As growing climate change impacts are experienced across the globe, the message that greenhouse gas emissions must fall is unambiguous. The world needs system-wide, fair, and equal transformations to decarbonize high-emitting sectors and bridge the emissions gap. Against the backdrop of the main findings of UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report 2023, this side event had a special focus on discussions on just energy transition in low- and middle-income countries and the potential synergies and trade-offs in jointly pursuing development and decarbonization agendas. The expert panel contextualized the discussion and explored South Africa’s efforts, making links to similar synergies and opportunities for other emerging economies.

Panel:

• Moderator: Niklas Höhne, NewClimate Institute
• Anne Olhoff, Senior International Advisor, CONCITO
• Neil Cole, Presidency of the Republic of South Africa – JETP Project Management Unit
• Jinsum Lim, International Energy Agency
• Greg Muttitt, Lead Author of the EGR 2023, International Institute for Sustainable Development
• Yacob Mulugetta, Lead Author of the EGR 2023, University College London
• Fatima Denton, Contributing author of the EGR 2023, United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa