UNITAR Online Catalogue

Gemlabs-UNITAR Valuing Natural Capital Conference Training

Multilateral Diplomacy

Deadline
21 Sep 2022
Type
Workshop
Location
Geneva, Switzerland
Date
Duration
2 Days
Programme Area
Special event
Event Focal Point Email
katharina.sill@unitar.org

Background

UNITAR is a proud partner of the Valuing Natural Capital 2022 Conference, organized by the think and do-tank Geneva Macro Labs (Gemlabs). The focus of the conference will be to discuss new, tech- and data-based solutions to mobilize different natural carbon sinks in order to maximize their contribution to help address climate change. 

Following the conference on Valuing Natural Capital 2022 on September 21st, participants will be able to join one or up to three trainings on topics related to the theme of the conference on September 22nd and 23rd.

These trainings are meant to provide a deeper dive into the conference focus areas and shall inform the discussion on and partnerships around rapid solutions on how to leverage, conserve and maintain natural capital. Trainings last 3 hours and follow a preceding recorded lecture. 

At the end of the workshops, participants who have successfully participated in one or two trainings will be awarded a Certificate of Participation with the Gemlabs and UNITAR logos. Participants who have successfully completed three trainings will receive a Certificate of Completion, jointly awarded by Gemlabs, UNITAR and Harvard.

 

Thursday, 22 September 2022

10.00-11.30 CET In-person Networking Coffee at the Newrest Cafeteria at the UNITAR Headquarters in Geneva;

and

14.00-17.00 CET Online Training Session "Natural capital and their governance mechanisms" with Dr. Ralph Chami (IMF, Blue Green Future, Rebalance Earth)

14.00-17.00 CET Online Training Session " Tokenization – what it is and how it can be used to value natural capital" with Dieter Brockmeyer (Diplomatic World Institute) and Dr. Jörn Erbguth (Gemlabs)

 

Friday, 23 September 2022

13.30-16.30 CET Online Training Session " Innovative finance for transformative climate solutions" with Dr. Massamba Thioye (UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub)

17.30-20.30 CET Online Training Session "Creating Triple Wins to value natural capital" with Adam Wood (Harvard University)

 

Fees to be paid in CHF directly to Gemlabs:

  • One Training 300 CHF, Participation Certificate (signed by Nikhil Seth, UNITAR and Ekkehard Ernst, Gemlabs)

  • Two Trainings 500 CHF, Participation Certificate (signed by Nikhil Seth, UNITAR and Ekkehard Ernst, Gemlabs)

  • Three Trainings 650 CHF, Certificate of Completion(signed by Adam Wood, Harvard University, Nikhil Seth, UNITAR, and Ekkehard Ernst, Gemlabs)

A limited number of fellowships are offered to students (all countries) and participants from low- and middle-income countries according to the World Bank Atlas Method. Please contact payment [at] gemlabs.ch (payment[at]gemlabs[dot]ch) 

Please register on this platform with your contact data. You will receive more information by email.

 

Content and Structure

Training 1 – Natural capitals and their governance mechanisms

Understanding the limits of our ecosystems is critical for us to ensure their long-term supply. Governance solutions are therefore to be built on a number of inter-connected factors which help to bring science and technology together, alongside with respect for human rights.

Take a deeper dive into different governance mechanisms for ecosystem protection. Discuss their effectiveness, and shortcomings in terms of protecting the natural asset in question, whether a keystone species or an entire ecosystem. This training will highlight governance mechanisms which can address the challenge of international collaboration and cooperation as a key impediment to current efforts to design and implement effective climate change policies. address the lack of international collaboration and cooperation as a key impediment to effective climate change policies.

  • Target Group: public and private sector officials and policy makers from developing and developed countries, climate change negotiators, investor relationship managers from the corporate sector, professionals willing to pivot into a new career
  • N.B.: The room for on-site participation allows for 25 people max.

 

Training 2 – Tokenization, what it is and how it can be used to valuing natural capital

Tokenization and Blockchain can be underpinning technology capabilities to completely rewire global finance and use cases around natural capital valuations. Blockchain has been praised as the new miracle technology, has been critized as a tool for money laundering and darknet trade and has a huge climate impact. How can it serve as a sustainable tool for valueing natural capital? To understand the real strengths of this technology and how to avoid theirits pitfalls, this training starts by introducing Blockchain and Tokenization. It explains the different types of tokens from cryptocurrencies, asset-based tokens, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to soul-bound tokens (SBTs). The training discusses different use-cases of this distributed ledger technology for nature preservation projects. It explains, how transparency can be achieved, that – for example – prevents double-counting of carbon sequestration. The training will provide a solid understanding of how these technologies can be efficient, transparent and sustainable financial tools for valuing natural capital.

  • Target group: Finance professionals, strategy professionals, business developers and management level of finance institutions, public sector officials, entrepreneurs, professionals willing to pivot into a new career

 

Training 3 – Innovative finance for transformative climate solutions

Where do we stand in regards to green bond frameworks and what can be learnt from a UNFCCC perspective? How to best bridge between supply and demand for climate solutions?

To achieve the climate and sustainability goals, mainstream finance must be redirected toward green activities. Reforming the green bond to make it serve the 1.5 degree C climate goal and the SDGs could be a way forward. There are two conditions for green bonds to serve the 1.5 degree C climate goal:

  • they must enable green activities with viability gaps that otherwise would not be implemented
  • they should also be attractive to mainstream financiers.

The training will discuss in detail the development of a financial instrument that enable to meet these conditions, a Mitigation Outcome Security which is to the green bond what the Renewable Electricity Certificate is to the green electricity. The new financial instrument will lead to an integration of the green bond and the carbon market, with financiers playing a greater role on the later, through the trading of the Mitigation Outcome Securities. The framework proposed is transformative. It will make the carbon market become the drivers of the shift of low-cost finance toward green activities, one of the most important game changers to achieve the climate goals. In return, the involvement of financiers in the carbon market will enhance its liquidity, promote price discovery and efficiency. Digital technologies, more specifically, Distributed Ledger Technologies are being used for the pilot testing of this new financial instrument.

  • Target group: Policy makers, Practitioners, climate change negotiators, investor relationship managers from the corporate sector, investment consultants and other financial professionals, Managers from development finance institutions, government bodies, international organisations, Development/Impact consultants, philanthropists, social investors and social entrepreneurs, professionals willing to pivot into a new career

 

Training 4 – Creating triple wins to value natural capital

Solving multivariate problem sets is never a simple task; however, we will demonstrate how accounting for these adverse environmental factors powered by new technology capabilities and international/private finance will spur economic growth and prosperity for the labor forces of Rwanda, Brazil, and India. Meet Adam Wood, Research Collaborator and Consultant at Harvard University’s Department of Economics. will take the lead on this training offered as a research seminar. Discussions will be based on conference panel 4 which looks into how we can best incorporate benefits for the climate and the workforce without upending local and regional economies with limited factor endowments.

Learning objectives are threefold: How to (1) Set the foundation for scalable and fiscally responsible solutions for all member states to create triple wins, (2) Provide enduring contributions to the economic multiplier machine of personal consumption, investment, and savings all of which contribute to the SPI/HDI's of a Nation State, and (3) Generate sustainable tax revenues from the population so that they may work longer and happier, so that the aforementioned capital yields are reinvested into the economy of a government.

  • Target group: public sector officials and policy makers from developing and developed countries, Policy makers, Practitioners, climate change negotiators, investor relationship managers from the corporate sector, professionals willing to pivot into a new career, Private sector officials, including those from “STEM”-fields of study/professions covering public health as well as computer science, applied and computational mathematics, statistics, engineering fields including agricultural, environmental, biomedical, civil, chemical, material, electrical, mechanical, aerospace, aeronautical, and astronautical, physics including applied physics and astrophysics, economics including econometrics, cybersecurity, data science, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and quantum.

 

General Information:

  • Networking coffee on-site allows for establishing contacts in person for those who are in Geneva (also conference participants who will not participate in a training are welcome) 
  • Training as additional part of the conference hosted by Gemlabs, Harvard University’s Department of Economics, UNITAR and ILO 
  • Training Material to be shared with participants ahead of the conference: pre-recorded lecture (30 min max), recommended reading/literature, videos… 
  • Small groups of maximum 25 participants per training
  • Trainings last 3 hours (including break) 
  • Trainings focus on 2 key questions and allow for open discussion

Targeted Audience

The training is dedicated to participants of the conference as well as anyone who is interested in discussing new, tech- and data-based solutions to mobilize different natural carbon sinks in order to maximize their contribution to address climate change.

Additional Information

For any questions or inquiries, please contact Ms. Katharina Sill at katharina.sill [at] unitar.org (katharina[dot]sill[at]unitar[dot]org).