The World Bank Group at COP29

Monday, November 11

Raising Finance for Climate Action through Paris Aligned High Integrity Carbon Markets

This event will focus on the catalytic role high integrity carbon markets can play in providing non-debt finance and leveraging private capital for climate action in developing countries. It will discuss the challenges countries face in accessing markets and potential solutions.

Tuesday, November 12

COP29: Fireside Chat with Ajay Banga and Kristalina Georgieva

Join us for a fireside chat with World Bank Group President Ajay Banga and International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on their respective institutional goals going into COP29 in Baku.

This Critical Decade: A Wake-up Call for Global Climate Action

Urgent action to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is needed now. Early next year, all countries will set new emissions targets for 2035 while revising their 2030 targets. Substantial gaps in global ambition and implementation still remain, with current levels of Nationally Determined Contributions only reducing global emissions by one quarter of what is needed. Further delay will lead to an “emissions cliff edge,” implying implausible cuts in GHGs after 2030 and putting 1.5°C beyond reach. This session assesses the question: Is the world on track to net zero? 

Rising to the Challenge: Building an Ambitious Adaptation Package

Adapting to climate change is both urgent and vital. It requires three things: more rapid development, more resilient development, and targeted adaptation interventions. Find out how the World Bank Group is stepping up to help people and communities prepare for and respond to a changing climate.

Stronger Economies and Safer People: Tackling Climate and Development Together

The World Bank Group is deepening our analysis of how countries can address their climate and development challenges together: How will people be affected? What can they do to adapt and cope? What are the political economy challenges? How can policymakers manage trade-offs? And what are the key actions to shape a livable planet? Find out more.

Driving Climate Finance at Scale Through Development Finance Institutions

This event will demonstrate how the World Bank Group Guarantee Platform is deepening its collaboration with multilateral development banks, regional development banks and governments to deliver financing for climate action at scale. It will showcase current engagements in response to the G20 Independent Expert Group report which invited MIGA to expand the use of guarantees to MDBs to de-risk and catalyze private capital.

The Role for the Bretton Woods Institutions in Climate Action

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the creation of the Bretton Woods institutions and offers a moment to reflect on current and future global challenges. No challenge is bigger than the climate crisis. The World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund are already taking unprecedented measures to mobilize their resources and expertise to address it. This session will feature a range of perspectives on what is working, how to scale those efforts up and what else can be done over the next few critical decades.

Unlocking Financing for the Green Transition in Emerging and Developing Economies

Delivering on global climate goals requires a shift to renewable energy and other green technologies. The main challenge for developing economies is securing funding for this transition. With limited fiscal space and low financial development, foreign direct investment (FDI) and official lending are crucial. Based on recent IMF staff publications, a high-level panel will discuss market reforms and financial sector policies to attract official financing, the impact of climate policies on FDI in low-carbon technologies, and the conditions needed to attract it.

Wednesday, November 13

Safeguarding Water, Communities and Biodiversity: Integrated Solutions for Interconnected Challenges

The interdependence of water resources, community livelihoods and biodiversity means that negative impacts in one area can have cascading effects on others. Water scarcity can undermine food production and ecosystem health, while biodiversity loss can exacerbate water quality issues and reduce resilience to climate impacts. Adopting holistic approaches that address the interconnected nature of these issues is therefore critical. This requires cross-sectoral collaboration, integrated planning and cohesive policies that simultaneously enhance water security, protect biodiversity and support community resilience.

Raising the Ambition: Transforming Energy and Water Systems in Europe and Central Asia

This session will bring together senior ministers, private investors, and the World Bank Group to discuss how countries can harness reforms and mobilize public and private investments for energy and water efficiency to achieve win-win-win results for development, water and energy security, and meet climate mitigation and adaptation objectives.

Unlocking Climate Finance Through Innovative Guarantee Solutions

The event will bring together World Bank Group and private sector representatives to discuss how the WBG Guarantee Platform can mobilize private capital for low-carbon and climate-resilient investments. It will showcase projects supported by WBG guarantees that have unlocked climate finance and explore how the platform’s innovative products can offer streamlined solutions and accelerate climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.

Climate Action in the Western Balkans – Why? What? How?

This session will discuss the results of the World Bank’s Regional Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR), highlighting policy and investment priorities for the Western Balkans. A panel discussion with government officials will explore achieving a resilient, net zero development path, aligned with growth and development objectives. WATCH

Climate Action vis-à-vis Development: The IDA Experience

IDA is a critical source of concessional development finance for 77 low-income countries. As IDA prepares for its 21st replenishment round, a cross-section of stakeholders and climate advocates will discuss the attributes that make IDA an effective vehicle for climate action and opportunities to scale-up climate action in the future.

Unlocking Power Markets for Decarbonization

Explore how reimagining power market designs can accelerate the clean energy transition in emerging economies. Join global leaders and experts as they discuss cutting-edge strategies to repurpose power markets to attract private capital, scale up renewables, and expand energy access.

Thursday, November 14

Launching a New Solution to De-risk Carbon Markets

High-integrity carbon markets have the potential to deliver an impactful triple bottom-line – imperative climate action, development outcomes, and private capital mobilization.  Unfortunately, these markets are suffering from a significant trust deficit. For over 30 years, MIGA’s guarantees have bred trust. Join us for the launch of MIGA’s Letter of Authorization template, a public good for securing insurability rights and standardizing host government commitments to investors.

Scaling EMDE Financial Markets’ Climate Transition

This event will cover the roles that banks, funds and regulators play in accelerating the climate transition. Learn how IFC’s partner financial institutions have been providing private sector finance at scale in Emerging Market and Developing Economies (EMDEs), but also how they have been preparing for the opportunities and risks brought on by climate change.

From Vulnerability to Resilience – Insuring Protection From Climate Change

The panel will discuss how to support communities, firms and countries bounce back from climate shocks. It will showcase innovative insurance solutions to climate vulnerable small firms and farmers, increasing resilience and preserving jobs.

Weathering the Storm: Bridging the Resilience Finance Gap for Small Islands

Small islands urgently need to build climate resilience and address their unique vulnerabilities. Drawing on lessons from the Maldives, Pacific Atoll, Grenada and Cape Verde, this event will explore solutions and financing options, including building greater international and private sector partnerships.

Climate Finance: Moving From Pledges to Implementation

In the past year there have been substantial commitments and notable progress in mobilising climate finance, with the Green Climate Fund bringing in a record $12.8 billion in its second replenishment cycle thanks to major contributions from several G7 countries. But the actual disbursement and utilisation of funds often fall short. Accelerating the deployment of climate finance is essential to ensure that projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing resilience to climate impacts and protecting biodiversity are effectively implemented.

Navigating Green Policies to Leverage Trade for Sustainable Growth and Prosperity

Climate mitigation policies in developed countries are affecting trade and development in low- and middle-income countries. In this context, this panel will focus on the policies that developing countries can pursue to promote climate resilience without sacrificing export competitiveness, and will explore actions that developed countries and the development community can take to support sustainable, trade-driven growth in developing countries.

Destination Net Zero: The Urgent Need for a Global Carbon Tax on Aviation and Shipping

The need to decarbonize international transportation has long been overlooked. Aviation and shipping account for a rapidly growing share of global carbon dioxide emissions. This session will explore global mitigation policies for the sectors, notably a carbon tax and other pricing instruments like feebates, which could kick-start the sectors’ transitions towards net zero while generating substantial revenue for climate finance. The event, based on IMF’s recent analysis, will address practical policy options, their implementation, and the allocation of revenues from pricing to drive meaningful change in these hard-to-abate sectors.

Friday, November 15

The Pioneering Role of IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) in Climate Action

The IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust was established in 2022 to help low-income and vulnerable middle-income member countries build resilience to external shocks. Its lending facility, the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), provides countries affordable longer-term financing to address enduring structural challenges, including from climate change. While most arrangements are still less than a year old, an early assessment of the RSF indicates a positive impact on the progression of reforms. In this event, panelists will discuss how countries benefited from the RSF and the lessons learned in the process.

Tripling Renewables by 2030: The Financing Challenges for Developing Countries

The World Bank Group is committed to supporting COP28’s goal to triple global renewable energy by 2030. The event leverages regional perspectives to highlight the need for investable pipelines attracting private sector capital that accelerates action and finance, exploring the barriers and opportunities to advance the clean energy transition.

The Critical Link: Empowering Utilities for the Energy Transition

By 2040, electricity grids globally will need to be expanded and upgraded to the equivalent of double their current size in order to support the energy transition, achieve universal access, and manage increasingly complex power flows. Mobilizing the necessary investment while ensuring an affordable supply of energy for all will require financially sustainable power utilities. The World Bank Group is well positioned, and scaling up its efforts, to strengthen utilities in emerging markets in support of SDG7 and the Paris Agreement.

Sahel RESILAND: Landscape Restoration for Climate Action and People

Addressing the Sahel region’s fragility requires a multi-faceted approach, beyond environmental interventions, creating resilient landscapes that provide food, jobs, livelihoods, and hope. This event will showcase SAHEL RESILAND efforts across Sahel countries, tackling the complex nexus of climate change, land degradation, entrepreneurship, social cohesion, and security. Discover how innovative approaches can address natural resources degradation, foster peace, and empower youth to take action in one of the world’s most vulnerable regions to climate change.

Scaling Up Energy Efficiency and Renewable Investments in Europe and Central Asia

Boosting energy efficiency and renewable energy is essential for Europe and Central Asia’s secure, affordable, and sustainable energy future. In support of countries’ efforts to raise their ambition, the World Bank Group has launched a program to scale up public and private investment, achieve replicability and scalability, and facilitate knowledge sharing.

Deploying Guarantees to Facilitate CORSIA Implementation

This event will convene key stakeholders from the aviation, technology and renewable fuels sectors to explore how World Bank Group guarantees can facilitate CORSIA’s successful implementation. The offsetting obligation under CORSIA kicked off from the beginning of 2024. The demand for CORSIA in its first phase (from 2024 to 2026) is expected to lie between 107 and 161 million tonnes of eligible emissions units, according to the latest projection of IATA.

Bridging the Adaptation Financing Gap: Challenges and Potential Solutions

Managing the impact of climate change demands significant investment in climate resilience, especially in emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs), which are disproportionately affected despite contributing the least to the problem. It is estimated that adaptation finance flows to these countries will need to significantly increase at a time when they already face the challenge of mobilizing funds for their development needs. Panelists will discuss how to enhance partnerships and cooperation to scale up adaptation financing for EMDEs and explore the role various stakeholders—including public institutions, private sector, and civil society—in attracting private capital for adaptation investments.

The Global Energy Transition: Celebrating Success and Driving Forward

he global energy transition is making remarkable strides, with success stories emerging from all corners of the world. Innovative technologies are transforming the generation, storage, and distribution of energy, while regulatory changes are incentivising investment in energy transition. Economic growth in the clean energy sector is booming, creating jobs and driving sustainable development. Yet despite clear advancements, the global energy transition still faces hurdles and ensuring equitable access to clean energy remains difficult in many regions.

Saturday, November 16

Enabling and Accelerating the Decarbonization of Hard-to-Abate Sector in Emerging Markets

Don't miss the opportunity to be part of the conversation on industrial decarbonization in emerging markets. Join industry, financial, and government leaders as they discuss the challenges and innovative strategies needed to achieve impactful results and meet the targets of the Paris Agreement. 

Measuring Climate Risks for Smarter Adaptation and Mitigation Solutions

As extreme weather events like floods, droughts, wildfires, and heatwaves become more frequent and severe and as transition risks associated with shifting to a low-carbon economy increase, it is crucial to understand their impact on people, infrastructure, financial markets, and economies. To create effective climate policies, we need timely and thorough risk assessments that look ahead. This joint session with the World Bank will focus on global efforts to build an internationally accepted framework for measuring both physical and transition risks of climate change. Panelists will discuss how these risk indicators can help assess countries' vulnerabilities and guide the development of stronger, more resilient policies and adaptation strategies.

Digital Solutions for a Resilient Future

Join us to explore how communities on the front lines of climate change are becoming more resilient. This session will highlight how digital solutions are transforming public services, fostering sustainable development, and empowering people, including the poorest and most vulnerable, to adapt and thrive in the face of climate change.

Transforming Real Estate and Advancing Sustainability in the Built Environment

With real estate being responsible for a large proportion of greenhouse gas emissions, there can be no substantial movement towards net zero without major progress on sustainability in the built environment. COP28 saw the launch of the global Buildings Breakthrough initiative, calling for near-zero emission and resilient buildings to become the norm by 2030. As these conversations move forward at COP29 and as the focus turns to practical implementation, property technology and green-building innovations will have an important role to play.

Energy and Digital Transformation: A Two-Way Street

The energy and digital sectors need each other. The digital sector relies on energy to power devices and infrastructure, while the energy sector leverages technologies, such as AI and smart meters. Join us to explore how digital transformation can be powered sustainably and how digital technologies can accelerate the green energy transition.

Enabling Green Hydrogen in Emerging Markets

While the business case for green hydrogen faces some challenges, there are opportunities for the discerning investor in emerging markets, and the climate benefits are unmatched. Our panel will take stock of the status and explore some key topics such as: What kind of projects are likely to succeed? What are project developers experiencing? How are policies and regulatory trends shaping the developments?

Monday, November 18

Youth Dialogues: Inclusive Intergenerational Climate Finance

Join us for an intergenerational discussion about outcomes from the recent Youth Dialogues on Inclusive Climate Finance hosted by the COP29 Youth Climate Champion and the World Bank Group’s Connect4Climate program, which provided opportunities for youth to learn about institutional climate finance processes and share their policy priorities with experts.

Choosing Our Future: Country Lessons on Unlocking Education for Climate Action

Join us to discover how education can drive climate action and resilience. Featuring cutting-edge data and real-world solutions, the event will showcase how countries are empowering, equipping, and skilling young people for climate mitigation and adaptation through behavior change and green skilling. This will be a conversation where research meets practice - and the promise and pitfalls of best practice ideas are discussed.

Road to Net Zero: Navigating the Energy Transition in South Asia

The transition to net zero carbon emissions is among the region’s greatest challenges. However, by investing early and selecting the right mix of technologies and policies, South Asia can seize the window of opportunity to ensure energy security and leverage the energy transition for sustainable and climate-resilient growth.

Labor Policies for Inclusive, Climate-Resilient Workforce in Europe and Central Asia

The event will explore the impact of the green transition on the labor force. Learn about experience from the region in designing social protection and active labor market policies for a resilient workforce, and community-based interventions that promote inclusive economic approaches for all to benefit from the transition.

Inaction Costs Us All: How the Private Sector Can Lead on Climate-Health Nexus

The event will bring together leaders from the pharmaceutical, investment, and philanthropic sectors to examine the intersection of climate change, health, and human capital. Discussions will focus on climate-related health challenges, decarbonization, and technologies, highlighting the private sector's crucial role in fostering innovation, resilience and overall well-being.

The Global Cost of Climate-Health Inaction: Price Tag and Role of Public & Private Sectors

The cost of climate inaction isn’t just in dollars, but in human lives. Join the World Bank Group as they present new evidence on the magnitude of the climate-health crisis, and bring together public and private sector voices to discuss how to scale climate-health finance and action. WATCH

Safeguarding Human Capital: Mobilizing Climate Finance for Social Protection

[Hosted by UNICEF] This event will examine how Adaptive Social Protection can serve as a crucial, yet still underutilized, tool to protect economically vulnerable children and families, safeguard human capital, and reduce climate risks. Climate finance specialists will share insights on mobilizing adaptation and Loss and Damage financing to strengthen social protection systems and resilience.

Tuesday, November 19

Safeguarding Agrifood Systems: Coherent Approaches to Disaster and Climate Resilience

[Hosted by CRFS Alliance] This COP29 event will explore implementation of integrated disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate action, in agrifood systems through a comprehensive risk management (CRM) approach. Experts from the Climate Resilient Food Systems Alliance (CRFS), including from WB, UNDRR, WFP, REAP, GNDR, UNFCCC, will discuss strategies to reduce risks, improve resilience, and enhance food security through coherent approaches. The session will emphasize how integrated policy frameworks and targeted action can help agrifood systems transition from recovery to resilience, benefitting the most vulnerable regions an communities.

Using Climate Financing to Enhance Water Conservation through Precision Irrigation

Join us for an insightful panel discussion on the transformative potential of precision irrigation in achieving climate resilience, regenerative agriculture, and food and nutrition security. The panelists will also discuss the role of climate finance in scaling the use of this cutting-edge technology.

Scaling Up Water Efficiency in Türkiye through a 10-year Partnership with the World Bank Group

This panel will bring together representatives from the government of Türkiye, the private sector, and the World Bank Group to reveal the details of a 10 year partnership on water efficiency, including how Türkiye will set its efficiency targets and implement a program of reforms and investments to achieve them.

Leaders’ Perspectives: Fast Tracking Water Security and Climate Adaptation

Join ministers and global leaders in a discussion on how to address the climate-driven global water crisis, one of the most urgent challenges to sustainable development. Discover how the World Bank Group is implementing a bold strategy, forming new partnerships, and advancing solutions through its Fast Track Water Security and Climate Adaptation Global Challenge Program.

Greening Affordable Housing Affordably

Join us for an introduction to the groundbreaking work underway to adapt EDGE, IFC’s green building certification platform, to finance and certify self-built affordable housing through leading local financial institutions. Using solar energy and resource efficiency, green self-build housing results in reduced resource constraints on local grids and lowers operational costs for cash-strapped families. This model has significant opportunity to scale globally beyond the pilot cases in India.

Climate Solutions in Agrifood: Building Tomorrow's Sustainable Food Economy

Building on the “Recipe for a Livable Planet” report, the event will explore how climate-smart agricultural practices along with improved irrigation and water management can reduce emissions, enhance productivity, and build resilience in a warming world with increasing water scarcity.

Wednesday, November 20

On Track: Accelerating Rail Connectivity Through Guarantee Solutions

Railways are crucial for reducing GHG emissions in the transport sector, while driving economic development, and enhancing mobility. Realizing their potential requires $300 billion annually. This event will explore innovative solutions to attract capital, particularly through private-sector engagement and guarantee products, aligning with the World Bank Group's commitment to increasing climate finance and advancing rail sector solutions.

Livable Cities for a Livable Planet – Low Carbon Cities and Green Mobility

Cities in low- and middle-income countries face increasing urban growth and rising carbon emissions. Investment in low-carbon infrastructure and transport is crucial to avoid locking in unsustainable growth patterns and reduce emissions effectively. This session highlights World Bank efforts supporting cities in achieving their development ambitions while maintaining low-carbon trajectories.

Road to Zero Emissions; Innovations in Electrifying Mass Transit Bus Systems

In this electrifying session, industry leaders reveal groundbreaking insights on transforming public mass transit bus systems to combat global warming. Learn from experts about innovations and challenges in scaling electric mass transit in developing countries and driving the global decarbonization and inclusive mobility agenda.

Building Resilience to Climate Change: Lessons from the Country Climate and Development Reports for Yemen and Djibouti

The event will examine how Yemen and Djibouti's CCDRs integrate climate action with development needs in challenging contexts. The discussion will focus on water, food security, and building resilience, while exploring the role of governments and organizations in inclusive efforts for vulnerable populations, best practices, and financing mechanisms for implementation.

Resilient Cities: Scaling Adaptation Actions through Transport and Urban Infrastructure

Cities are central to climate action and economic growth and hotspots of climate-related hazards. Growing disruptions to transport, infrastructure, environment, and growth underscore the need for resilient solutions to ensure prosperity and sustainability. This session showcases the World Bank as a key partner in helping cities enhance their adaptation capacity.

Why Accountability is Key to a Successful Just Transition

This event will explore the urgent need for increased accountability in climate finance as development finance institutions, like the World Bank Group, increase their commitments to climate lending. As developing nations seek fast, affordable funding with little oversight, concerns around integrity violations and environmental and social compliance are rising—and can be expected to rise significantly more. This discussion will focus on the challenges faced by accountability mechanisms in addressing climate-related complaints and propose solutions to strengthen accountability moving forward.

The Role of Climate Finance for Building Community Resilience: How to Scale Up Locally Led Climate Action

[Hosted by Stockholm Environment Institute] To meet climate goals and ensure resilient economies, countries must adapt and reduce emissions at all levels, including locally. However, less than 17% of adaptation finance reaches local levels. This session highlights evidence, innovative strategies, and successful case studies of locally driven climate initiatives to enhance community resilience and low-carbon transitions.

Thursday, November 21

Indigenous Peoples Serve Carbon Markets — But Can Carbon Markets Serve Indigenous Peoples?

[Hosted by Sotz’il] Indigenous Peoples manage a quarter of the world's surface, storing vast carbon in their forests. Carbon markets depend on these ecosystems, but do they benefit Indigenous Peoples? This panel explores the relationship, featuring diverse voices from donors to Indigenous leaders engaged in these markets.

Leveraging Nature-Based Solutions for Resilience and Adaptation

Combating Unprecedented Forest Fires in Latin America: Challenges and Solutions

Join the World Bank’s roundtable discussion to explore the alarming rise in forest fires across Latin America, driven by El Niño, deforestation, and climate change. Experts will discuss a strategic framework focusing on three pillars: valuation of damages, assessment of wildfire management using the 5Rs framework, and targeted financial instruments.

Building Convergence on Climate and Plastics Action

Efforts to address climate change and plastic pollution are complementary. The push for a global plastic pollution agreement offers a chance to tackle plastics' climate impacts. This event will explore solutions that offer mitigation and adaptation benefits, along with the financing, capacity, and partnerships needed to achieve these goals.