Baku, Azerbaijan hosted COP29, the 29th UN Climate Change Conference, from November 11th to 22nd, bringing together global leaders to discuss new climate action and assess progress toward the UNFCCC’s overarching goal of limiting climate change.

On November 13th, UNITAR, PECC, and Shanghai Climate Week unveiled their inaugural joint report, ClimateTech In Focus: Innovations For a Greener Supply Chain, within COP29’s Blue Zone.

This report highlights ClimateTech’s crucial role in transforming global supply chains for greater environmental sustainability and efficiency. It features contributions from a diverse team of over 70 ministers and C-suite executives across academia, industry, finance, public policy, and sustainability.

In the preface, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNITAR Executive Director Nikhil Seth emphasized the supply chain’s significance as a convergence point for climate change, market forces, technology, and economic factors. He highlighted the UN’s commitment to exploring ClimateTech’s potential for leadership opportunities and job creation.

The report pinpoints key areas where ClimateTech can drive substantial emission reductions, focusing on traceability, hard-to-abate sectors, and other pressing issues. It also stresses the need for innovative finance models to bring concepts to market, showcasing 12 case studies of industry best practices from around the globe.

Co-author Antonio Basilio, Chairman of the PECC Philippine National Committee and Director of the APEC Business Advisory Council, described ClimateTech as a vital tool in combating climate change and fostering sustainable progress.

The report advocates for a global collaborative effort among investors, innovators, educational institutions, and businesses to fully leverage ClimateTech’s potential for a sustainable future.

Lead author William Wang, Chief Representative for Asia Pacific of Shanghai Climate Week and Director-General of its Youth Council, expressed confidence that ClimateTech will become a driver of economic growth and sustainable development.

WeCarbon served as the Knowledge Partner for this report, which is supported by numerous leading global organizations. The full report is available for download from the websites of UNITAR, PECC, and WeCarbon.

The report launch event also included the first-ever panel discussion among major climate week organizers, the establishment of a strategic partnership between Shanghai Climate Week and the Arab Youth Council for Climate Change, and the launch of the Shanghai Climate Week Climate Community as a global innovation network.

CONTACT: Yiran Shi
remoca.shi@shanghaiclimateweek.org.cn