COP29-IEA High-Level Energy Transition Dialogue

The COP29 Presidency and International Energy Agency (IEA) are convening the second in a series of high-level energy transition dialogues ahead of the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November. The dialogues – co-chaired by IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol and COP29 President-Designate Mukhtar Babayev, and held in close partnership with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat – aim to continue building international consensus around pathways to drive energy sector emissions to net zero and limit global warming to 1.5 °C. They are a continuation of the series co-chaired last year by the United Arab Emirates’ COP28 Presidency and the IEA, which made a strong and direct contribution to the outcomes of the first Global Stocktake, part of the wider UAE Consensus.

The second dialogue focused on COP29 will be hosted by the City of London Corporation at Mansion House during London Climate Action Week. It will focus on scaling up clean energy investment, especially in emerging and developing economies, in order to keep the 1.5 °C goal within reach. The conversation between leaders across government, the financial sector and civil society will focus on how public and private finance, as well as development finance institutions, can support the creation of a strong pipeline of bankable clean energy projects and unlock the funds needed to deliver them. 

Participants are set to include African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy Amani Abou-Zeid; Germany’s State Secretary and Special Envoy for International Climate Action Jennifer Morgan; and Ireland’s Minister for Transport, Climate, Environment & Communications Eamon Ryan – as well as Selwin Hart, Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General on Climate Action and Just Transition; Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All; and COP26 President Alok Sharma. A range of leaders from across the financial sector will also be present, including Barclays Global Head of Sustainability Daniel Hanna, Prudential Chair Shriti Vadera and JPMorgan Chase Global Head of Sustainability Heather Zichal.