International collaboration to address the climate crisis: LCAW’s top speakers

The global pandemic has demonstrated that we require strong governance and international collaboration to address the climate crisis.  Our political leaders have been tested like never before – and have frequently come up short. It is clear that global cooperation is vital to build a stronger, more sustainable, and resilient recovery post Covid-19, and this will be a key theme of London Climate Action Week (LCAW), taking place from 1-3 July 2020. 

 With 60+ events hosted by world-leading climate experts & policymakers, we asked some of the top speakers about LCAW 2020, climate action and their collaborative approach to ensure successful policy outcomes.  

NICK MABEY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND FOUNDER DIRECTOR OF E3G 

Why is London Climate Action Week significant, especially this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic?  

 The COVID crisis has upended the climate diplomacy calendar and threatens to take the momentum out of global climate action. So, we want London Climate Action Week to harness the power of London-based organisations and make huge global networks to kickstart that conversation and come up with some real solutions to the challenges of driving a green recovery after COVID. 

 What do you want to happen on climate action, what changes do you dream of/would you like to see?  

 What I’d really like to see on climate action is, firstly, that we don’t spend huge amounts of recovery money on dirty industries. But, perhaps more importantly, that governments really put the green recovery at the heart of the post-COVID recovery strategy – and that means they can turn up at COP26 next year with really big new pledges of climate action backed by real money. 

 What action will you take to make this happen?   

 E3G is pivoting all of its work to address the issues around the green recovery, ranging from trying to get lots of money into big solutions like home energy efficiency, to shaping high-level debates in areas like the IMF and the G20, to rethinking the global economy so it really supports climate action. 

ISABEL HILTON, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE CHINA DIALOGUE TRUST 

Why is London Climate Action Week significant, especially this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic?  

 London Climate Action Week this year is a fantastic opportunity: to start us thinking again about our biggest challenge and to connect with our fellow Londoners to learn from their experiences and find new ways of working together. It’s so exciting after three months of being locked down and of being dominated by the pandemic. 

What do you want to happen on climate action, what change do you dream of/would you like to see? 

 The biggest change that I’d like to see is how we learn from the pandemic. Two important lessons: if it matters enough and we trust the science, we can do things we never thought were possible; people are remarkably willing to change. The second lesson is that we need cooperation, with China in particular. 

What action will you take to make this happen?   

We believe that you can’t found good policy on bad information, so at China Dialogue we publish good, sound, trusted information on China and climate action, and we try to create a level playing field of information so that we can work together on this incredibly important issue. 

DR SALEEMUL HUQ, DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT (ICCCAD)

Why is London Climate Action Week significant, especially this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic?  

London Climate Action Week is a very big event globally. We participated last year bringing messages from Bangladesh to a British audience. This year we plan to do something similar, but we’re going to do it online because we can’t travel to London. We want to bring people from Bangladesh and from the UK together to learn lessons from each other. 

What do you want to happen on climate action, what change do you dream of/would you like to see? 

The most important climate action that we need right now – and we hope Climate Action Week will be able to deliver – is for all countries to reduce their emissions and enhance their ambition to take action so that we can stay below 1.5 degrees global temperature rise. And, at the same time for vulnerable countries like mine in Bangladesh, we need the global community to step up and provide support for us to deal with the impacts of climate change.  

What action will you take to make this happen?   

I work on climate adaptation with the most vulnerable communities in Bangladesh, which is a vulnerable country. We will share our knowledge and experience with the UK and hope to learn from the UK – and the UK can learn from Bangladesh. 

International collaboration to address the climate crisis: LCAW events highlights 

The Greenhouse team is working to support E3G and more than 60 stakeholders involved in delivering London Climate Action Week, helping to share news and drive impact. 

 Some of the highlights of LCAW’s events focused on international collaboration include:  

• Roundtable: Global cooperation for a sustainable recovery – hosted by E3G. See the event page here.  
  
• Strong, Sustainable and Resilient Recovery: the evidence and a pathway to action – hosted by the London School of Economics. See the event page here.  
  
• Outrage + Optimism: Richard Curtis is getting people to make their money matter – hosted by Global Optimism. See the event page here.  
  
• Strategic Climate Litigation: Insights from Global Experience – hosted by London School of Economics. See the event page here.  
  
• Planetary Emergency Partnership Anniversary Series: Emerging from Emergency 2.0 – hosted by Club of Rome. See the event page here.  

To find out more see  London Climate Action Week: everything you need to know and for the full schedule of events visit www.londonclimateactionweek.org, or join the debate by searching #LCAW2020 and #LDNClimateAction on Twitter and LinkedIn.