Row
In response to the impact of the pandemic and the challenges that countries experience in moving to low carbon transitions, the UN Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) has launched a new series of climate technology webinars.
CTCN conducted a webinar on Ensuring a Climate Resilient Recovery after COVID19, following the launch of its publication, a guidebook on addressing how to meet climate change goals while improving economic competitiveness by utilising low-carbon pathways, supply chain circularity and resilient business models. The webinar took place at the G-STIC 2021 conference.
The webinar was opened by the CTCN Director Dr. Rose Mwebaza who emphasized that Covid-19 crisis has highlighted the importance of developing more resilient, inclusive, equitable and sustainable societies and economies capable of withstanding future crises, natural disasters, and other potential threats. Mr. Sergio La Motta from CTCN Advisory Board stressed the key takeaways from the CTCN publication and set the context for the case studies and panel discussions.
The presenters shared experiences through CTCN Technical Assistances from all over the world on various important climate technology aspects including circular economy, decarbonization roadmaps in transport sector, nature based solution and new and emerging technologies like power to gas and green hydrogen. Please find the presentations below.
"While the RD&D and innovation are paving the way to new technologies like green hydrogen it is also disrupting the market by substantially reducing the cost of renewable energy technologies... Innovation is not limited to technology, it is required in the business modeling also", noted Ms. Diala Hawila from IRENA.
The case studies were followed by a panel discussion moderated by Mr. Matthew Kennedy from the CTCN Advisory Board with panelists including Ms. Diala Hawila from IRENA, Ms. Maija Bertule from DHI and Ms. Karina Larsen from the CTCN to discuss various dimensions of the growing need of climate technologies in terms of global trends, financing needs, streamlining gender, youth and innovation having the COVID-19 context in mind. Mr. Frans Snijkers chaired the overall session and in closing remarks, he made a note that COVID-19 is not only a health crisis; it is also a financial, social, and economic crisis that has exposed how countries are unprepared in terms of their response, and the guidebook by CTCN and such discussions are very timely and important to meet climate change goals while improving economic competitiveness.