Transforming Societies for Equality and Sustainability, Actioning the IPCC Report

UNESCO launched the Youth As Researchers (YAR) global initiative on COVID-19. This initiative connects and engages with young people to conduct research on the impacts of COVID-19 on young people and the responses young people have implemented to tackle these. UNESCO and the UNESCO Chairs at the National University of Ireland Galway and Penn State University lead a consortium of youth-led or youth-related actors to support the research through training, mentoring and coordination.

Presented by: Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director General for the Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO

Youth as Researchers 

There is a need for a multidisciplinary approach taken towards addressing the COVID-19 crisis. There should be collaboration between the social and human sciences. This requires the engagement of epidemiologists, economists, and sociologists including women. These different groups and sciences have the potential to provide insights and perspectives that would inform better decision-making in addressing the COVID-19 crisis and its legacy.

Presented by: Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director General for the Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO

There is a need to invest in government structures and innovative frameworks that have the required capacity to address the COVID-19 crisis. We need to invest in the capacity of government and civil servants to deal with complex issues such as the COVID-19 crisis. Governments need to stop working in silos, have different metrics and multidimensional outcomes in order to understand better the COVID-19 crisis and provide appropriate solutions.

Presented by: Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director General for the Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO

1. Regulatory and economic instruments have proven effective in reducing carbon emissions. Examples include building codes, vehicle efficiency standards, climate laws and carbon taxes.

2. Demand-side measures include walking and cycling, electrified transport, reducing air travel and dietary changes.

3. Nature-based solutions include carbon uptake and storage such as providing green spaces, ponds and trees.

4. Carbon-dioxide removal techniques such as reforestation in the land sector.

Presented by: Jim Skea, Professor of Sustainable Energy, Imperial College London, and Co-Chair IPCC Working Group III

IPCC Report

Individual policy instruments do not work as well when working separately in parallel than if they are working in a complementary way in a systematic package of policies to address climate change. This requires increased collaboration between different parts of government to make things happen. It should not just be the job of the environment department or climate department, there is need to mainstream climate and other sustainability concerns across the government system.

Presented by: Jim Skea, Professor of Sustainable Energy, Imperial College London, and Co-Chair IPCC Working Group III