COP26 Charter of Actions: Virtual Stakeholder Roundtable on Nature-based Solutions

Accelerating economic growth along with equitable recovery is fundamental to sustainable development and climate action. Under the presidency of United Kingdom in partnership with Italy, the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), to be held from 1–12 November 2021 in Glasgow will aim at mobilising action on climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience, and aligning them with sustainable development goals.

On 26 August 2021 | 15.00 hrs - 16.30 hrs

We invite you to attend the virtual roundtable event titled 'Nature-based Solutions: An Opportunity to be Explored' on August 26th (Thursday) from 15.00 to 16.30 IST.

Keeping in view the importance of COP 26, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) is preparing the COP26 Charter of Actions that will be a document presenting the questions and solutions in respect of key sectors in India. This roundtable is being organized under the banner of TERI's flagship Track II initiative the ‘World Sustainable Development Summit'. The Charter will recommend action in areas where there is a scope for raising ambition and offer sector specific solutions. It will also propose a framework for a global agenda on climate ambition and action. Five themes have been identified as key areas for raising ambition. These include energy, clean transport, nature-based solutions, adaptation & resilience, and green finance. The Charter activities are supported by the British High Commission, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation and TATA Cleantech Capital.

Technological solutions for mitigating and adapting climate change are expensive and are difficult for developing and poor countries to implement. Nature based Solutions (NbS) are cost effective, sustainable and long-term solutions to mitigate and adapt climate change. Placing Nature-based Solutions at the centre of India’s economic planning can go a long way in helping build back a more resilient and healthy economy after the COVID-19 pandemic fallout in the country. Further, agro-forestry if managed in a climate smart manner then has a potential of achieving 2/3rd proportion of India’s forestry sector NDC targets. They can also improve community resilience and enhance mitigation through e.g. carbon sequestration and reduced mineral fertilizer needs as recommends the National adaptation strategies (NAS) and plans (NAP). Thus, there is a need to understand the sectoral NbS approaches, with a special focus on agro-forestry sector, cost effectiveness of these solutions and the policy paradigm to undertake bold actions to conserve, restore and sustainably manage nature for climate mitigation and adaptation as well as achieve the SDGs.

With the above background, a stakeholder roundtable will be organized with the following objectives.

(1) Engage with stakeholders and experts on nature based solutions to solicit feedback for the COP26 Charter of Actions.
(2) Solicit inputs from stakeholders and experts on aspects related to implications for the international community, equity, actions by 2030, and actions by 2050.