Cooperation for Net-Zero and Climate Resilience: Ethiopian and Chinese Perspectives

Climate change poses significant risks that could exacerbate poverty and inequality, and threatens the financial stability and long-run growth prospects of the world economy. Recent extreme weather events, unprecedented in their frequency and severity, are leaving economies and communities reeling.

Amid this backdrop, attention at the national and international levels has been shifting away from traditional fossil-fuels towards supporting renewable sources of energy and building climate resilience.

In Ethiopia, the Rural Productive Safety Net Project is an example of a locally-piloted project to promote climate resilience and cooperation. A component of the Ethiopian Government’s Food Security Programme, it is the largest social safety-net in Sub-Saharan Africa and was established to reduce land degradation, to adapt and mitigate climate change and to improve food security and land productivity.

Meanwhile, In his remarks at the 76th United Nations General Assembly, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced China “will step up support for other developing countries in developing green and low-carbon energy, and will not build new coal-fired power projects abroad.” The announcement could herald a major shift for China’s international cooperation and overseas development finance.

From the national to the international level, how can developing countries leverage development finance to accelerate climate actions and sustainable development? What will China's announcement mean for achieving global climate and development goals? And how can the national and international community work together for climate resilience and cooperation?

On Wednesday, November 10 from 1:30-2:30 PM EST // 18:40-19:45 GMT, join experts from the the Boston University Global Development Policy Center, the Ethiopian Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commission, Greenovation Hub and the Tufts University Climate Policy Lab for an expert discussion on cooperation for net-zero, with Ethiopian and Chinese perspectives.

Speakers and Discussants:

Fekadu Beyene, Ethiopian Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Commission

Cecilia Han Springer, Boston University Global Development Policy Center

Kelly Sims Gallagher, Climate Policy Lab, The Fletcher School, Tufts University

Hongyu Guo, Greenovation Hub

Tefera Tadesse (Ethiopia Ministry of Agriculture)

Tarun Gopalakrishnan (Moderator), Climate Policy Lab, The Fletcher School, Tufts University

Note: This event is taking place in-person at the UN 2021 Climate Change Conference (COP26). The YouTube link below will carry the livestream when the event has begun.