IIASA at COP29 in Azerbaijan

15 November, SPES project - ILO Pavilion, 9:00 -11:00

EU climate policies and justice: socio-economic impacts and pathways to equity
Bas Van Ruijven

The European Union (EU) is pushing forward its climate policies included in the European Green Deal (EGD), such as the Emissions Trading System (ETS), the ETS 2, and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), leading the charge to cut emissions and combat carbon leakage. Yet, these initiatives pose challenges: the ETS and the ETS 2 may result in uneven socio-economic impacts among and within Member States, and the CBAM brings up fairness concerns in global climate policies. Indeed, the EGD could lead to job losses in high-carbon industries, disproportionately impacting vulnerable workers, communities and regions reliant on these sectors for employment. Without a properly designed redistribution mechanism, carbon taxes will also disproportionately impact low-income households as they spend a higher percentage of their income on energy. Similarly, when it comes to transport, low-income households will find it difficult to cover higher transport costs, pushing people into further poverty and social exclusion if fairness considerations are not embedded in support policies.

Key policy discussions are needed on the social impacts of ETS/ETS2. These include the scope and funding of the Social Climate Fund, the Just Transition Mechanism and the Just Transition Fund, the lack of binding legislation on a just transition, and the need for additional policy and funding instruments to address existing gaps. At the same time, the implementation of CBAM must safeguard a fair transition for Global South countries affected by the EU's carbon pricing. It must tackle economic inequalities and ease the burden on these countries, while encouraging global climate action and keeping EU industries competitive. Indeed, to ensure a concrete Just Transition across Europe and the world, advanced economies must address these issues. Starting from these considerations, the panel will try to answer the following questions: how can we lessen the potential unequal effects of climate policies within the EU? And how can we enhance European climate policies and international cooperation to reduce inequalities?

15 November, EDITS - Japanese Pavilion, 15:45-17:00, RITE-IIASA event

Energy Demand changes Induced by Technological and Social innovations (EDITS)
Bas Van Ruijven

Diffusion of novel digital technologies and major social innovation trends are expected to bring about changes on the demand-side that roll-out GX in the entire socio-economy. A comprehensive evaluation of these initiatives is important in presenting the pathway to the Green Transformation of society.

This seminar will discuss the role of technological progress and social change in realizing a GX society, including a cross-sectoral perspective.

The speakers will present the frontiers in low energy and material demand knowledge and practices based on recent work from the Energy Demand changes Induced by Technological and Social innovations (EDITS) network, and explore how a demand-side transition can contribute to rapid and successful climate change mitigation.

16 November, EFC event, 12:30-13:30

EF China's LTS luncheon (www.efchina.org) at COP29 themed Synthesis Report 2024 on China’s Carbon Neutrality: Investing in the Net Zero Transition
Bas Van Ruijven 

Achieving China’s climate targets will require a fundamental transformation of the energy and economic systems, with actions both in the near- and long-term. To enable and accelerate the transformation, investments need to be scaled up in developing and deploying low-carbon technologies and replacing or upgrading existing infrastructure across all sectors from energy generation to end-use consumption. Since the announcement of the “dual carbon” goal, China has made tremendous progress in its low-carbon transition through world-leading deployment of green technologies and the rapid development of its green industries. Over the past two years, climate policies have been rolled out at a high speed in China that indicate its enhanced climate ambitions and broadened emission control scopes regarding greenhouse gas (GHG) sources as well as emitting sectors. The latest technological advancement, policy actions, and market dynamics suggest increasing near-term opportunities for accelerated transformation and emissions reductions. This report, the third in its series, addresses such new trends in China. It also evaluates future emission pathways, investment needed to enable a successful transition, and sectoral key actions and financing strategies to accelerate the investment for the transition.

16 November, Digital Innovation Pavilion, 16:30-17:30

GIS and Data Synergy: Driving Climate Solutions
Hossein Hassani

This is a unique opportunity to connect, learn, and collaborate with thought leaders and experts from organizations like the OECD, WHO, UNEP, and UNECE. Moderated by Hossein Hassani, the session will feature insights from Steve MacFeely (OECD), Ravi Shankar Santhana Gopala Krishnan (WHO), Alexandre Caldas (UNEP), Sara Stewart (UNECE) and Leila Marvian (Big Data Lab).

16 November, German Pavilion 19:00 – 21:00

German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) “Science for Action Evening”

Reinhard Mechler actively participates in an interactive workshop format, where experts discuss effective climate measures in mitigation, adaptation and financing with delegates, representatives of national and international politics and civil society. With IPCC Chairman Jim Skea and renowned experts from climate policy and research.

18 November, Digital Innovation Pavilion, 13:30-14:30

Empowering and Engaging Citizens for Climate Action Through Digital Solutions
Nadejda Komendantova, Hossein Hassani and Mohammad Reza Yeganegi

Session "Empowering and Engaging Citizens for Climate Action Through Digital Solutions" focuses on exploring the transformative potential of digital tools in driving citizen involvement in climate action. As climate change remains one of the most pressing challenges of our time, empowering individuals to take meaningful steps is crucial. This session will highlight innovative digital platforms, including IIASA's Social Intelligence Mining and the GloCha Challenges Mapping app, which enable communities to monitor, report, and participate actively in climate initiatives. These tools exemplify how technology can help gather and analyze data, visualize challenges, and mobilize collective action. By showcasing real-world examples and discussing best practices, the session aims to inspire organizations, governments, and individuals to leverage technology to foster a collaborative approach towards environmental sustainability. Attendees will leave with actionable insights on how digital solutions can enhance public engagement and collective impact in the fight against climate change.

18 November:  IVECF 2025 launch event, UNIDO Pavilion, 13:00-14:00
Bas Van Ruijven 

This launch event at COP29 in Baku will serve as the official launch and invitation for the International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum (IVECF) 2025. The event will showcase the forum's theme, "Catalyzing Climate Capital” and highlight IVECF’s crucial role in bridging discussions between major global climate and energy events in 2025.

The event will host the Mission Innovation’s  Net-Zero Industries Award, that recognizes and celebrates outstanding innovations in industrial decarbonisation. It shines a light on the people and projects that are revolutionising energy-intensive industries and driving substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Requested contribution from IIASA:

Science-Based Approaches to Climate Solutions

• Future of Energy and Climate Goals Beyond 2030
• Importance of evidence-based policymaking in climate action
• Need for equity focused effort-sharing and fair financing of needed mitigation investments.

18 November, joint UNEP-UNFCCC side event, Nasimi Amphitheatre, 13:00-14:15
Shonali Pachauri (virtually)

What we need from the next NDCs - Insights from the latest UNEP Emissions Gap Report and UNFCCC NDC Synthesis Report

This joint UNFCCC and UNEP event features high-level opening remarks from the UNEP Executive Director and the UNFCCC Executive Secretary and a presentation of the key findings of the UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2024. This will be followed by a panel discussion on what we need from the next round of nationally determined contributions (NDCs), and how we can speed up climate action and implementation this decade.

18 November, SDG Pavilion, 13:30-14:45

Closing the ambition gap: Fostering synergies between climate actions and SDG’s

Right after the opening, Luis Gomez Echeverri will be the first speaker presenting the 2024 report prepared by a group of global high level experts which he has been co-leading since 2023.

18 November, IIASA official UNFCCC side event, 15:00-16:30

A Holistic Approach to Finance for Climate-Resilient and Just Development: From Evidence to Action
Bas Van Ruijven and Reinhard Mechler

Addressing the urgent need for climate resilience and justice, the event presents a model-based assessment of equitable financial needs for mitigation, adaptation, and Loss&Damage. Taking a holistic approach, it explores how quantitative insights and justice-focused pathways can be translated into action.

Speakers: Justice scholars and finance experts from PBL, TERI, DGAP, and IIASA will present on finance needs for just adaptation and mitigation, and Loss&Damage with a keynote from Zinta Zommers. A diverse panel will respond from regional perspectives, including Non-Annex I and Annex I parties, SIDS, and LDCs.

19 November, UN Decade of Sustainable Transport 2026 – 2035, SDG Pavilion, 9:00 – 10:30
Bas Van Ruijven

Panel discussion titled “Forward-looking priority setting for integrated challenges”

Organized by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs that has been mandated to develop an Implementation Plan for the UN Decade by the General Assembly.

19 November, SDG7 Global South Pavilion, Blue Zone, Vienna Energy Club (VEC) side event, 11:00-12:00

Organizations: Austrian MFA, IIASA, OPEC Fund, OSCE, REEEP, SEforALL, UNIDO, IAEA 

[draft/TBD] Financing clean energy transitions: unlocking sustainable investment 

[draft/TBD] At COP28, Parties agreed to triple global renewable energy generation capacity, double the rate of energy efficiency improvements, and accelerate zero- and low-emission technologies. Realizing such an expansion of clean energy and efficiency improvements will require a massive scaling up of climate finance. 

This event will explore approaches and options to mobilize and direct the necessary investment in low-carbon technology, in both developed countries and emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs), accounting for considerations of fairness in global mitigation efforts and investments.  

Across two diverse panels representing international, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, speakers will share perspectives on challenges, opportunities and success stories related to financing clean energy to realize both decarbonization objectives and climate resilience, at project and policy levels. 

The discussion will cover the role of capacity building and leveraging public finances to unlock private investment, together with effective policy frameworks and regulatory environments, in financing clean energy projects. Mobilizing large scale investment by governments, the private sector, and multilateral development banks — including the potential for new partnerships, new sources of financing and new approaches to managing financial risk — will also be explored.

19 November, QAZAQSTAN Pavilion, Blue Zone and online, 11:30-13:00

Carbon Farming in Kazakhstan: Unlocking the Opportunity

A joint side-event co-organized by the Government of Kazakhstan, IIASA, BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre, and Centre for Applied Research TALAP

Keynote speaker: IIASA’s Principal Research Scholar, Professor Michael Obersteiner

This side event discusses how carbon farming and trading can support Kazakhstan’s ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 and how commercializing carbon offsetting could be organized to scale up the implementation of nature-based solutions for carbon sequestration.

More information including the full speaker list and registration can be found here.

19 November, NCSC event in China pavilion, 15:30-17:00

Bas Van Ruijven as keynote speaker at the 10th Global Climate Change Think Tank Forum, a side event at COP29 hosted by NCSC. The event will discuss the application of low-emission development strategies and model methodologies in the field of climate change. 

20 November, Spanish Pavillion, 11:30-12:30

Reimagining Urban and Global Futures: In Search for Feasible and Just Transformation Pathways
Bas van Ruijven

This event aims to bridge the gap between academic research and practitioner communities, fostering a dialogue that emphasizes the critical interplay between urban and global scales in addressing climate challenges. Cities, often seen as testing grounds for innovative climate solutions, are at the forefront of experimenting with transformative strategies. However, it is the alignment of these urban-level initiatives with broader global policies that can drive impactful change.

Additional representation:

• Alexander Nauels, Senior Research Scholar in the Integrated Climate Impacts Research Group of the IIASA Energy, Climate, and Environment Program, is among COP29 participants.
• Elisa Calliari, Research Scholar in the Systemic Risk and Resilience Research Group of the IIASA Advancing Systems Analysis Program, will attend as a member of the Italian and EU delegation to the UNFCCC and will be following Loss and Damage negotiations. She is a member of the delegation providing technical support on Loss and Damage to the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security since 2022.