The UN Global Climate Action Awards are spearheaded by UN Climate Change to shine a light on the enormous groundswell of activities underway across the globe that are moving the world toward a highly resilient, low-carbon future. The UN Global Climate Action Awards recognize innovative and transformative solutions that address both climate change and wider economic, social and environmental challenges.
In 2021, eleven game-changing initiatives were selected by our international Advisory Panel as the winners of the UN Global Climate Action Awards and will be showcased during a series of special events and an Award Ceremony during the second week of COP 26 in November. These projects fall within three focus areas: Climate Neutral Now, Financing for Climate Friendly Investment and Climate Leaders.
Schedule of Events at COP26
These events will take place in the Action Hub, located in SSE Hydro Building of the conference venue and are open to all registered participants attending COP26. For those at home, we'll stream these events live on the UNFCCC website.
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Tuesday 9 November
13:00 - 13:30
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Action Hub – COP 26 Venue, SSE Hydro building
Climate Leaders Special Event
Organized by UN Climate Change, this event focuses on transformational efforts by governments at every level (national, provincial, state, city, town) that are moving the needle on climate change. This event will showcase the three winning projects of the 2021 UN Global Climate Action Awards, under the Climate Leaders focus area. This event is open to all registered participants at COP 26.
The following award-winning projects will present their climate solutions:
- City of Paris | France: By 2050, the City of Paris aims to reduce local emissions by 100%, achieving the goal of zero emissions in Paris, promoting an 80% reduction in the carbon footprint of Paris compared to 2004 levels.
- Samsø | Denmark: Denmark’s municipality of the island of Samsø has completely transformed its energy system from fossil fuels to renewable energy, becoming the world’s first renewable energy island.
- Metropolitan Area of Guadalajara | Mexico: The Metropolitan Area of Guadalajara Climate Action Plan, launched at the end of 2020, is the first instrument of its kind, built on a metropolitan scale in Mexico and within the C40 Network.
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Tuesday 9 November
15:00 – 16:30
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Action Room 1 – COP 26 Venue, SSE Hydro building
Special Event for 2020 Winning Activities
This event is an opportunity for the 2020 winners of the UN Global Climate Action Awards to participate in COP 26 and present their innovative climate solutions to the world. Due to the fact that COP 26 was postponed last year, this is the first opportunity for the 2020 winning activities to bring their solutions to a global audience in-person.
Winners of the 2020 UN Global Climate Action Awards:
- Climate Neutral Now: Interface, Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Signify, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport;
- Financing for Climate Friendly Investment: Payments for Environmental Services Program, The Luxembourg Green Exchange, Global Himalayan Expedition, C40 Cities Finance Facility;
- Women for Results: Elemental Excelerator, Nature-Based Solutions to Increase Urban Adaptability, Health In Harmony, Bioplanet Programme, RISE2030
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Wednesday 10 November
18:00 - 19:30
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Action Hub – COP 26 Venue, SSE Hydro building
2021 UN Global Climate Action Awards Ceremony
This marquee event is a moment of celebration at COP26 to recognize the exceptional 11 winners of the 2021 UN Global Climate Action Awards.
This event is expected to be one of the most dynamic and exciting events at COP 26, with inspiring speakers, videos, photography, and a musical performance.
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Thursday 11 November
11:00 - 11:30
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Action Hub – COP 26 Venue, SSE Hydro building
Financing for Climate Friendly Investment Special Event
This event will recognize how innovation is playing a key role in unlocking financial resources, resulting in greater institutional capacity to fund activities that promote low-carbon growth and highly resilient communities.
The following award-winning projects will present their climate solutions:
- SunFunder | Africa: The leading debt-financing provider for distributed solar in Africa and other emerging regions, bringing access to energy and long-term climate investments. To date, it has closed over USD 150 million in loans to 57 solar companies.
- Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance | Multi-regional: The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance network accelerates well-designed financial instruments that can unlock billions towards a sustainable, inclusive, net zero economy, while also reducing private investors’ risks.
- Energise Africa | Africa: A UK crowdfunding platform enabling people to support renewable energy projects (home solar) in Sub-Saharan Africa. To date, it has raised over £25 million in investments from everyday people putting their money to work for climate action and the SDGs.
- IFC renewable energy projects in the West Bank and Gaza | State of Palestine: The first private sector investments in domestic power supply to help jump-start renewables and support economic development in the West Bank and Gaza, supported by the International Finance Corporation.
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Thursday 11 November
13:00 – 13:30
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Action Hub – COP 26 Venue, SSE Hydro building
Climate Neutral Now Special Event
This event will recognize efforts by companies that are achieving real results in transitioning to climate neutrality. Here, we will showcase four of the 2021 UN Global Climate Action Awards winners, under the Climate Neutral Now focus area.
The following award-winning projects will present their climate solutions:
- Microsoft | Global: Carbon neutral since 2012, Microsoft is now committing to remove from the environment all the carbon the company has emitted either directly or by electrical consumption since it was founded in 1975 by 2050.
- Taylors of Harrogate | United Kingdom: An independent family tea and coffee business whose carbon neutral product certification is from ‘field to supermarket shelf’ accounting for all the emissions from cultivating, processing and shipping its tea and coffee.
- ICA Gruppen | Sweden: Sweden’s leading food retailer is going beyond climate neutrality to achieving a net zero impact from the Group’s own operations by 2030 and cutting the climate impact from customers’ grocery purchases in half by 2030.
- House of Baukjen | United Kingdom: A London-based fashion house whose business and operations follow in every way the circular economy ideal, from production to materials being cycled, and does so while being carbon negative.
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