Economic Diversification in the context of climate actions: Leveraging on emerging technologies

Venue: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Date: 12 October 2023

Organized at the Middle East and Northern Africa Climate Week 2023 by the KCI

 

Background

Traditionally, economic diversification was applied as a strategy to encourage positive economic growth and development. In the context of climate change, it takes on a new relevance as a strategy to build economic resilience and economic growth by making essential diversifications in economies towards more sustainable and climate-resilient development. Further, emerging technologies are playing an essential role to integrate aspects of economic diversification, to meet the Paris Agreement goals and to build economic resilience to impacts of responses to climate change.

This event aims to showcase some of strategies which have been adopted in the region to diversify the economy with an aim to sustain the economic development while taking adequate actions towards meeting their climate commitments, and how the emerging technologies like CCS and hydrogen are playing the critical role in this context.

 

Mandate

Economic diversification and transformation, and just transition of the workforce and the creation of decent work and quality jobs, are two of the work programme areas of the forum on the impact of the implementation of response measures.

Upon adopting the recommendation from the forum pertaining to activity 2 of the six-year workplan of the forum, the COP 27, CMP 17 and CMA 4 requested UNFCCC secretariat to, while noting that national circumstances differ, conduct peer-to-peer learning, where possible, to facilitate planning and implementation of effective policies: on just transition of the workforce and creation of decent work and quality jobs; and on economic diversification and transformation, focusing on challenges and opportunities from the implementation of low greenhouse gas emission policies and strategies towards the achievement of sustainable development.

 

Agenda

1. Opening remarks (Peter Govindasamy, Co-Chair of the KCI)

2. Scene setting (Kusum Lata, Team Lead, UNFCCC)

3. Panel discussion (Moderated by Peter Govindasamy, Co-Chair of the KCI)

Panelist:

  • Mohamed Osama Atia (Egypt)
  • Tamim Alothimin (Ministry of Energy, KSA)
  • Heinz Sturm (ICEPS - CTC BONN / CLIMATE TECHNOLOGY CENTER)
  • Mohammad Ayoub (Climate Policy Specialist, Ministry of Energy, KSA)

4. Closing

 

Webcast (will be available soon)

Presentations (will be available soon)

 

Content