2050 Pathways Platform

Marshall Islands Hosts Partnership Dialogue to Accelerate Climate Action, Confirms Will Bring Forward a New and More Ambitious NDC by 2020
2018-07-24 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
Event outlined national priorities for urgent and ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change through an NDC Partnership Plan to increase collaboration with domestic and global partners and helped lay out a long-term 2050 vision to reach net zero emissions and boost climate resilience

“It is the first time we will see a country’s climate strategy to 2050 that describes so well the immediate steps that are needed to put the economy on the path to decarbonization and climate resilience. There is always a risk of developing such a long-term vision independently from ongoing policy and decision-making processes. Instead, the Marshall Islands has decided to integrate the challenges of the next generation into today’s decisions,” said Richard Baron, Executive Director of the 2050 Pathways Platform

The Republic of the Marshall Islands hosted a Partnership Dialogue on Climate Change on Monday to accelerate implementation of its nationally determined contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement by outlining priorities to mobilize domestic and global partners and align resources to the country’s most urgent needs as identified in its draft NDC Partnership Plan for climate action, and confirmed it will bring forward a new and more ambitious NDC by 2020. The event also helped lay the ground work for a long-term vision that builds on the country’s short-term goals, including through reaching net zero emissions by 2050 and boosting climate resilience. The Partnership Dialogue followed the country’s 2nd National Climate Change Dialogue last week, which brought together stakeholders and the public from across the island nation.

“This Partnership Dialogue is the next step in a participatory and consultative process to detail the Marshall Islands’ plan for acting on climate change,” said President Hilda C. Heine at the event. “This is about achieving our ambitious first NDC under the Paris Agreement, as well as looking toward a vision for the future with a long-term strategy to 2050. We are looking to accelerate immediate actions in the areas of mitigation, adaptation and resilience, and important crosscutting areas such as capacity building. We hope to do this with the support of partners present at this event, and other members of the NDC Partnership and beyond, including the private sector.”

President Heine added, “The Marshall Islands will continue to lead by example. The future of our people depends on the global response to climate change.”

The Marshall Islands NDC Partnership Plan identifies six priority areas: mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and a reduced dependence on fossil fuels; adaptation and resilience against the effects of a changing climate; fully integrating gender and human rights measures throughout the country’s response to climate change; capacity building so all Marshallese women, men and youth can contribute to the country’s NDC; coordinated climate policy, finance and data to ensure a whole-of-government and whole-of-society response to climate change; and global leadership and ambition.

At the Partnership Dialogue, national and global partners began mapping available programs and resources to help the country meet the activities it outlined to achieve results in these priority areas. These discussions will continue over the next several months, and there will be need for additional partners to respond to the country’s needs. The Marshall Islands NDC Partnership Plan is a living document and will continue to be reviewed and updated when and where necessary in collaboration with partners.

“If we fail in tackling climate change for the Marshall Islands, if we lose our way, we will have lost the fight,” said NDC Partnership Support Unit Global Director Pablo Vieira at the Partnership Dialogue. “Members of the NDC Partnership and others want to respond to the needs identified by the government to make sure that does not happen.”

“It is noteworthy that a country that only emits .00001% of global greenhouse gases still proposes to take ambitious mitigation actions,” he added. “The Marshall Islands continues to be one of the most vocal and recognized voices on the urgent need to combat climate change, because there is so much at stake. The very future of these island communities depends on whether or not countries take their commitments to the Paris Agreement seriously.”

The Marshall Islands NDC commits the country to reducing emissions by 32 percent by 2025 (from 2010 levels). President Heine also confirmed the Marshall Islands will finalize a long-term 2050 Strategy to reach net zero emissions and boost climate resilience by August with a view to launching it in September of this year – making it one of the first countries in the world to anchor its short-term NDC implementation under the framework of a longer-term 2050 Strategy. Through its convening of the High Ambition Coalition, the Marshall Islands has been encouraging other countries to urgently increase global ambition by 2020 and to adopt 2050 Strategies consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement, including by charting a course to net zero emissions.

“It is the first time we will see a country’s climate strategy to 2050 that describes so well the immediate steps that are needed to put the economy on the path to decarbonization and climate resilience. There is always a risk of developing such a long-term vision independently from ongoing policy and decision-making processes. Instead, the Marshall Islands has decided to integrate the challenges of the next generation into today’s decisions,” said Richard Baron, Executive Director of the 2050 Pathways Platform. “This approach, replicated by other larger emitters, will allow us to meet the climate goals of the Paris Agreement.”

The Republic of Marshall Islands was one of the first countries to join the NDC Partnership and is currently the developing island nation representative on its Steering Committee. The NDC Partnership has grown to include 77 countries, 18 international institutions and four Associate Members. The Partnership is supporting more than 30 developing countries to enhance and implement their NDCs through technical assistance; capacity building; knowledge sharing and by facilitating access to finance. Members give specific support to strengthen policy frameworks; mainstream climate actions into national, sectoral and sub-national plans; develop budgeting and investment plans; share knowledge and resources and build more robust monitoring and reporting systems in line with country-driven requests.

Countries gather to discuss Long-Term Strategies for Tackling Climate Change and Development
2018-07-10 08:00 - 17:00
A global gathering of governments, non-state actors and development partners, rallies countries to reflect on low-carbon development trajectories for future generations.

“Countries have to deal with similar issues: how to build a grid that can integrates 100 % renewable energy, how to deal with employment shifts, how to use land – for food, energy or carbon removal. Now is the time for all countries to start working on what it means for them to respond to the climate challenge while deciding what kind of development they want for their economy and their people, ensuring the 2050 strategy addresses national priorities”, noted Laurence Tubiana, Convener of the 2050 Pathways Platform and CEO, European Climate Foundation.

10 July 2018, Bangkok – Focused on incorporating efforts to address climate change into long-term development plans, representatives of governments, non-state actors and development partners gather today in Thailand to exchange initial ideas and experiences on formulating mid-century strategies for low-emission development.

The two-day gathering is organized by the 2050 Pathways Platform, the LEDS Global Partnership, the NDC Partnership, the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the World Resources Institute (WRI), in cooperation with the UN Climate Change (UNFCCC). Participants shared experiences, best practices, and expert views, while building a community of practitioners and a pool of knowledge from which all countries can benefit.

First called into action by the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, these mid-century Long-term Strategies (LTS) invite countries to communicate, by 2020, their vision for achieving a low-emission, sustainable economy. While many countries have developed similar strategies for the next decade, few have taken this opportunity to lay out ‘next generations’ scenarios.

“We need to act now, to start on this journey, and have flexibility on long-term pathways to avoid locking down carbon-intensive pathways or pathways that may not meet our economic goals,” noted Ron Benioff, Co-Director Low-Emissions Development Strategies Global Partnership.

Stephen Gold, UNDP’s Head of Climate Change, matched this sentiment, emphasizing that “the timing of this discussion on Long-Term Strategies is opportune. These strategies can help countries ensure that both the 2030 sustainable development goals and long-term climate objectives are fully embedded in national development planning processes.”“It’s very tempting just to take one step at a time and say, ‘well, we hope we’ll get there’. Unless you know where you’re going, unless you understand the whole point of decarbonization, it’s going to be quite difficult for countries to get there” said Andrew Steer, CEO of the WRI, underlining why Long-term Strategies, although not mandatory under the Paris Agreement, are crucial to achieving its goals.

The workshop provided an opportunity for countries to brainstorm on critical building blocks for these mid-century strategies and share experiences. “Countries have to deal with similar issues: how to build a grid that can integrates 100 % renewable energy, how to deal with employment shifts, how to use land – for food, energy or carbon removal. Now is the time for all countries to start working on what it means for them to respond to the climate challenge while deciding what kind of development they want for their economy and their people, ensuring the 2050 strategy addresses national priorities”, noted Laurence Tubiana, Convener of the 2050 Pathways Platform and CEO, European Climate Foundation.

In 2015, nearly 200 countries took the critical step towards limiting global temperature rise to well below 2°C by submitting a first round of national climate commitments to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change. Countries’ climate targets, embedded in these pledges, are to be ramped up every five years and require a long-term, whole-of-society approach to transition to a low-carbon and resilient development pathway. “While the 2050 Strategies are not mandatory under the Paris agreement, everybody needs to work together because we need this long-term perspective to make the Paris Agreement a reality”, stated Martin Frick, Senior Director, UN Climate Change.

The opportunity to lay out a long-term vision for a low-carbon development pathway to guide next generation climate and development planning is now. “The 2020 due date for the first round of country commitments is quickly approaching, and if countries can have their Long-Term Strategies ready, they will be able to demonstrate increased ambition in the next round of national climate plans,” said Pablo Vieira, Global Director of the NDC Partnership, who along with the other organizers hope that the countries leave the workshop with a clear understanding of how Long-Term Strategies can help guide the global transition towards a low-carbon development pathway.

Summry Report – Acting Now For A Sustainable Tomorrow

MaxiMiseR Event: Plan it right: fighting climate change through 2050 strategies
2018-05-23 08:00 - 17:00
Richard Baron: There are no secrets. The long terms strategies need to be participatory and inclusive and to step out to the forefront.

UNFCCC: Mid-century, long-term low-GHG emission development strategies
2018-05-03 08:00 - 17:00
WRI Long-Term Climate Strategies website launch event at the Bonn climate talks in May.

There were representatives from Canada, Lebanon, Mexico, South Africa and UK as well as our advisory committee: UN Climate Change (UNFCCC), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), NDC Partnership, 2050 Pathways Platform and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Watch Video

First Annual Meeting
2018-04-24 08:00 - 17:00
Date: 24-25 April 2018Location: Paris, France

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The 2050 Pathways Platform held its first Annual Meeting on 24-25 April 2018 in Paris. The meeting was an opportunity for Platform countries, regions, cities, partners and observers to exchange on various aspects of the development of long-term pathways, and to reiterate the importance of long-term planning in raising climate ambition.

The Annual Meeting took place in the context of increased international momentum around long-term pathways. The participants brought forward their experience and questions on the pathways process including participants from regions, cities and business, reporting encouraging progress from their members, thus creating space for enhanced ambition at the country level. Participants encouraged the Platform Secretariat to support technical assistance and peer-to-peer exchange on long-term strategies, and to foster the alignment of development bank activities with Paris Agreement-compatible long-term plans. They also suggested to build on Platform’s 2050 pathways Handbook and to synthesize lessons on pathway processes and stakeholders’ engagement.

The meeting successfully created a unique community of practice on long-term pathways, addressing essential elements of their development: process and institutions; how strategies trigger near-term actions; the perspective of development banks; the integration of efforts by non-state actors in national ambition. A high-level round table organized in collaboration with the French Ministry for an Ecological and Inclusive Transition brought together ministers and representatives of seven EU countries who called for a more ambitious long-term strategy in the EU (see press release).

With its joint objectives of being a hub for discussions on ambitious long-term strategies under the Paris Agreement and providing targeted support for their elaboration, the 2050 Pathways Platform secretariat will build on experience from members to assist countries and other members in the pursuit of ambitious, robust and inclusive long-term strategies.

Attachments:

Opening remarks – Laurence Tubiana – R. Baron

Session 2 – Experiences from members :

Sweden.pdfParis.pdfRepublic of Marshall Islands.pdf

Session 3 – Pathways to Policies :

AFD.pdfLEDS GP.pdfUK.pdfWorld Bank.pdf

Session 4 – Integrating Socio Economic Development Priorities:

CSTEP.pdfEnergy Foundation China.pdf

Session 5 – Vertical Collaboration :

C40 – Cities.pdfIndonesia.pdfUnder2 – Regions.pdfWe Mean Business – Business.pdf

Session 6

High-Level Roundtable on EU Climate Ambition

China’s Mid-century Strategy for Climate Mitigation: Framing and Methodologies.
2018-03-27 08:00 - 17:00
The long-term decarbonisation of economies represents a formidable challenge, as it implies transformations in infrastructures, technologies, business models as well as institutions and regulations. Its feasibility also hinges on successful transitions of the work force and communities around activities unsettled by ambitious climate mitigation policy.

For China, the first global emitter of greenhouse gases and a rapidly growing economy, long-term decarbonisation implies many uncertainties, challenges and opportunities. Important policy decisions (the shift from an export-oriented to a domestic-consumption growth model, the development of the One Belt One Road project), ‘mega-trends’ (an ageing population, rapid urbanisation, digitisation…) and local environmental factors (severe air and water quality problems), among others, stand to influence the needed shift to a low-carbon development model. In reverse, the mid-century strategy to decarbonise the country has to be seen in the context of its broader economic challenges, and as a part to their solution. The 19th Party Congress has reiterated the goal of an ecological society, echoing the country’s support to international climate action and the Paris Agreement.

The purpose of this workshop was to explore the important aspects of the transition to a low-carbon economy in China, and in particular how economic analysis can shed light on the interaction between these multiple factors and how they can combine to support the transition.

Launch of IDB’s “Deep Decarbonisation Pathways – Latin-America and the Caribbean
2018-02-09 08:00 - 17:00
Richard Baron, Executive Director of the 2050 Pathways Platform, participated in the launch of the Inter-american Development Bank project “Deep Decarbonisation Pathways – Latin-America and the Caribbean” in Bogota, Colombia, on 8-9 February.

The DDP-LAC project builds capacity in Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Ecuador on long-term climate policy scenarios through a network of regional and international experts. Peru is soon to join DDP-LAC, with support provided by the 2050 Pathways Platform.
