Climate Matters

Sustainable finance is our best chance to save the future. If ambitious enough, the EU taxonomy can support the sectors in which investments are made and prevent greenwashing. The podcast aims to raise awareness of the challenges of the European taxonomy of green activities through a debate with actors from the private sector and also with a member of the platform on sustainable finance. Do not miss our latest podcast on how the EU Taxonomy can have an impact to build a more sustainable economy!

The ECT is an International Investment Agreement signed in 1994 shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall and came into legal force in 1998. There was a desire/need to facilitate the development of energy resources, promote energy security and encourage economic integration in former Soviet Union countries, a collection of states met to establish a model for energy cooperation. Modernisation is incredibly important because without it will be difficult to maintain current climate goals. Today we’ll be discussing the history of the ECT, what it does, and the process of modernisation. We’ll also be giving insights into what GCE is doing with regard to the ECT. 

Urban forester Cecil Konijnendijk shares insights on building greener, healthier cities through Nature-based solutions!Check out our dedicated webpage with additional resources.

How do we make nature-based solutions truly inclusive? Sean Bradley shares powerful insights on building trust, centering communities, and making NbS work with people, not just for them.You’ll find this episode, with extra resources and materials, on our dedicated webpage.

Greenwashing is a problem we face every day as citizens and consumers. Politicians and companies can make "green claims" to mislead us into supporting ineffective or even harmful policies and products. Follow our COP team as we discuss how to spot and avoid greenwashing with guest insights from the energy and textile industries!

Biodiversity is an often overlooked aspect of the climate and environmental emergency that we face. It shouldn't be so! Protecting and fostering biodiversity is both a challenge and an opportunity for the ecological transition. Tune in to the second COP Series episode to learn all about this fascinating topic!

COP28 was held from 30 November to 13 December 2023 in Dubai, UAE. It included the first ever "Global stocktake" assessing our progress in slowing climate change. Join us as we exchange with youth delegates who took part in the event, to understand the controversy surrounding it and unpack its outcomes.

The Bonn Climate Change Conference, or SB58, took place from 5 to 15 June 2023. Its aim was to vote on the agenda of COP 28 and prepare draft decisions to be adopted then, in December 2023. It is a crucial but often overlooked part of the COP process. Two of GCE's members took part in the discussions in Bonn - join us to find out how everything went down!

During the 48th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which started on the 13th of September and ended on the 11th of October 2021, 47 member states discussed some urgent human rights issues, such as the crisis in Afghanistan and climate change. The members also adopted several resolutions - one of which is the Declaration for a right to a healthy environment that we are discussing today.  Tune in to find out more about the historical context of this declaration, why it is important and what GCE is doing.

In September, the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen,  announced the Year of Youth 2022. In her speech, she talked about the "ALMA" program, to allow young people to acquire skills, create links and forge their own "European identity". In addition, the President insisted that the European Green Pact and the Next Generation EU Recovery Plan should be seen as “protecting the future” of young people. This was all welcomed by EP’s Culture and Education committee chairwoman, Sabine Verheyen. Our hosts discussed the project as a whole, as well as giving their insight with regards to what we think its impact would be on the young generations.

GCE Member Michelle Stitz interviews Rod Keenan, Professor, and Chair of Forest and Ecosystem Sciences at the University of Melbourne, and climate activist Amos Amanubo to have a conversation about the value and necessity of forests in modern and urban societies. Looking at the link between the COVID019 pandemic, zoonotic diseases, and deforestation - this episode unpacks the state of the world's forests at the moment as well as what can and needs to be done in the future to preserve and protect but also to sustainably use forests.