Is the United Nations Ready to Deal With Climate Tipping Points?
About this event
The world is entering an era of climate overshoot, with a significant risk of crossing various planetary boundaries and tipping points with the potential to result in large-scale climate shocks, impacting water, food, and ecosystems. As global temperature increase surpasses 1.5°C, impacts will increasingly cascade across borders. No country can deal with these problems alone.
At the same time, the global community and the multilateral approach to dealing with climate change is facing a retreat from globalization and international cooperation, including reduced funding for international development and the United Nations. Meanwhile, the UN80 Initiative is examining how the UN system can be reformed and reorganized to foster synergies, strengthen implementation, and improve coherence. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is part of this overhaul and faces its own challenges: the shift from negotiation to implementation of the Paris Agreement; budgetary pressures; and the impacts of geopolitical tensions.
The 2025 International Court of Justice advisory opinion underscores Parties’ obligations to deliver on their commitments under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement and to enhance international cooperation.
This panel will explore whether the UN system, including the UNFCCC, can deal with the consequences of crossing tipping points and resultant climate impacts. Or is a new approach needed? A 2024 proposal for the creating a Climate Change Council pointed to the need for a new body to provide stronger climate governance; expedite decision making; better coordinate key actors, fragmented processes, and mechanisms; and raise climate finance.
Moderated by Kaveh Guilanpour, Vice President of International Strategies at C2ES, confirmed panelists include, in alphabetical order:
Sue Biniaz, former Principal Deputy Special Envoy for Climate for the United States
Cassie Flynn, Global Director of Climate Change, UNDP
Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, former COP20 President, Global Leader of Climate & Energy at WWF.
Additional speakers will be announced soon
Please arrive early to guarantee your seat. If you are unable to attend this event in person, please register here for the livestream.