Wed, 4 Oct 2023 14:00 – 15:30 BST, Weston Library Lecture Theatre, Oxford, UK and online
Designing net zero governance: The moment for multilateral governance and national regulation
National net zero commitments now cover 88% of global emissions, 92% of GDP and 89% of the world’s population (Net Zero Tracker). To support this, net zero guidance and standards now exist for organisations at every level of the economy. Still, an implementation gap exists with respect to net zero regulation and implementation at the national level – and there is limited multilateral guidance on as to how nations develop and report their net zero commitments.
What would a good net zero governance look like, nationally and internationally? In this Oxford Net Zero webinar, fellows Selam Kidane Abebe and Kaya Axelsson, alongside expert contributors, will discuss national net zero regulation and the need for a multilateral guidance on net zero governance for governments. How can coordinated mandates on net zero level the playing field and accelerate innovation across regions and the private sector?
Panel:
Dr Selam Kidane Abebe, Senior Research Fellow in Net Zero Governance, Oxford Net Zero
Dr Selam Kidane Abebe is a Senior Research Fellow in Net Zero Governance at Oxford Net Zero. She also serves as legal adviser to the African Group of Negotiators on the negotiations under the UNFCCC. Before that, she worked for the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forest of Ethiopia, as the director of environmental law and policy department, where she led the development of environmental laws, policies and climate strategies of the country.
Kaya Axelsson, Head of Policy & Partnerships, Oxford Net Zero
Kaya Axelsson is a research fellow and head of Policy and Partnerships at Oxford Net Zero where she leads a team to translate research into resources, policy, and standards for defining and achieving net zero. After years working as a community organiser, Kaya moved to Oxford to work on connecting climate action communities internationally. She has earned distinction for her research on politically unlikely renewable energy coalitions. Her current research and engagement focus is on the emerging net zero governance and regulatory landscape. Kaya has served as a strategic advisor to the UN-backed Race to Zero campaign and as a technical author on the International Standard Organization’s Net Zero Guidelines. With 15 years of experience in social and environmental sustainability, she convenes and works regularly with organizations and policy leaders on their net zero strategies.
Lucilla Dias, Researcher, Oxford Net Zero
Clare Everett, Senior Global Policy Manager – Climate, CDP
‘Clare Everett is the Senior Global Policy Manager – Climate at CDP. Clare coordinates CDP’s global climate policy strategy with regional policy leads in LatAm, Europe, and APAC; manages key relationships, including the UNFCCC and the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action; and supports the development of key thematic and cross-cutting topics, alongside the provision of evidence-based insights and recommendations. Clare has worked in several positions related to environmental and/or development policy, including Transparency International and the European Commission. Clare has an MA in Advanced Chinese Studies from SOAS, University of London.’
Karla Hill, Associate Director, Political Economy & Governance, E3G
Karla has more than 20 years’ professional experience in the policy, law and governance of climate action and sustainability. She is Associate Director for Political Economy & Governance at climate change think tank E3G focused on enabling rapid, resilient and just climate transitions. She also leads the secretariat of London Climate Action Week, an annual event bringing together world-leading climate professionals and communities beyond to find practical solutions to climate change. Her previous roles include programme director at environmental law group ClientEarth and board member Greener UK alliance.
Natalie Unterstell, President of Talanoa
Natalie Unterstell is on a mission to build a net-zero and deforestation-free world. As the President of Talanoa, a policy think tank based in Brazil, she coordinates a broad multi-stakeholder platform focused on raising Brazil’s climate ambition within this decade, the Climate & Development initiative. Previously, she held positions in governments, including as the Head of Sustainable Development for the Brazilian Presidency and as Brazil’s climate and forests negotiator at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). is on a mission to build a net-zero and deforestation-free world. As the President of Talanoa, a policy think tank based in Brazil, she coordinates a broad multi-stakeholder platform focused on raising Brazil’s climate ambition within this decade, the Climate & Development initiative. Previously, she held positions in governments, including as the Head of Sustainable Development for the Brazilian Presidency and as Brazil’s climate and forests negotiator at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).She is the founder of multiple think tanks and advises several organizations on climate leadership, including currently serving as an appointed member of the Green Climate Fund’s Accreditation Panel. In 2018, she was selected for the largest all-female expedition to Antarctica, where she reaffirmed her commitment to advancing climate solutions.At Harvard, she received a Master’s in Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government. Unterstell also holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from the Fundaçao Getulio Vargas in Brazil and is an expert in Climate Adaptation Finance certified by the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management in Germany.
This event is hybrid. When you Sign up on Eventbrite you can choose to attend in-person (at the Weston Library Lecture Theatre, Oxford, UK) or online via Zoom.
This event is the first in a series organised by Oxford Net Zero’s Fellows. Other events in the series:
- Net zero and zero deforestation: Assessing the potential impacts of the EU deforestation regulation in Brazil, Wednesday 6 September 2023 14:00 – 15:30 BST
- Net zero for influenced emissions: The role of global professional service providers, Wednesday 13 September 2023 14:00 – 15:30 BST
- Learning across global regions: Comparing climate marketcraft in developing countries, Wednesday 20 September 2023 14:00 – 15:30 BST
- Onshore CO2 storage in the UK: What’s the current state of knowledge?, Wednesday 11 October 2023, 14:00 – 15:30 BST
