First Annual High-level Ministerial round table on just transition

03 Dec. 2023

15:30h - 18:30h

GST/UTC+4

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

Plenary 1

English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish

Link to Webcast

First Annual High-level Ministerial round table on just transition

03 Dec. 2023

15:30h - 18:30h

GST/UTC+4

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

Plenary 1

English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish

Link to Webcast

Mandate

The Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement at its fourth session decided to convene, as part of the work programme on just transition, an annual high-level ministerial round table on just transition, beginning at the fifth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (Decision 1/CMA.4, para 53)

Objective

Decision 1/CMA.4, paragraph 50, affirmed that sustainable and just solutions to the climate crisis must be founded on meaningful and effective social dialogue and participation of all stakeholders and noted that the global transition to low emissions provides opportunities and challenges for sustainable economic development and poverty eradication.

The decision also emphasized in its paragraph 51 that just and equitable transition encompasses pathways that include energy, socioeconomic, workforce and other dimensions, all of which must be based on nationally defined development priorities and include social protection so as to mitigate potential impacts associated with the transition.

In that context, the annual high-level ministerial round table on just transition will provide a platform for a political discussion on framing and implementing just transitions and on the scope and direction for the work programme on just transition pathways.

Participation and Format

Please note that owing to limited capacity of the venue, participation and attendance in the high level event is strictly by registration. Details on the registration to Parties were shared directly with National Focal Points. Please note that, while the ministerial round table is open to all Parties, owing to the limited capacity of the meeting room, access to Parties will be limited to one minister or deputy minister or head of delegation, plus one accompanying member of the delegation.

Tickets for the annual high-level ministerial round table on just transition:

Participants registered* to the event can collect the tickets for the high level event from Service Hub North on Friday, 1 December, 15:00 - 18:00 and Saturday, 2 December, 09:00 - 18:00.

The first annual high-level ministerial round table on just transition will also be webcast. Webcast link will be made available here in due course. Interpretation in the official languages of the United Nations will be provided.

*Parties and Observers registered by submitting the names of the nominated two participants as per the communication sent on Saturday, 25 November.

Provisional Programme

Time

Session

15:30 – 15:40

Welcoming address by Co- Chairs

H.E. Minister Roselinda Soipan Tuya, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry
H.E. Minister Eamon Ryan, Minister for the Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport.

Keynote Address by

H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, President of COP 28, CMP 18 and CMA 5
H.E. Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC secretariat

15:40 – 16:00

Scene-setting presentations

Nicholas Robins, Professor in practice, Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, London School of Economics and Political Science
Manal Shehabi (Dr.), Associate Faculty Member, Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Oxford; Founding Director, SHEER Research and Advisory Ltd.
NGOs representatives
o   Adriana Chavarría Flores (RINGO)
o   Hossain Md Zakir (FARMERS)
o   Patrick Rondeau (TUNGO)
o   Havi Bhalla (LGMA)
o   Yun Fang Wu (YOUNGO)
o   Bridget Burns (WGC)
o   Jacob Ocharan (ENGO)

16:00 – 18:15

Round table discussion

Moderation – Co- Chairs

H.E. Minister Roselinda Soipan Tuya, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry
H.E. Minister Eamon Ryan, Minister for the Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport.

Guiding questions:

What are the critical just transition priorities and actions at the national level to catalyse a systems transition by 2030 to keep the Paris Agreement goals, including the 1.5°C goal, within reach?
What are the actionable solutions, barriers, and opportunities in addressing the energy, socioeconomic, workforce and other dimensions of just transitions?
How can the work programme on just transition under the Paris Agreement support policy measures to promote/enable international economic cooperation, including trade, to address the implementation challenges and amplify the opportunities of the transitions so it can be ambitious, effective and leave no one behind?

Format:

The dialogue will be held in a round table setting and will be facilitated by two ministerial co-chairs.
Once the round table discussion opens, ministerial co-chairs will open the floor for interventions and invite Ministers with raised flags to speak, with priority given to Ministers speaking on behalf of groups of Parties, then to Ministers speaking on behalf of Parties, then to Party representatives.
Interventions should be limited to three minutes. Parties should note that otherwise it may not be possible to accommodate all speakers in the allocated time.

18:15– 18:25

Summary of discussion

Ministerial Co-Chairs

18:25 – 18:30

Closing remarks

H.E. Amb. Majid Al Suwaidi, Director General and Special Representative of COP28

For any inquiries on the event, please contact the secretariat by email at jtwp@unfccc.int