Climate change is a complex, multidimensional problem involving all aspects of our environment, society and economies. Tackling it requires collaboration and coordinated action on multiple fronts:
Net zero transition
The energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources is key to fighting climate change and its impacts. It can also drive innovation, economic growth and job creation while enhancing energy security. A collaborative approach to the transition is needed to achieve a smooth, fair shift that works for everyone.
Cities & regions
Cities and local and regional governments are the first to be impacted by climate change. However, they often also lead the charge on transformation, adaptation and mitigation. It’s crucial to support them financially and through effective policy for national governments to reach their net-zero targets.
Transport
Transport is a major contributor to climate change and mitigation strategies are necessary to reduce GHG emissions globally. Strategies include electric vehicles, development of alternative fuels and promoting behavioral changes like encouraging people to work from home or use ‘active’ transport like bicycles.
Food production
Producing and transporting food creates GHGs, uses a lot of water and causes biodiversity loss, among other impacts. Climate change also further threatens our food supply, biodiversity and the benefits we get from healthy ecosystems. Climate and economic policies can play a significant role in shaping more sustainable agriculture, forestry and land use (AFOLU) sectors.
Climate finance
Public, private and alternative sources of financing are needed to support climate adaptation and mitigation in different regions and sectors, especially the least-developed areas that are hardest-hit by climate change. This finance can come from carbon trading, carbon taxes, ‘green’ bonds, crowdfunding and many more sources.
Carbon farming
Actions like planting trees or restoring wetlands allow for more CO2 to be sequestered. With the right economic incentives, farmers and landowners can play a significant role in this by adapting how they manage and use their land. However, carbon markets are complex and require expertise to navigate and assess the pros and cons.
Communication & dissemination of knowledge
Public interest in science is growing all the time, and research is key to shaping policy, sustainable business models, and education, among many other actions. However, scientists often lack the knowledge, experience, and tools to communicate in a way that non-scientific audiences can understand, relate to, and ultimately act upon. There’s also a need for more reliable, joined-up and accessible information to combat disinformation and fake news – and so people and organisations can take informed decisions.
Behavioural & structural change
For any of the above to be possible, we need to make big changes to our behaviour at individual and collective levels. This requires coordinated actions to understand drivers of and barriers to behavioural change and how we can impact them through policy or communication actions. At the same time, there’s a need for structural changes to our models of government, economies and societies. This dual focus reflects the understanding that lasting change requires shifts in individual actions as well as in the broader systems and structures that shape society.
Just transition
The Just Transition framework aims to ensure nobody is left behind in the shift to sustainable economies. Key aspects include securing the livelihoods of workers in transitioning industries, helping them reskill or upskill, investing in affected regions and ensuring the affordability of low-carbon alternatives. The aim is to maximise the benefits of climate action while minimising negative impacts on workers and communities, recognizing that the effects of both climate change and mitigation efforts are often uneven. This is key to societal acceptance of policies and actions.
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