables international harmonisation and comparability, there is broad consensus that the COFOG, which is now more than 20 years old, is no longer fit for the purpose. This is especially the case with respect to cross-cutting issues of special and increasing interest to policymakers in the environmental field, such as climate, biodiversity, integrated water management, and the circular economy. This session, jointly organised by the OECD’s Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities and the OECD’s Environment Directorate, will discuss on-going work to overcome the limitations of the COFOG, in the context of the experience and lessons learnt from pilot tracking exercises at national and subnational government levels, and how this can better support the action of policy-makers at all levels towards the net zero transition.

Following a scene-setting introduction by the International Transport Forum on the challenges of decarbonising transport, representatives from the International Transport Forum’s Corporate Partnership Board will explore the critical role of collaboration between companies and government agencies in the monumental task of decarbonising the transportation sector. This session will look at the policies, incentives, and regulatory frameworks necessary for a transition towards cleaner, more sustainable modes of transportation. Join us for an interactive discussion on how innovative partnerships can pave the way for a greener, more efficient future in transport. The meeting will include presentations by speakers and a Q&A session with participants.

The concept of positive tipping points is gaining significant traction within the climate policy community. It is largely concerned with the dynamics and intervention points within systems that can catalyse the exponential growth of new emission-saving actions and innovations and help to accelerate the pathway to net zero. The 'tipping point' term typically refers to the crossing of thresholds within systems (e.g. relating to cost competitiveness of low-carbon innovations or critical mass of political support) after which emission reductions rapidly accelerate and become self-propelling due to reinforcing feedbacks. Some of these reinforcing feedbacks are well understood such as R&D spill-overs and learning curves, but there are others that are less well-researched. Positive tipping points span various domains of human systems including technological, social, economic and political systems. For example, societal support for climate action and behavioural transformations such as widespread adoption of new habits or social norms could play a seismic role in propelling the net zero transition. This session will bring together some of the leading experts working to define and identify positive tipping points to discuss progress being made and the implications this has for policy making. The discussion will focus on how policy makers, including within the OECD, can utilise positive tipping point dynamics to enhance climate mitigation efforts.

As climate impacts are first and foremost local, many call for climate adaptation to be a locally-led responsibility. However, local climate change adaptation is often lagging behind, suggesting difficulties for subnational governments to handle the necessary adaptation actions. In this session, national as well as subnational government officials will discuss alongside OECD and World Bank adaptation experts how we can effectively foster local adaptation. The OECD will be releasing its new report "Climate adaptation: Why local governments cannot do it alone" and participants will have the opportunity to reflect on some of the key findings.

We find ourselves at a crucial juncture in the maritime and aviation sectors, facing the imperative to chart a course towards a sustainable and decarbonised future. Global transport accounts for 23% of global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, making it a vital sector to decarbonise to deliver the goals of the Paris Agreement. In the aviation industry, airlines worldwide are grappling with the challenge of reconciling the growing demand for air travel with the pressing need to minimize its environmental impact. Key to this effort is the exploration of low-carbon technologies, ranging from electric and hybrid propulsion systems to the ongoing development of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). The maritime industry faces its own set of challenges and opportunities; exploring alternative fuels, such as hydrogen and ammonia, and adopting cutting-edge technologies to propel vessels into a greener era. From container ships to cruise liners, the maritime industry needs to navigate a course that is both economically viable and environmentally responsible. Join us for an intriguing and stimulating discussion which will convene experts and policy makers from across governments, the private sector and third sector to explore the decarbonisation trajectories in the maritime and aviation sectors, with a focus on key low-carbon technology and fuel developments and the imperative for increased deployment of alternative fuels. Building on this, the discussion will examine the translation of decarbonisation strategies into concrete and targeted policy actions, highlighting the complementary role of carbon pricing mechanisms and the realignment of government support. Panelists will exchange on how sectors can best work together to accelerate decarbonisation in the maritime and aviation sector, lessons learnt from existing frameworks and policies, and how to increase support for technologies which will deliver credible emission reductions in both sectors.

Governments have been raising their climate mitigation ambition through a variety of adopted or planned mitigation policy approaches. The recent energy crisis however has brought new challenges to governments in progressing towards the energy and climate transitions while ensuring energy security and affordability. Policies to shield households and firms from the energy crisis implemented by governments may not all be in line with mitigation policies. How successful have governments been progressing towards their net-zero goals during the energy crisis and how can this be tracked? What are the policy packages that will help countries reach climate and energy goals while ensuring affordable energy for all? What types of policy measures can accelerate green investments, while maintaining incentives for energy savings and encouraging energy diversification? As energy price volatility may be here to stay, OECD and external experts will share views on how governments can effectively advance towards their long-term mitigation goals amidst competing short-term priorities and energy market turmoil. Experts will identify measures that can both help to meet climate goals and increase the resilience to future energy price shocks.

The Hamburg Chamber of Commerce (HCC) has set the target to reach climate neutrality by 2040 for its member businesses. A forthcoming report, to be released on 26 January 2024, prepared by the OECD’s Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs and Cities, with HCC support, aims to identify key actions businesses in Hamburg as well as key challenges and opportunities they face to develop climate-neutral business models. As the report will highlight, building the transformations on the specific regional economic context is key to advancing climate action in a flourishing economy. It requires businesses to work together. The OECD and HCC will provide insights into the work of the study and how it may serve to advance the way to climate neutrality. This includes how to make climate neutrality operational for businesses and identify cross-sectoral challenges, such as making the most of low-cost solar and wind energy, decarbonising buildings or the circular economy. It will also point to sector-specific transformations in activities, notably around the port, including Hamburg’s potential role as a hydrogen hub. This session will include a panel discussion and Q&A session with experts from the research community, the HCC and the Hamburg business community. It aims to provide insights into the next steps to integrate the climate considerations into business practices to achieve climate neutrality by 2040 in the Hamburg economy. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and comment during the discussions.

As key actors of the global economy, consumers and their choices can have a significant impact on the success of the green transition, for example by being able to access and consume products that can be repaired, shared or re-used, as well as by using services involving fewer resources. Yet, as illustrated in a number of studies, while most consumers express a desire to go green, their actual engagement remains low. This session will examine the degree to which consumer policies in jurisdictions address, or may need to be adapted, in order to foster sustainable consumption. It will also explore how a better understanding of consumer attitudes toward sustainable consumption and key barriers or behavioural biases that prevent consumers from making greener choices, can contribute to better policies.

African countries are under increasing international pressure to scale-down and eventually stop using fossil gas as part of their energy mix. During this session, a high-level panel will discuss which role natural gas can play in developing country contexts to ensure that “no one country should ever have to choose between reducing poverty, achieving a green transition and preserving the planet.” (Chair’s summary, Summit for a New Global Financing Pact, June 2023) Building on the OECD Development Centre’s Gas Use Decision Tree Tool (GUDTT) and Scorecard, this session will explore policy tools, mechanisms, and criteria to align gas use with the Paris Agreement, develop credible exit strategies to mitigate lock-in effects and risks of stranded assets, and potentially unlock finance for transitional projects, beyond Official Development Assistance.