First Annual Meeting

Date: 24-25 April 2018
Location: 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.