You are invited to the UNESCO side event at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) “Coping with environmental challenges

: climate and biodiversity action in UNESCO’s sites” on 6th of July 2021, 1:30pm - 3:00pm CEST.

 The side event will begin with a discussion on how to address climate change and biodiversity on land and in the Ocean from a scientific perspective focusing on the outcomes of the IPBES-IPCC co-sponsored workshop report: Biodiversity and Climate Change.

 This will be followed by a ministerial-level dialogue with government representatives from Costa Rica and Italy on climate action and global policies with a focus on the G20 and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

 Representatives from the MAB Youth Networks and the Youth UNESCO Climate Action Network (YoU-CAN) and the Resilient Reefs Initiative will also take the floor as actors of change and part of the solution.

 The side event will be concluded with an interactive discussion.

 Moderator
Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences

 Opening remarks
Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General [tbc]

 Speakers  

 Prof. Hans-Otto Pörtner

• Co-chair of the Scientific Steering Committee, IPBES-IPCC co-sponsored workshop, IPCC, co-chair, Working Group II, Professor and Head of the Department of Integrative Ecophysiology at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research in Bremerhaven, Germany    
• Dr. David Obura   
  IPBES IPCC co-sponsored workshop on biodiversity and climate change-Expert, IPBES, Global assessment-Coordinating lead author, Director Coastal Oceans Research and Development – Indian Ocean (CORDIO) East Africa, Kenya 
• Dr. Paula Cristina Sierra Correa
  Head of Research and Information, Colombia Marine and Coastal Research Institute (INVEMAR), Colombia
• Ottavio Di Bella
  Deputy Chair of the G20 Environment Deputies Meeting (EDM) and on behalf of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition, Italy
• Dr. Melania Brenes Monge
  Vice-Minister of Education, Costa Rica
• Beverly Wade
  World Heritage Focal Point, Belize
• Rabecca Laibich
  AfriMAB Youth & Spokesperson MAB 50th anniversary, Kenya
• Gabriela Martínez
  Global MAB Youth Network (Ecuador), Executive Secretary at Youth UNESCO Climate Action Network (YoU-CAN), Ecuador