At COP29, the UN climate change conference, the Sant'Anna School delegation tackles climate change, transnational agreements and global environmental crises

The Sant'Anna School, accredited as an observer organisation from the 2021 edition, is taking part in COP29, the United Nations conference scheduled from Monday 11 to Friday 22 November in Baku, Azerbaijan. The delegation will address issues related to combating climate change, transnational agreements and global environmental crises as part of the conference, which aims to coordinate global efforts to implement concrete measures against the negative impacts of the changing climate.

COP29 is therefore an opportunity to promote and strengthen the concrete development of the Paris Agreement and the commitments of previous conferences in the fight against climate change. In an increasingly critical global context, COP29 offers an opportunity to discuss solutions that address both the climate crisis and environmental sustainability and global development.

The Sant'Anna School delegation is led by Marco Frey, full professor of Economics and Business Management, pro-rector for Third Mission and Technology Transfer, coordinator of the Sustainability Laboratory (SuM) and the Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Sustainability and Climate. The delegation includes Alberto Pirni, associate professor of Moral Philosophy at the Dirpolis Institute (Law, Politics and Development) of the Sant'Anna School. In addition to Marco Frey and Alberto Pirni, the delegation includes Giulia Corsini, PhD student at the Dirpolis Institute (Law, Politics, Development); Anna Maria Pesci, PhD student at the Institute of Management; Giovanni Del Re, research fellow; Manav Khanna, researcher at the Institute of Management.

Participation in COP29 represents an opportunity for researchers from the Sant'Anna School to exchange views. The conference touches on many of the research topics they deal with in their daily work, such as theupdating of the Paris Agreement and numerous transnational agreements, the concrete start of the system-wide energy transition; public and private financing to mitigate and adapt to climate change; the inclusion of civil society and the younger generation in the fight against climate change; and the role of scientific research and city governments in this challenge.

In addition to participating in the negotiations, the Sant'Anna School delegation contributes through related research topics to the discussion on environmental sustainability andefficiency of industrial processes, on the role of sustainable finance and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) criteria, on the role of circular economy in the decarbonisation of of industries and national energy systems, on resilience and the role of tourism, on agricultural policies and agri-food sustainability, on the importance of protecting and restoring biodiversity, on the concept of climate justice, the promotion of resilient societies in Africa, and, in general, on the role of institutions in the fight against climate change.
 

"Side Events" organised in which the Sant'Anna School participates at COP29. The Sant'Anna School participates in numerous ‘side events’ to contribute to the global debate on sustainability and climate change. Below are the main ‘side events’. Schedules refer to Baku. 
 

1. Monday, 11 Nov 2024 | 18:30-20:00 

   SIDE EVENT 6: Sub-national multi-actor adaptation action to inform National Adaptation Plans (NAPs)(UNFCCC side event, Blue Zone)
    

2. Tuesday, 12 Nov 2024 | 13:30-14:30

   COP29 Digital Innovation Pavilion, Blue Zone
   Digitisation for Sustainable Mobility Accelerating a Right Transition
    

3. Tuesday, 12 Nov 2024 | 18:30-20:00
   SIDE EVENT 1 (UNFCCC side event, Blue Zone)
    

4. Wednesday, 13 Nov 2024 | 10:00-11:30 am

   Intergenerational Dialogue: Strengthening Green Economy to Drive Youth Employment and Sustainability for Climate Action from a youth perspective on green economies and youth skills
   (The Commonwealth Pavilion, Blue Zone)
    

5. Wednesday, 13 Nov 2024 | 11:30-13:00

   Circular Economy and Nature-based Solutions (NBS) for the ecological and energy transition (MASE Side Event, Italian Pavilion, Blue Zone)
    

6. Wednesday, 13 Nov 2024 | 15:00-16:00

   Smart Transitions: Digitalization and Sustainability in Future Mobility Solutions
   (Institute for Digital Economy and Artificial System, (BRICS Partnership) Green Zone)
    

7. Friday, 15 Nov 2024 | 12:30-13:30

   Advancing Climate Action through Multilevel Governance: The Role of NDCs in Climate Action
   (Institute for Digital Economy and Artificial System, (BRICS Partnership) Green Zone)
    

8. Monday, 18 Nov 2024 | 13:30-15:00

   Innovative strategies for sustainable water resources management: Collaboration between actors and the role of ethics
   (MASE Side Event, Italian Pavilion, Blue Zone)
    

9. Tuesday, 19 Nov 2024 | 12:30-13:30

   Catalysing Sustainable Development: The Role of Universities and Private Sector Engagement in Sustainability
   (Institute for Digital Economy and Artificial System, (BRICS Partnership) Green Zone)
    

10. Wednesday, 20 Nov 2024 | 12:30-14:00

    Empowering Youth Through Research: Building Skills and Creating Future Leaders for a Sustainable World
    (COP29, Youth House Green Zone)