In November 2021, the 26th annual summit of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties – COP26 – is being hosted by the UK in partnership with Italy.
As delegates convene in Glasgow over the course of two weeks, PML scientists are participating in, organizing and facilitating numerous ocean events, as they have done for over a decade, continuing to highlight the enormous role the ocean plays in sustaining life on Earth, regulating climate and the consequences of a high CO2 world for the ocean and society.
This will be the first COP since the 2015 Paris Agreement to offer a crucial opportunity for countries to update their national plans to reduce emissions and protect the planet.
PML is a UNFCCC Observer Organisation with activities in the accredited area (Blue Zone, where negotiations take place) as well as roles in the public (green) zone, around Glasgow and online.
This includes being a founding partner of the COP26 Virtual Ocean Pavilion, which is designed to raise the visibility of the ocean and showcase why the ocean matters in climate negotiations
An important focus for PML at COP26 is on explaining the impacts of climate change to inform policy decisions needed to adapt to and mitigate climate change. This includes developing technologies and novel applications in support of addressing the climate crises, including blue carbon, offshore renewable energy, carbon capture and storage, carbon dioxide removal, and related stressors such as the impact of plastics on climate change.
Our scientists also have key roles in writing UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment reports which inform COP negotiations, including the for the current sixth assessment which recently published a working group report.
For COP26 the ocean transcends across the Presidency goals, from finance to energy to nature, land, resilience, industry, transport, to cities and science and innovation. It is imperative that international decision-makers and key stakeholders understand the enormous role the ocean plays in sustaining life on Earth, and the consequences of a high CO2 world for the ocean and society. To find out more about the COP26 Presidency goals around mitigation, adaptation, finance and collaboration visit: https://ukcop26.org/cop26-goals/.
'Why the ocean matters' - PML short film
PML contributions
31.10.21
Virtual - PML UNFCCC COP26 Exhibition booth; open throughout COP26 and accessible for those registered for the Blue Zone. Visit the PML stand here
7-8pm
Virtual - Rediscovering Nitrogen: Solutions and Synergies for Climate Change, Health, Biodiversity and Circular Economy; side event. Dr Yuri Artioli attending - find out more about the related South Asian Nitrogen Hub.
01.11.21
9-10am
Virtual - COP26 Virtual Ocean Pavilion opening event; Dr Carol Turley OBE to speak. Plymouth Marine Laboratory will have a booth in the Ocean Pavilion for the duration of COP26 and is a founding partner.
In person -Earth Information Day - which provides a dialogue for exchanging information on the state of the global climate system and developments in systematic observation. Dr Marie-Fanny Racault will give a presentation on the 'Opportunities for ocean-related Earth Observations in the implementation of the Paris Agreement' during 'Earth Observation for Climate Action - Perspectives from the UK Presidency'. She will give a two-part presentation on adaptation, focusing on ocean tracking using Earth Observation - EO and the role of EO for public health (case study on Cholera risk in coastal regions). This will take place in the Pen Y Fan Plenary Room in the Blue Zone.
Virtual - Ports and their role in the blue economy; Space & Geospatial Virtual Pavilion COP26, which aims to showcase how the use of space data and location intelligence can help us to unlock significant opportunities for businesses and governments to work collaboratively in achieving carbon emission targets and to build solutions across sectors and societal challenge. Dr James Fishwick will provide a presentation in the session on Ports and their role in the blue economy.
4.45-6pm
An official UN Climate Change Conference COP26 side event, titled: Ocean solutions: Coordination and collaboration for ocean-based mitigation and adaptation. Forth Room, Blue zone. This event will showcase how action-driven trans-disciplinary science and cross-sectoral collaboration can help stakeholders adapt to the climate-induced challenges placed on the ocean and thus improve sustainable development, limiting warming to 1.5 °C, enhancing NDCs, and helping achieve Net Zero. Dr Helen Findlay will speak in the event and PML is an event partner.
High Level Marrakech Partnership Global Climate Action (HL MP-GCA) also known as the official Ocean Action Day at the COP. Professor Steve Widdicombe will speak at this important event.
3-4pm
In person - Two global crises interlinked: biodiversity loss and climate change. Actions to mitigate one should not worsen the other. A panel debate on the dilemmas of balancing conservation and protection of biodiversity whilst building offshore wind parks for renewable energy. With Dr Yuri Artioli speaking in this event in the Nordic Pavilion, Blue zone. Join online.
6pm
In person - Arctic Sea Ice, Cryosphere Pavilion, Blue Zone. Dr Helen Findlay speaking.
7pm
In person - Ocean Action Day Evening Reception, co-hosted by the UK COP26 Presidency, the High Level Champions and the Marrakech Partnership Global Climate Action on Ocean and Coastal Zones, Blue Zone. Professor Steve Widdicombe invited and attending.
06/11/21
10 am onwards
In person - Polar Ocean Day - Polar Oceans: Acidification, Warming and Freshening; Cryosphere Pavilion, Blue Zone. Dr Helen Findlay of PML lead coordinating partner. Find out more at the Cryosphere Pavilion Facebook, Twitch, YouTube and the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative YouTube
10:00 MASAO event (SCAR badges), Sian Henley
11:30 Freshening and Warming/AMOC (SAMS event)
13:00 “The Tale of Two Oceans: sharing the latest innovative approaches and evidence-based research from food webs to feedbacks to raise ambitions towards a sustainable future”. Dr Helen Findlay and Dr Angus Atkinson are speakers on this session.
The Arctic Ocean and Southern Ocean are crucial components of the Earth’s systems and play key role in regulating climate. They are home to unique ecosystems that are under serious threat from climate change impacts such as warming, acidification and freshening. These Polar oceans are already experiencing large changes in their chemistry and through continued warming will see more non-polar species moving into them resulting in altered ecosystem function, and knock-on consequences for food webs, fisheries, and climate regulation. This session will highlight the latest scientific findings as well as the innovative tools and techniques towards improving and broadening access and understanding of these remote and challenging locations. It will provide insight into some of the lesser known but highly significant impacts of climate change in the Polar Oceans and subsequent wider environmental and societal impacts towards raising ambition for reducing emissions.
14:30 “Polar Acidification Deep Dive” including Paleo, Libby Jewett
16:00 Impacts on Polar/Near-polar Fisheries and Food Systems (FAO)
18:00 Triple Threat to Polar Oceans (Summary event), PML Dr Helen Findlay
19:30 Cryosphere Cèlidh: Sea Songs
10.30-11.30AM
In Person - Ocean Decade in the Asia Pacific, panel on key ocean knowledge challenges in the region, with a focus on ocean acidification, Japan Pavilion, Blue Zone. The objective of this event is to showcase the diverse ways in which the Ocean Decade can affect climate action at the national and regional level in the Asia Pacific region, including in Pacific SIDS. Professor Steve Widdicombe will speak on the ocean knowledge challenge in the Asia Pacific region.
12-12:15pm and 3:45-4pm
Royal Society Green Zone exhibition stand - drop-in video call Q&A session – virtual session on in person exhibition - hosted via Zoom and streamed live to the exhibition floor; Green Zone. Gemma Kulk is one of the experts in the Q&A, following her contributions to the 'Our Breathing Earth' exhibit.
2:15-3:30pm
In person - Seaweed as a Nature-Based Solution for Climate Change; SDG Pavilion Blue Zone. This session will discuss how seaweed, or marine macroalgae, can be a significant nature-based climate solution with large scaling potential that can directly sequester carbon and indirectly displace greenhouse gas emissions in numerous ways. Moreover, sustainable seaweed production and farming has clear economic and ecological co-benefits that make it a form of “charismatic carbon” and a holistic nature-based climate solution. Discussions will centre on the UN Global Compact recently launched ‘Seaweed as a Nature-based Solution for Climate Change’ vision statement. This meeting will be livestreamed from COP 26 via zoom with Professor Steve Widdicombe a panellist.
07/11/21
12-1pm
In person - Protecting the Planet's Oceans - EXTREME Hangout (located on The Ferry). Lauren Biermann will be speaking on plastics and climate. The event can be followed online through registering for free with the Extreme Hangout.
In person - EU Ocean Day, EU Pavilion, Blue Zone. Dr Ana Queiros will be speaking and PML is an event partner.
10.45am
In person - Expand ocean acidification observing capacity to take action; SDG Pavilion, Blue Zone. This event is intended to follow up on the open letter to the President of COP26. Dr Carol Turley OBE and Prof Steve Widdicombe will speak.
Friday 12 February 3pm GMT the high level ‘COP26 Virtual Ocean Pavilion Closing Event: Working Together For Our Incredible Blue Planet’ with speakers:
Dr. Hide Sakaguchi, President, Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation
Ambassador Peter Thomson, UN Secretary-General Special Envoy for the Ocean
Ms. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat
Ms. Sue Wells, International Coral Reef Society (ICRS) Conservation Committee
Prof. Hans-O Pörtner, Co-Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - Working Group II
Dr. Helen Findlay, North East Atlantic - Ocean Acidification Hub Coordinator, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK
Mr. Tiago Pitta e Cunha, CEO, Oceano Azul Foundation
Mr. Ariel Hernán Troisi, Chair, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO
Simply log in at https://cop26oceanpavilion.vfairs.com// and from the top menu click Programme and 12 November.
Not able to join? You can view the sessions below on demand following Friday until December 12.
修改评论