IHRB at COP30 in Belém, Brazil
The UN's yearly climate conference - COP30 - takes place between 10 - 21 November in Belém, Brazil. This year's summit is being pegged as the moment to move from planning and promises to action and delivery.
IHRB will be at COP to share stories of just transitions happening on the ground; of decarbonisation partnerships between people, communities, businesses and finance that are getting results, benefiting both people and planet.
If you are attending COP30, connect with IHRB's Head of Just Transitions Haley St. Dennis.
Here's the full run down of our engagements at COP.
Local Stories: People-centred Energy Transitions (COP30)
IHRB's official COP30 side event brings stories and voices from just transitions happening around the world to COP30!
The energy transition is not just pledges and commitments — it is already happening on the ground. Local, people-centred solutions are proving to be both possible and among the most efficient ways to drive inclusive and affordable transitions.
This COP30 side event will showcase diverse approaches shaping just transitions globally — from consumer-led innovation to supply-side co-creation.
Details:
🗓️ Wednesday 12 Nov
⏱️ 11.30 - 13.00 (local time)
📍 Side Event Room 1, COP30 Blue Zone
With Consumers International, Indalo Inclusive South Africa NPC, International Energy Agency (IEA)
Human rights and climate action: what more can business and corporations do?
🗓️ Tuesday 11 Nov
⏱️ 17.00 - 18.00 (local time)
📍 COP30 Spain Pavilion
Whether through omission or lack of action, the activities of some companies or corporations fall far short of responding decisively to the climate challenge and may even become a vector for human rights violations. In light of these facts, human rights have become a very useful tool to use in the climate governance framework.
This event aims explore the link between better human rights and climate action, and the role of companies and corporations. It will touch on the trend towards using human rights arguments and remedies in the courts to advance climate action, and discuss what companies can do proactively to be not only champions of the climate action, but also champions of human rights.
Advancing a Justice-Centered Implementation Agenda at COP30: Lessons from Global South Energy Transitions
🗓️ Wednesday 12 Nov
⏱️ 17.00 - 18.00 (local time)
📍 Ford Foundation Pavilion, Blue Zone
The 'Just Transition' is at the forefront of climate, justice, finance, and development debates. While research and understandings of just transitions expand, translating this into impact remains a challenge, with responses and commitments remaining fragmented, uneven, and at times lacking alignment
Through insights from country case studies, this event seeks to explore what is needed to “transition” the just transition from a guiding principle to something more formal within the UNFCCC by surfacing practical lessons and innovative ideas that should be incorporated into an 'action mechanism'. These insights—drawn from the challenges, opportunities, and community-level experiences can offer critical lessons that can inform transition commitments grounded in recognitional, procedural, distributive, and restorative justice and deliver an outcome that effectively centers transition-impacted communities.
Building a roadmap for human rights-based climate action at COP30 and beyond
🗓️ Thursday 13 Nov
⏱️ 18:00 - 19.30 (local time)
📍 Ford Foundation Pavilion, Blue zone
Led by OHCHR, this event will bring together key takeaways and recommendations from human-rights focused events from week one at COP30. Speakers from events held throughout the week will play the role of 'rapporteurs', sharing their refections on a range of discussions, from green finance to protect the Amazon rainforest, to local stories of just transitions in action, to the role of Indigenous peoples in just energy transitions.
With opening remarks from Brazil's Minister of Human Rights and Citizenship, Macae Evaristo; and UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Albert Barume.
Building Affordable and Resilient Homes for a Changing Climate
🗓️ Friday 14 Nov
⏱️ 9.15 - 10.45 (local time)
📍 COP30 Buildings and Cooling pavilion, International Code Council, PV-C82, Blue zone
Communities worldwide are grappling with challenges in housing delivery while ensuring buildings are resilient to current and future climate risks and address sustainability, public health, and equity needs. This session will explore innovative solutions from around the globe.
Drawing on compelling case studies, the session will spotlight how pioneering stakeholders from the Global South are leading efforts to build climate-resilient homes, and how leaders worldwide are leveraging emerging practices such as off-site construction to support disaster recovery, resilience, and sustainability.
With Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), Cool Coalition.
Locally-Embedded Just Transition: Why a Just Transition Will be Won or Lost at a Local Level
🗓️ Friday 14 Nov
⏱️ 11.30 - 12.30 (local time)
📍 ILO Just Transition Pavilion, Blue zone
Impacts of the transition to net zero are felt most at local levels, by communities, and especially by women, youth, indigenous communities, and informal workers. Effective just transitions will involve them before, during after the transition takes place.
Through case studies from South Africa and Southeast Asia, the discussion will prioritise the active involvement of traditionally vulnerable sectors, alongside academia, government, and the private sector, towards meaningful social dialogue, and how it can inspire constructive collaboration and promote participatory governance - both essential elements in the journey to just transitions.
With Renewable Energy Transition Institute, Indalo Inclusive South Africa NPC.
Just transition for coal and beyond: Challenges and opportunities for implementing inclusive and equitable whole-of-economy transformations in Asia and the Pacific
🗓️ Friday 14 Nov
⏱️ 14.00 - 15.00 (local time)
📍 NDC Partnership Pavilion
To date, just transition efforts have primarily focused on managing the phase-out of coal and its value chain. While this remains critical, achieving global net-zero will require deep and systemic transformations across all sectors of the economy. As the world moves toward net zero, even countries and sectors with relatively small emissions will need to adapt to new ways of operating within a decarbonized global economy. This means rethinking how economies and societies function.
This session, focused on Asia and the Pacific, will bring together perspectives from governments, the private sector, development finance, and civil society to explore practical approaches for implementing just transition across different sectors and contexts. It will examine how strategies can align with climate and development goals, and how partnerships can help deliver equitable and inclusive outcomes.
