IDRC is among the organizations proudly representing Canada at the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), November 6–18, 2022, in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. A key gathering of the international climate change community, COP brings parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UNFCCC.
This year’s COP marks the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the UNFCCC. Over the past three decades, climate change has moved from occupying a relatively small place on the international agenda to becoming a global priority as the pace of climate change and its impacts have reached alarming levels.
IDRC has long recognized the importance of meaningful action to address climate change, including through Southern research that informs solutions to this global problem. Our innovative programming and collaborative partnerships seek to address the multidimensional development challenge that climate change represents.
As an official UNFCCC observer, IDRC is participating in a range of activities during COP27, including special events and expert panels. IDRC-supported researchers and partner organizations will share their work, highlighting how research investments foster innovation in climate adaptation, build resilience and contribute to evidence-based solutions and policy development.
As the host country, Egypt has designated several thematic days for focused discussions. On Gender Day, for example, IDRC is hosting an event at COP27’s Canada Pavilion. The session will focus on forward-looking insights on integrating gender equity and women’s empowerment into climate adaptation and mitigation interventions in the Global South.
This is only the fifth time that the annual COP gathering is being held in Africa. COP27 thus provides an opportunity for Africa to show its leadership in climate action and for African researchers to call attention to the vital contributions they are making towards building a more inclusive, sustainable world.
IDRC and partner activities at COP27
Tuesday, 8 November
Climate adaptive heat action plans for vulnerable communities
17:30–18:15 EET | Hatshepsut
Hosted by Integrated Research and Action for Development
Wednesday, November 9 (Finance Day)
From learning to influence: The effectiveness and impact of youth capacity-building initiatives
11:30–12:30 EET | Fourth Capacity-building Hub
Hosted by the UNFCCC Regional Collaboration Centre-Kampala, United Nations University, Fundación Avina and IDRC
Launch of a new research project “Strengthening loss and damage response capacity in the Global South”
13:30–15:00 EET | Bangladesh Pavilion
Hosted by the International Centre for Climate Change and Development, and IDRC
Achieving climate-resilient development in Africa and Asia
16:45–18:15 EET | Thebes, room 150
Hosted by the University of East Anglia and the National Council for Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Public Leadership-India
Inclusive NDC financing – opportunities and challenges for Africa
17:00–18:00 EET | NDC Pavilion
Hosted by the Africa Research and Impact Network
Thursday, November 10 (Science and Youth Day)
Financing the global just transition and the need for combining detailed and high-level approaches
11:30–13:00 EET | Hatshepsut, room 300
Hosted by NewClimate Institute for Climate Policy and Global Sustainability, Fondation Jean-Jaurès, Observer Research Foundation and IDRC
Climate change in Africa: What will African climate-resilient development look like?
15:00–16:30 | South Africa Pavilion
Hosted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Informal consultation l Health and climate change priorities and potential outcomes for COP28
18:00 EET | UNFCCC Lotus room
Hosted by Wellcome, WHO, the Ministry of Health and Prevention of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Reaching the Last Mile, GLIDE, and the UAE’s Office of the Special Envoy for Climate Change
Friday, November 11 (Decarbonization Day)
Science-policy-implementation interface for food systems transformation and NAP (national adaptation plan) implementation in the Middle East and Africa
11:45–13:00 EET | SDG Pavilion
Hosted by UNDP, the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in the United Arab Emirates and IDRC
Unlocking finance for locally led adaptation
16:45–18:15 EET | Hapshepsut, room 300
Hosted by SouthSouthNorth
Building resilience in the East African Community and sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and opportunities
16:45–18:15 EET | Tutankhamun, room 100
Hosted by the East African Community, the African Centre for Technology Studies, Conservation International and Frankfurt School of Finance and Management
Elevating youth voices on climate action
Global Centre on Adaptation and African Development Bank Pavilion
Hosted by AGI
Saturday, November 12 (Adaptation and Agriculture Day)
Locally led adaptation: bringing the local agenda forward
9:30–1100 EET | Benelux Pavilion
Hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Voices for Just Climate Action and CDKN
How to implement food systems change
12:00–13:30 EET | Australian Pavilion
Hosted by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
A food system in crisis: Gender equitable responses to build climate resilience
13:30–14:30 EET | Canada Pavilion
Hosted by Canadian Foodgrains Bank
Adaptation Futures 2023: Time to innovate, adapting together
14:45–15:45 EET | Canada Pavilion
Hosted by Ouranos
Monday, November 14 (Water and Gender Day)
Driving gender equality through climate action
9:00–10:00 EET | Canada Pavilion
Hosted by IDRC
Appropriate framework for multi-stakeholder engagement to support youth and women innovators and entrepreneurs in implementing climate solutions in Africa
10:00–11:00 EET | UN Climate Change Global Innovation Hub
Hosted by United Nations University and IDRC
Tuesday, November 15 (Energy and Action for Climate Empowerment Day)
Reaching resilience: African solutions for the African continent
9:00–10:00 EET | Africa Resilience Hub
Hosted by the Africa Resilience Hub
Enhancing gender-responsive adaptation and integration of sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender in climate policies
11:30–13:00 EET | Khufu, room 300
Hosted by the United Nations Population Fund, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, UNDP and IDRC
Youth-led solutions: Putting people and the planet first through innovations from the Global South
12:35–13:35 EET | Children and Youth Pavilion
Hosted by UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited and the Impulsouth alliance consisting of the United Nations University, Fundación Avina, FLACSO Ecuador and IDRC
A conversation about climate literacy and mobilities in Africa
13:00–14:30 EET | Climate Mobility Pavilion
Hosted by the African Climate Mobilities Initiative
A food system in crisis: Gender equitable responses to build resilience to climate and other shocks
18:30–20:00 EET | Khufu, room 300
Hosted by Canadian Foodgrains Bank and the Evangelical Fellowship of India Commission on Relief
GLOCAL: Innovative financing for scaling-up adaptation in Africa
18:30–19:45 EET | MDB Pavilion
Hosted by the African Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank and the Africa Research and Impact Network
Wednesday, November 16 (Biodiversity Day)
Putting youth innovation and entrepreneurship at the heart of Africa’s low carbon transition
11:00–12:30 EET | Africa Pavilion
Hosted by the UN Economic Commission for Africa, World Resources Institute and IDRC
Inclusive green finance: How central banks are promoting financial inclusion for climate resilience and mitigation
15:30–17:00 EET | Benelux and EIB Pavilion
Hosted by the Alliance for Financial Inclusion
Progress and approaches of capacity building for NDC (nationally determined contribution) implementation: Perspectives from the Global South
15:40–16:40 EET | Fourth Capacity-building Hub
Hosted by the Paris Committee on Capacity-building
