While we spend every day of every year focusing on environment and sustainability, this month it’s the turn of global leaders to turn their attention to international action on climate change.
Between 6-17 November, the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change – more commonly known as COP23 – will take place in Bonn, Germany. Over two weeks, thousands of delegates from across the world will convene to discuss, debate and update on progress made since COP21 – the now defining Paris Accord.
COP23 doesn’t quite seem to have generated the same pre-fanfare of Paris in 2015 (and the less said about the approach of some nations, post-Paris, the better). But have no doubt – this is an incredibly important milestone for international politics, our environmental future and our profession.
There will be some extremely interesting movements afoot; delegates are due to create an Accord rulebook during the meetings, so future activity could be shaped by what happens in Bonn. Most crucially, world leaders and other “non‑state actors” will define the global and local profile of environmental policy and practice during these two weeks.
There will be new outcomes to action, so it will be our profession’s job to turn the rhetoric into reality, and it’s IEMA’s role to support you. You can rely on us to keep you informed while Bonn is in full swing and afterwards, as IEMA policy experts Martin Baxter and Nick Blyth will both be at the talks to host and present at key COP23 events.
They’ll be reporting to you live from Bonn with the kind of news and insight you won’t see in the mainstream media. This is a real signifier of IEMA’s enhanced profile and impact on global-level activities, and ensures that, as a member and through your role, you are uniquely connected into activities of global gravity.
There will be lots to talk about after COP23 closes its doors and even more for us to do. Together, as a membership, we’ll bring all of the talk to life.
