The 28th edition of the UN Climate Conference, COP28, will take place from November 30th to December 12th. WRI Brasil will be present in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, participating and supporting numerous events. Follow our agenda on this summary page, which will be updated as new information is confirmed.

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Delivering food security whilst saving nature: spotlight on Brazil 

Date: 12/1, 12:30-1:30 pm (Dubai) / 5:30-6:30 am (Brasília)

Venue: Food System Pavilion 

The event aims to debate the importance and urgency of nature-compatible food systems in the Brazilian context. It will be a space to share the challenges and recent advances in policies aimed at "Food and Land Use" at national level and the efforts of civil society in these areas. In addition, the work carried out by the Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) in Brazil will be launched. Questions will then be put to the panellists so that, with different points of view, they can create a broad perspective on: i. public policies on food and nutrition security and ii. sustainable chains and their role in combating hunger and iii. agrarian development and its socio-economic impact. 

  • Moderator: Maria Netto, Executive Director, iCS 
  • Opening: Patricia Ellen, Systemiq Brasil
  • Mirela Sandrini, Director of Forests, Land Use and Agriculture, WRI Brasil 
  • Fernanda Machiavelli, Deputy Minister, Brazilian Ministry for Agrarian Development 
  • Marcelo Britto, Executive Secretary, Consortium of Governors of the Legal Amazon 
  • Juliana Lopes, Executive group, Brazil Climate, Forests and Agriculture Coalition
  • Felipe Faria, Systemiq Brasil  

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Local Climate Action Summit 

Date: 12/1 and 2

Venue: DEC North Hall – WCAS Theatre 

Live on: https://www.bloomberg.org/cop28-local-climate-action-summit/

Day 1

  • 4:15 - 5:15 pm (Dubai) – Plenary

Day 2

  • 9:30 - 11 am (Dubai) – States and Regions: Driving Local Climate Action
  • 11:30 - 12:15 am (Dubai) – PART I: Critical Impact of Mayors & Governors
  • 1:30 - 3:15 pm (Dubai) – PART II: New Solutions & Finance for Local Action
  • 3:45 - 5 pm (Dubai) – PART III: Coalitions of High Ambitions Actors

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Cities and deforestation: land-use planning and bioeconomy policies and instruments to combat deforestation 

Date: 12/2, 10:30-11:45 am (Dubai) / 3:30-4:45 am (Brasília) 

Venue: Brazil Pavillion

Live on: https://www.brasilcop.com/

Explore the relationship between urban activities and deforestation, highlighting the bioeconomy as a crucial tool in mitigating this problem. In this panel, experts will discuss how cities, as major consumers of resources, can adopt more sustainable practices, promoting the transition to an economy based on renewable biological resources. Innovative strategies related to the responsible use of resources, the strengthening of socio-biodiversity initiatives as well as policies and regulations that incentivise forest conservation and the economic development of cities will be discussed. The panel highlights the importance of a balanced approach that harmonises urban development with environmental preservation, pointing to the bioeconomy as a promising solution for reducing or solving the impact of cities on deforestation.

Speakers:

  • Moderator: Adalberto Maluf, National Secretary for the Urban Environment and Environmental Quality   
  • Jader Filho, Minister of Cities, Brazil
  • Edmilson Rodrigues, Mayor of Belém  
  • Toni Lindau, Cities Program Director, WRI Brasil
  • Angela Pinatti, Natura  
  • Rogério Gutierrez, GIZ  

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Plan for the Recovery of Native Vegetation in the State of Pará: Creating Shared Pathways

Date: 12/2, 4:45-7:00 pm (Dubai) / 9:45-12:00 am (Brasília)

Venue: Amazon Hub Pavilion, Blue Zone 

Panel 1 - Launch of the Plan for the Recovery of Native

  • Helder Barbalho, Governor of the State of Pará  
  • Rita Mesquita, Forests Secretary at the Brazilian Minister of Environment   
  • Puyr Tembé, Secreatry of Indigenous Peoples of the State of Pará 
  • Mirela Sandrini, Director of Forests, Land Use and Agriculture, WRI Brasil  
  • Maurício Bianco, Vice-President, CI Brasil

Panel 2 - Climate Investment for Large Scale Restoration in the Amazon 

  • Moderator: Bruna Pavani, Researcher at IIS 
  • José Mauro O’de Almeida, Secretary of State for Environment and Sustainability
  • Sean DeWitt, Director for Global Restoration at WRI     
  • José Otavio Passos, Amazon Director at TNC Brasil/Alliance for Restoration 
  • Ivanildo Brilhante, CNS  
  • Other panelists to be confirmed

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Accelerating Climate Action: A Minister Level Dialogue Between Africa and Latin America

Date: 12/3, 9 am (Dubai) / 2 am (Brasília) 

Venue: Colombia Pavilion, Blue Zone

High-level dialogue at the ministerial level between Latin American and African countries to increase south-south cooperation, strengthen ties and promote the exchange of knowledge and best practices between Latin American and the African regions. The event will consist of a panel where the participants will identify aspects or characteristics that make our countries more sensitive to climate change and what challenges we face in responding to climate events. Showcase common challenges and opportunities, identifying joint solutions and replicable practices.

Speakers:

  • Susana Muhamad, Colombia, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development
  • Albina Ruiz, Peru, Minister of Environment
  • Sade Fritschi, Ecuador, Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition 
  • Marco Ochoa, Guatemala, Environment Vice-Minister
  • Dr. Getahun Garedew, Ethiopia, General Director for the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) 
  • Rosalinda Soipan, Kenya, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Forestry 
  • Facilitator: Rebekah Shirley, Deputy Director, WRI Africa
  • Facilitator: Fernando Páez, Deputy Director WRI Colombia

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Just Energy Transition in the Amazon  

Date: 12/5, 12:00-1:15pm (Dubai) / 5:00-6:15am (Brasília) 

Venue: Brazil Pavillion

Live on: https://www.brasilcop.com/

Faced with the advance of fossil fuels in the Amazon, this event aims to discuss and expose solutions and problems related to decarbonisation, promoting economic and energy planning in the region, with an emphasis on the imminent climate challenges. In the Brazilian context, despite the positive discourse on renewable energies and the notable reduction in deforestation, significant investment in oil and gas jeopardises not only biodiversity, but also intensifies climate impacts, directly affecting vulnerable populations. The cohesion between environmental discourse and political-institutional practices is crucial to demonstrating the effective protection of the Amazon to the world.

Speakers:

  • Moderator: Sineia Wapichana, coordinator of the Indigenous Committee on Brazil's Climate Change and coordinator of the Department of Environmental and Territorial Management of the Indigenous Council of Roraima State 

  • Prof. Dr. Cristovão Henrique, professor at the Federal University of Acre and Strategic Director of the GeoLAB Research Institute, Geoeconomic Laboratory of South America Institute  

  • Nicole Figueiredo de Oliveira, executive director of the Arayara International Institute and national coordinator of the No Fracking Brazil Coalition 

  • Isabela Morbach, co-founder of Rede Amazônidas pelo Clima (RAC) and Counsel at Campos Mello Advogados   

  • Rafael Feltran-Barbieri, senior economist of WRI Brasil's Climate and Forest, Land Use and Agriculture programmes  

 

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The Investment Case for Nature

Date: 12/5, 12:30-2 pm (Dubai) / 5:30-7 am (Brasília) 

Venue: KPMG Pavilion 

An exclusive, hands-on workshop by the Advisory board of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. This high-level event focuses on both top-down and bottom-up approaches to investing in nature, particularly for World Restoration Flagships. This workshop is designed to be a collaborative and practical session, centering on the creation of concrete finance mini-business plans for three existing World Restoration Flagships, along with insights into two future flagship projects. 

Speakers:

  • Sarah Nelson, KPMG 
  • Tim Christophersen, Salesforce 
  • Jean-Phillippe Salcedo, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 
  • Barbara Bonfim, WWF-Brasil 
  • Mirela Sandrini, Director of Forests, Land Use and Agriculture at WRI Brasil 

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Key financial instruments for a just transition in Latin America

Date: 12/8, 1pm (Dubai) / 6am (Brasília) 

Venue: CAF Pavilion 

To comply with the Paris Agreement, it is necessary to achieve the decarbonization of the economy as soon as possible. To do this, countries must move on trajectories that lead to carbon neutrality and climate resilience. Traveling on these paths requires making changes or adjustments to the economic, educational, science, technology, and innovation systems, among others. In this event, we will discuss the existing challenges and trends in regulatory, financial actions and policies to shift towards solutions for an equitable, low-carbon, climate-resilient economies in Latin America. 

Speakers:

  • Moderator: José Luis Samaniego, CEO, WRI México and Colombia  
  • Laura Aguirre, Director General Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, Mexico 
  • Sebastian Carranza, Director of Climate Change, Ministry of Environment of Colombia  
  • Fernando Páez, Deputy director WRI Colombia 
  • Rafael Feltran-Barbieri, Senior Economist, WRI Brasil 
  • Alicia Montalvo, CAF 

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Accelerating Global Climate Actions via Subnational Leadership 

Date: 12/8, 1:30-2:30 pm (Dubai) / 6:30-7:30 am (Brasília) 

Venue: 5th Capacity-building Hub within COP28 (Blue zone) 

The session aims to showcase subnational and local climate actions from the global south and how these are driving regional and global climate action. The session will put a spotlight on select climate champions, showcase peer to peer learning best practices as well as bring out leadership voices from the global south. 

Speakers:

  • Saurabh Jain Punamiya, Net-Zero Expert Review Group, India Engagements & Climate Policy, The Climate Change High-Level Champions  

  • Master of Ceremony: Rana Pujari, Senior Manager - South Asia Government Relations, Climate Group 

  • Jane Lumumba, Africa Delivery Lead, UN High-Level Champions 

  • Punit Gandhi, Lead (Projects), Climate Centre for Cities, National Institute of Urban Affairs, India  

  • Maya Chandrasekaran, Co-founder & Partner, Green Artha 

  • Braulina Baniwa, executive director of Articulação Nacional das Mulheres Indígenas Guerreiras da Ancestralidade (ANMIGA) 

  • Aditya Thackeray, Former Environment Minister, Govt of Maharashtra   

  • Saransh Bajpai, Associate Director, Climate, WRI India

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Rights centered climate and biodiversity action in practice  

Date: 12/9, 4:15-5:15 pm (Dubai) / 9:15-10:15 am (Brasília) 

Venue: 5th Capacity-building Hub (Blue zone)  

Recognizing the critical role of rights holders, particularly those from regions like the Amazon, in the fight against these global challenges, this capacity-building event at COP28 aims to facilitate knowledge exchange between various stakeholders, including states and business representatives, and empower rights holders with tools, practices, and best practices, grounded in people-centered, rights-based, participatory approaches.  
 

Speakers:

  • Moderator: Nadia Sitas, South-South North, Climate and Development Knowledge Network & IPBES Coordinating  
  • Ravadee Prasertcharoensuk, director of Sustainable Development Foundation, Thailand 
    Josefa Tauli, Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) 
  • Braulina Baniwa, executive director of Articulação Nacional das Mulheres Indígenas Guerreiras da Ancestralidade (ANMIGA) 
  • Caroline Medeiros Rocha Frasson, co-Founder of Amazonians for Climate Network (RAC) and member of Amazonia Vox
  • Pablo Frere, executive secretary of Redes Chaco & focal point for the World Alliance for Mobile and Indigenous People, the global alliance of pastoralists, International Land Coalition 
  • Lakpa Nuri Sherpa, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact 

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Turning the Global Stocktake into Action on the Ground 

Date: 12/9, 4:45-6:15pm (Dubai) / 9:45-11:15 (Brasília)

Venue: SE Room 1, Blue Zone

Government representatives and others will explore how countries, cities and others can use a strong Global Stocktake outcome at COP28 as a jumping off point for advancing bold climate actions and policies at home, including laying the groundwork for submitting much stronger nationally determined contributions (NDCs) in 2025. Speakers will also touch on resources that will likely be available at the regional and international level to support ambitious climate action.

Co-organizers: WRI, ClimateWorks Foundation, NewClimate Institute, WWF, CAN Europe 
 
Speakers: 

  • Moderator: Niklas Höhne, NewClimate Institute  
  • Ana Toni, head of the National Secretariat for Climate Change of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Brazil 
  • Manuel Pulgar Vidal, global leader of Climate & Energy, WWF 
  • Sophie Boehm, Research Associate, World Resources Institute 
  • Angelo Kairos T. dela Cruz, Executive Director, Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities 
  • Other speakers soon

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The Amazon as the catalyst of the Brazilian economy (NEA-BR Launch) 

Date: 12/11, 12:30-1:30 pm (Dubai) / 5:30-6:30 am (Brasília) 

Venue: Panda Hub/WWF Pavilion

Watch live

The Amazon is facing a crucial tipping point of deforestation and degradation that would be devastating for Brazil and the world. Now is our last, best chance to change course and keep the precious forest standing to safeguard the future of life on Earth. The New Economy for the Brazilian Amazon report offers a roadmap for a low-carbon, deforestation-free future which positions the Amazon region as a catalyst for decarbonizing the entire Brazilian economy. The New Economy for the Brazilian Amazon is an initiative led by WRI Brasil and The New Climate Economy, in partnership with more than 75 researchers from multiple organizations.

Speakers:

  • Moderator: Cristiane Fontes, executive director, WRI Brasil 
  • Braulina Baniwa, executive director of Articulação Nacional das Mulheres Indígenas Guerreiras da Ancestralidade (ANMIGA) 
  • Rafael Feltran-Barbieri, senior economist in WRI Brasil's Climate and Forest, Land Use and Agriculture programmes

  • André Lima, Secretary for the Control of Deforestation and Environmental Territorial Planning, Ministry of Environment

  • Nabil Kadri, Deputy Managing Director of Environment, BNDES

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