WBCSD at COP: Delivering business impact on the road to COP30
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the Brazilian Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS) partnered in April 2024 to deliver impactful business engagement and actionable outcomes toward UNFCCC COP30.
WBCSD has put in place an 18-month strategy that will mobilize the private sector in delivering a high-ambition climate-action agenda and to drive implementation.
At the heart of the WBCSD and CEBDS partnership and WBCSD’s COP engagement strategy is a commitment to support the COP Presidencies by mobilizing business action and developing major outcomes in key value chains that would not be achievable without business engagement, commitment and action.
By acting across all three Rio Conventions (COPs), WBCSD and partnering with CEBDS, WBCSD will drive private sector support of “Mission 1.5°C”, launched by the Troika of UNFCCC COP Presidencies.
Driving Business Transformation
As a global organization of 230+ businesses determined to drive systems transformation, WBCSD brings the voice of the business community to the heart of the trio of COPs (UNCBD COP16, UNFCCC COP29, UNCCD COP16) in 2024 and importantly towards UNFCCC COP30 next year.
Joined by leading figures from the worlds of business, policy, science and academia, WBCSD offers a roadmap for business transformation to advance our collective goals within the framework of the global sustainability agenda.
The COPs are a series of steppingstone events for driving outcomes and showcasing business action.
The Opportunity
WBCSD is working across all Rio Conventions to drive outcomes of the business community by supporting its members effective engagement at the COPs and represent ambitious businesses on a global scale.
At the COPs we will drive outcomes and showcase action through:
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- Agenda-setting: Playing a key role in guiding the business agenda and demonstrating alignment with COP priorities.
- Advocacy: Influencing and shaping political outcomes.
- Collective action & accountability: Maintaining and building momentum around our collective efforts and demonstrating credible action and implementation by businesses.
- Capability: Convening members to accelerate action and collaboration within the WBCSD community.
Road to COP30 in Brazil
- The three COPs happening in 2024 are crucial milestones on the road to COP30, which will be held in Belém, Brazil, in 2025.
- Parties are expected to present updated and more ambitious climate commitments, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), to align with the 1.5°C temperature limit.
- COP30 will underscore the critical connection between nature and climate action, showcasing how preserving natural ecosystems and respecting indigenous and local knowledge are essential for effective climate solutions.
- It is critical that WBCSD and its members use the road to COP30 and opportunities to engage with governments and other leaders to advance progress toward a net-zero, nature-positive, and more equitable world.
Overview of COP engagement
UNCBD COP16
Cali, Colombia
21 October – 1 November
At COP16, Governments will come together to review the state of implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Parties to the Convention are expected to show the alignment of their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) with the Framework, work to develop the monitoring framework further and advance resource mobilization. It’s a moment to operationalize how to govern the equitable sharing of benefits using digital sequence information on genetic resources.
UNCCC COP29
Baku, Azerbaijan
11 – 22 November
The COP 28 Presidency and the incoming COP 29 Presidency are dedicated to a transparent and inclusive approach in preparation for COP 29, scheduled for 11-22 November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Throughout the year, both Presidencies will collaborate with Parties at ministerial, Heads of Delegation, and technical levels to establish a solid foundation for a successful COP 29.
UNCCD COP16
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
2 – 13 December
UNCCD COP16 will unite leaders from governments, the private sector, civil society, and global stakeholders to accelerate progress in sustainable land management. We’ll explore the vital connections between land and sustainability during high-level sessions, including a Heads of States Summit and interactive dialogues.
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WBCSD cross-cutting themes at COP
We are building a roadmap of engagement to scale impact across common themes of the Rio Conventions, including:
- Finance – A critical COP theme. The CBD includes a focus on a new Biodiversity Fund. Meanwhile the UNFCCC COP29, dubbed the ‘finance COP,’ will focus on the next Collective Quantified Goal for Finance. We are observing that governments increasingly consider private finance as critical to delivering required levels of climate and nature finance.
- Supporting SMEs and suppliers – A priority to countries increasingly looking for action across the value chain, with sufficient support for small and medium-sized businesses in order to build wider support and opportunity. The UNFCCC High-Level Champion, Nigar Arpadarai, has identified SME engagement as one of her top two priorities for COP29.
- Credible Action Plans that Drive Investment – Across the Rio Conventions, governments have been called upon to deliver action plans, on adaptation, biodiversity and mitigation. There is an opportunity for integration across these plans and that they foster the policy specificity and governance required for business to plan and unlock investment.
- Just transition and adaptation – Underpinning all these is the need for the transition to deliver for people.
WBCSD is at COP to represent the voice of business and to make sure that policy and NDCs are translated into real business action, focusing on four key themes across COPs:
- Alignmenton priority metrics and standards to demonstrate accountability and enable action.
- Business-to-business action and investment through supply chains.
- Driving implementation and investment in credible national and business action plans.
- Business support for a just transition that delivers for people and planet.
For more information about WBCSD’s COP strategy or individual COPs explore our website or contact copaction@wbcsd.org.