As the 2019 UN climate talks begin in Madrid, Spain, we invite you to join us at MIT side events throughout COP25 to learn about the latest MIT research and initiatives supporting climate action to meet Paris Agreement targets. Use #MITatCOP25 to share your photos and posts from the COP with us on social media.
On December 9-10, we also invite you to stop by Booth #19 in the exhibit space, which MIT is sharing with Tufts University, to learn more about MIT’s climate and low-carbon energy work, and to meet some of our researchers in a more intimate setting. Individual researchers’ availability is included in the listing below.
For those following along remotely, you can find more information about official COP-related social media accounts and webcasts of events.
Note: the times below are given in Central European Standard Time (CET), in a 24-hour format.
Tuesday, December 3, 14:45
IASS Co-Creative Reflection and Dialogue Space (located in Hall 6, across from the WWF Pavilion)
How do you mentally and emotionally handle the disconnect between the work you do for sustainability and the life you lead (in particular, your consumption)?
Sarah Meyers, Education Program Manager, MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
The goal of Meyers’s work at MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative is to mobilize students, faculty and staff from across the university for interdisciplinary education that is people-centric and planet-positive. Meyers is hosting this session to learn what others think about this, which will help inform the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative’s education efforts.
Saturday, December 7, 15:00-16:30
COP25 Venue, Room 3
Enacting ACE and Building Capacity: Communication, Conflict Management, and Public Participation
Bruno Verdini, Lecturer of Urban Planning and Negotiation; Executive Director MIT-Harvard Mexico Negotiation Program, MIT
This official COP25 side event addresses Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) and capacity building by focusing on communication, participation, and conflict management. The event includes roundtable presentations about education and training needs, opportunities, and tools. A discussion with audience members follows the roundtable talks. This event also includes speakers from Mediators Beyond Borders International and the International Environmental Communication Association.
Monday, December 9, 9:00-11:00
COP25 Venue, MIT-Tufts Exhibit: Booth 19
Interactive Simulation on Coastal Flooding (English & Spanish)
Bruno Verdini, Lecturer of Urban Planning and Negotiation; Executive Director MIT-Harvard Mexico Negotiation Program, MIT
Researcher meet-and-greet opportunity: Bruno Verdini will share MIT’s Science Impact Collaborative work on conflict resolution for climate challenges with fellow delegates, including an interactive roleplay/simulation on coastal flooding that can now be conducted not only in English but in Spanish as well.
Tuesday, December 10, 9:15-10:30
Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Calle de José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006, Madrid
Defining Metrics: Ensuring Impact for Sustainable Development
Low Emissions Solutions Conference: Systems Transformation for a 1.5 Degree World
Suzanne Greene, Program Manager, Sustainable Supply Chains Initiative, MIT
Flexible reporting methodologies give way for greenwashing, providing a free pass to companies and nations who are promising far more than they are prepared or planning to deliver. Rigorous reporting standards are needed to hold entities to their commitments and in other cases, analyze gaps. Such standards will clearly distinguish between good and weak performers in the sectors that need to decarbonize, and offer insight into how various sectors support and overlap with each other. This panel will discuss successful undertakings in terms of sustainable development analyses that promote and disclose dynamic incorporation of both emission reduction efforts and sustainable development priorities such as those covered with the Sustainable Development Goals. More information is available on the conference website.
Tuesday, December 10, 13:00-15:00
COP25 Venue, MIT-Tufts Exhibit: Booth 19
Annalyn Bachmann, Manager, Center for Collective Intelligence, MIT
Researcher meet-and-greet opportunity: Annalyn Bachmann will share her work with the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence’s Climate CoLab and Futures CoLab.
Tuesday, December 10, 15:00-17:00
COP25 Venue, MIT-Tufts Exhibit: Booth 19
Suzanne Greene, Program Manager, Sustainable Supply Chains Initiative, MIT
Researcher meet-and-greet opportunity: Suzanne Greene will share her work with the Sustainable Supply Chains Initiative at MIT.
Tuesday, December 11, 11:00-12:30
COP25 Venue, GEF-GCF Joint Pavilion
Launch of the GEF Challenge Program for Adaptation Innovation
Professor John Fernández, Director, MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
The MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative (ESI) is one of 9 finalists from a total of 400 submissions in the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Challenge Program for Adaptation Innovation, and invites COP25 participants to join them at this event. ESI Director John Fernández will deliver a 1-minute “power pitch” describing (1) how ESI’s project will catalyze private sector investment for climate resilience; and (2) what is especially innovative about this approach. The Challenge Program aims to catalyze private sector investment and innovation in developing countries, at least 50% of which are LDCs. Ms. Naoki Ishii, CEO and Chair of the GEF, will open the event with a vision for transforming economies for climate resilience through private sector innovation. Substantive interaction among participants will be encouraged. More information is available on GEF’s website.
Wednesday, December 12, 19:00-21:00
Colegio Oficial Arquitectos de Madrid, Calle de Hortaleza, 63, 28004 Madrid; Salón de Actos
Green New Deal for Cities
Professor John Fernández, Director, MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative
ESI Director John Fernández will deliver a keynote presentation and serve as a panelist at this event of the Official Architects’ Association of Madrid (COAM) in collaboration with the National Council of Architects’ Associations of Spain (CSCAE). The CSCAE-COAM dialogues are organized within the framework of COP25 for different experts, professionals of architecture and other fields of knowledge and representatives of the public and private sectors will address the fight against climate change, betting on that “great green pact” for cities. More information is available on COAM’s website (original: Spanish) (English translation via Google Translate).
Contact Emily Dahl to add your MIT event to this listing.
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