Join the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and Sonam P Wangdi, Chair of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Group under the UNFCCC, for a virtual discussion exploring a breadth of issues LDCs have to deal with in their efforts to build back better.

The IIED-hosted webinar on Tuesday, 27 July 2021, 11:00 – 12:30 BST, will conclude the current phase of cross-IIED collaboration on ‘Building Resilience and Greening the COVID-19 Recovery in LDCs’, highlighting areas of interventions that could be deployed in a Covid-19 recovery.

A panel of experts will also discuss multifaceted responses to climate impacts, which are exacerbated by Covid-19, exploring questions and identifying options that can inform both policymaking and grassroots action.

Speakers:

• Sonam P Wangdi, Chair of the LDC Group of the UNFCCC

• Isatou F. Camara, principal development planner in the directorate of development planning of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, The Gambia

• Andrew Norton, director of IIED

• Clare Shakya, director of IIED’s Climate Change research group

• Anna Schulz, principal researcher and head of the global climate law policy and governance programme in IIED’s Climate Change research group

• Sejal Patel, researcher in IIED’s Shaping Sustainable Markets and Climate Change research groups

• Ritu Bharadwaj, senior researcher in IIED’s Climate Change research group

• Kevin Johnstone, researcher in IIED’s Shaping Sustainable Markets research group

• Xiaoting Hou-Jones, senior researcher in IIED’s Natural Resources research group

Exploring LDC perspectives on climate-friendly policies

The full extent of the pandemic’s long-term impact on the economy is yet to unfold, but the LDCs will be the least able to cope with the impact. They are already challenged by multiple urgent priorities that require undivided financial and technical resources. 

LDCs are currently dealing with multiple shocks from climate and Covid-19-related impacts, responses for which could be strengthened if aligned with preparations and approaches for a successful COP26 in Glasgow. As the Paris Agreement moves into post-2020 implementation, harnessing the levers of both national implementation and global decision-making will be important to build back better from Covid-19. IIED and partners have been undertaking in-depth research to explore climate-friendly policies that could deliver a better result both for economies and the environment, from the perspective of the LDCs.

The research focuses on four workstreams:

• Mobilising resources for equitable, green and resilient recovery through debt relief and debt swaps

• Delivering rapid support for a green and resilient Covid-19 recovery 

• Renewable energy access for jobs and livelihoods, and;

• Local nature-based solutions for Covid-19 recovery and resilience

Register for the event here and share the event with your networks.