EDF at COP29: Schedule of events

Pollution caused by burning fossil fuels is driving unprecedented warming. Without immediate action to cut emissions, the most recent United Nations Environment Programme Emissions Gap Report warns that the remaining carbon budget to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius will likely be depleted by 2030, highlighting the urgency of tackling methane. Join experts to discuss a new accountability framework, released in September at Climate Week NYC, designed to go beyond target setting and emissions disclosure. This framework will assess whether and how the oil and gas industry is ensuring methane emissions and flaring targets are met in full and on time by 2030.

• Mark Brownstein, Senior Vice President, Energy Transition, Environmental Defense Fund

National Oil Companies (NOCs) are large methane emitters and play a critical role in addressing climate change. Reducing methane emissions from NOCs is critical for limiting the rate of warming this decade. At COP28, more than 50 oil and gas companies, including 30 NOCs, pledged to cut methane and flaring emissions to near-zero by 2030. However, delivering on these pledges is complex, and NOCs face competing priorities. Hear from leading finance and climate experts as they discuss the emerging resources available to help NOCs and host governments navigate the challenges and deliver on their commitments in time.

• Mark Brownstein, Senior Vice President, Energy Transition, Environmental Defense Fund

Increasing access and availability of climate finance for 500 million smallholder farmers, with a further 2 billion people relying on them for food and income, is essential for fostering resilience, food security and sustainable agriculture globally in the face of climate change. Yet, according to Climate Policy Initiative, only 0.3% of climate finance today reaches smallholder farmers. This session aims to highlight the finance gap for a more climate-resilient food system and advocate for a transformative approach to climate finance for smallholder farmers as the cornerstone of this transition.

As urgency for rapid methane reductions grows, remote-sensing technologies — from drones and aircraft to next-generation satellites like MethaneSAT and Carbon Mapper — are transforming methane detection. These innovative platforms deliver continuous, policy-relevant data from multiple perspectives, enabling policymakers and industry to synthesize information for a more accurate understanding of emissions. This event will explore how, with enhanced transparency, governments and the oil and gas sector can better target actions, improve reporting and verification, and accelerate progress toward meeting their climate commitments.

• Steve Hamburg, Chief Scientist, Environmental Defense Fund

Blue or aquatic foods are a critical climate solution to supply low-carbon, high-quality nutrition for the growing global population. They hold enormous potential for increasing food security and economic growth in developing countries, while providing critical adaptation and mitigation solutions. This side event will showcase the commitment of countries, climate funders, and international organizations in spurring climate adaptation, mitigation and resilience actions for blue foods — be it through investment, inclusion in NDCs, or implementation of policies and programs. This event will also present the NDC fish guidelines illustrating how the aquatic food sector can be an integral part of national efforts.

This event will show how animal health is connected to climate, and how countries can incorporate animal health interventions to fulfill their climate plans for near-term wins.

• John Tauzel, Senior Director, Global Agriculture Methane, Environmental Defense Fund

Found between 200-1,000 meters, the ocean twilight zone, or mesopelagic, is home to upwards of 90% of the fish biomass on the planet. Mesopelagic species serve as prey for many commercially and ecologically important species and play a crucial role in regulating Earth’s climate. The ocean twilight zone is unprotected and vulnerable to exploitation and degradation from fishing, deep-sea mining and climate change. The discussion will emphasize the importance of scientific research, international collaboration and the integration of Indigenous knowledge to ensure the protection of this critical ocean area in alignment with biodiversity conservation and climate goals.

• Kristin Kleisner, Associate Vice President of Ocean Science, Environmental Defense Fund