About | Green Skills at COP | IEMA
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About the #GreenSkillsAtCOP campaign

About this campaign

Later this year at COP16 Biodiversity Summit in Colombia and the COP29 Climate Summit in Azerbaijan, countries are required to develop or update their National Action Plans.

These Plans sets out how countries will deliver positive outcomes for nature and tackle climate change;  including setting targets, putting place policies and measures, securing and allocating investment.

We are advocating that a vital aspect in delivering these action plans is investing in and developing the right education, skills and jobs.

Without green skills imbedded within each countries workforce to deliver those actions plans, sustainability policies and measures, we will never achieve global biodiversity and climate targets.

IEMAs’ Call to Action

In 2023, IEMA began efforts to raise the profile of education, skills and jobs at the COP28 climate summit. In 2024, we are stepping up our efforts by encouraging many more businesses, not-for-profit organisations and individuals to urge negotiators and decisionmakers at COP16 and COP29 to make #GreenSkillsAtCOP a priority.

We will be writing to the relevant UK Ministers and COP presidents in advance of both negotiations urging them to support and champion our campaign.

Specifically, we would like to see agreements reached at both negotiations that mandate countries to develop appropriate workforce strategies to ensure the successful delivery of their biodiversity and climate change plans.

Understanding the interdependencies of the biodiversity and climate crises is of course critical as part of this. We also recognise that there must be a ‘just transition’ for those workers and sectors which will be negatively impacted as we move to a more sustainable world. It is therefore important that appropriate capacity-building support is provided to enable this to happen.

About The COP Summits

COP or (Conference of the Parties) refers to the governance of a range of international conventions or treaties that bring together world leaders and representatives from nearly every country.

This years’ summits

COP16 – Biodiversity Summit

The 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity will be held in Cali, Colombia from 21 October to 1 November 2024.

The monitoring framework agreed at the previous conference should allow the progress of countries towards national goals and targets under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to be evaluated.

At COP16 countries are submitting revised National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) this year.

IEMA CEO, Sarah Mukherjee, and IEMA Policy & Engagement Lead for Biodiversity & Natural Capital, Lesley Wilson, will be attending COP16 as observers.

COP29 – Climate Change Summit

The 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan from 11–24 November 2024.

Nationally Determined Contributions are climate action plans being delivered to cut carbon emissions and adapt to climate impacts. Each country signed up to the Paris Agreement is required to establish an NDC and update it every five years.

At COP29, countries will be working towards the submission of revised plans for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) at COP30 in Brazil next year.

IEMA Deputy CEO, Martin Baxter will be attending COP29 as an observer.

About IEMA and CWP

IEMA is the world’s largest professional membership body for environment and sustainability professionals – with almost 22,000 members across 125 countries. We provide resources and tools, research and knowledge sharing along with high-quality formal training and qualifications to meet the real-world needs of our members. We believe that together we’re positively changing attitudes to sustainability as a progressive force for good. Together we’re transforming the world to sustainability.

To find out more, visit www.iema.net.

Content With Purpose (CWP) is a strategic content creator that works in partnership with leading member bodies and associations; engaging professionals on their industries’ contribution to sustainable development.

To find out more, visit contentwithpurpose.co.uk