Image courtesy of http://jcarbex.blogspot.com/.
The start of the Paris Conference of the Parties (COP-21) marks a turning point not just for international climate negotiations, but also for the growing number of cities, states, regions, businesses, and investors taking climate action. These sub-national and non-state actors play a vital role in enabling countries meet their climate commitments. They also generate the confidence – or the pressure – countries may need to set more ambitious emission reduction goals.
With the expansion of the Non-State Actor Zone for Climate Action (NAZCA) platform, and the inclusion of sub-national and non-state support for climate action as a key criteria for success in Paris, this conference goes further than any previous COP in recognizing the importance of new kinds of climate actors. As the spotlight on non-state and sub-national efforts grows stronger, efforts to understand and quantify their contributions to national and global mitigation goals are increasingly vital.
An abundance of recent research, much of which will be published ahead of or during COP-21, has already begun to assess the scope and impact of this activity. This Saturday, December 5, Yale University, in partnership with the Yale Data-Driven Environmental Solutions Group and the NewClimate Institute, will hold a workshop dedicated to mapping the state of analysis around climate action from cities, regions, businesses, and investors.
The workshop will explore areas of recent research around sub-national and non-state climate action; identify shared methodological challenges and data gaps; and discuss emerging and potential areas of research and collaboration on this topic. For more information, or to RSVP for the workshop online, visit: http://goo.gl/forms/pxlbO5XG5p.
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