Climathon Senegal: Mobilizing youth and local innovation for climate action
11:30 – 12:30 BRT
This session is about Climathon Senegal, a youth-focused climate innovation initiative that mobilises young people to develop local solutions for climate challenges in Senegal and Africa. The panel will explore how the program transforms youth enthusiasm into sustainable climate action, discuss the innovations and green businesses it has generated, and examine opportunities for scaling these solutions through South-South cooperation and international support at COP30.
Location: Senegal Pavilion
Digital Infrastructure for Systemic Climate Action: Building the Market for Regional Transitions
15:30 – 16:30 BRT
How can digital public infrastructure unlock systemic climate action? This session explores how open digital systems like CityCatalyst and key initiatives like URBind connect cities, industry, and finance—turning data into investable portfolios. Featuring insights from CHAMP Brazil, NetZero Cities, AI4Cities and the Collaborative for Systemic Climate Action’s COUGAR.
Location: Digital Innovation Pavilion
Speakers:
- Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Co-President, Club of Rome (Moderator)
- Dr. Kirsten Dunlop, CEO, Climate-KIC
- Dr. Martin Wainstein, Executive Director, OpenEarth Foundation
- Fernanda Scur, Pyxera Global
- Soren GIGLER, DG CLIMA, EU Commission
- Dusan Chrenek, DG CLIMA (Virtual)
Growing Global Adaptation and Resilience Investment: and update on the CAIL project
16:00 – 17:00 BRT
Investing in climate resilience and adaptation is an unavoidable opportunity. Globally, companies are already innovating on products and services that will make communities, business, and nations more resilient to climate change. Major reports from GIC & Bain & Co., McKinsey & Co., and BCG have all sized the investible market for adaptation and resilience products and services above USD 1 trillion.
How does this opportunity in investment, innovation, products and services reach the communities most vulnerable to climate change – especially those in least developed countries and small island developing states? The Climate Adaptation Innovation Learning (CAIL) project, via three unique communities of practice, is addressing the barriers to scaling private investment in climate adaptation. Hear from project partners on the status of their communities of practice and goals to address barriers ahead of COP 31.
Location: Climate Funds Pavillion
Speakers: Dr. Kirsten Dunlop (ClimateKIC)
Securing Urban and Bioregional Futures: building deep resilience and life-affirming economies
17:00 – 18:00 BRT
This session explores how cities and bioregions can act as stabilizers and amplifiers of nature-positive, life-affirming transformation in a world undergoing rapid change, using risk and security as a mobilising force for action.
It will introduce innovative frames for reshaping and directing policy attention, technology and development, social and legal innovation, and capital towards urban and bioregional transformation in the current geopolitical context.
Location:Special Events Room 5 (Tapajós)
Speakers:
- Dr. Kirsten Dunlop, Climate KIC (Moderator)
- Sandrine Dixson-Decleve, Earth4All, former co-President Club of Rome – in person
- Tom Mitchell, International Institute for Environmental Development – in person
- Joshua Amponsem, Youth Climate Justice Foundation – in person
- Atossa Soltani, Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance – in person
- Eleni Myrivili, Global Chief Heat Officer for UNEP, UN-Habitat, and the Atlantic Council’s
Climate Resilience Center – online
- Indy Johar, Founder and Mission Steward, Dark Matter Labs – online
Slovenia Deep Demonstration: Coalition between Government, Industry, and other stakeholders to address a key economic vulnerability in critical raw materials with circular economy
18:15 – 18:45 BRT
This session will focus on the nascent importance of government and industry sinergies to tackle innovation opportunities. Slovenia’s Deep Demonstration aligns with circular economy principles that aim to reduce dependence on virgin resource extraction by prioritizing recycling, resource recovery, and sustainable material innovation at the same time that it can address emerging market demands for critical raw materials.
Location: WGEO pavilion
Speakers:
- Dr. Kirsten Dunlop, CEO, Climate KIC (Moderator)
- Mr. Uroš Vajgl, Slovenian State Secretary for Environment and Climate
- Izabella Teixeira – United Nations – Co-chair if the International Resource Panel
- Sandrine Dixson-Declève – Club of Rome Honorary President
