The UN Climate Change Conference was held in Durban, South Africa (COP17, from 28 November to 9 December 2011).

OECD expert involvement focused on green growth and climate change, adaptation and mitigation, carbon accounting, improving transparency (“MRV”), climate finance and technology.

OECD Statement in the High Level Session Plenary
Remarks by Angel Gurría, Secretary-General, OECD

 OECD Side Events

Friday 2 December - 10.30 to 12.30, EU Pavilion - OECD/IEA Climate Change Expert Group

The latest OECD/IEA analysis on emissions unit accounting and establishing emissions baselines was presented, followed by a discussion with leading experts from developed and developing countries.

Thursday 8 December - OECD Breakfast: Catalysing Investment in Low-Carbon, Climate-Resilient Growth, chaired by OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría, accompanied by Simon Upton (OECD Director of Environment) and senior officials from government as well as representatives from the business and finance communities.

The event provided an opportunity to discuss how policy can be shaped to catalyse investment and engage the private sector in financing climate change action, and will include a short presentation of key messages from recent OECD work – stressing how private sector investors need clear climate and investment policies and well structured green financial instruments. In particular, we shared new results from: the OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050 (forthcoming in 2012) and the investment gap in the coming decades; an emerging policy framework for good practice in LCCR investment; the potential for use of innovative green investment instruments (e.g. see “The Role of Pension Funds in Financing Green Growth Initiatives”, OECD Working Papers on Finance, Insurance and Private Pensions).

• Catalysing Investment in Low-Carbon and Climate-Resilient Growth Workshop, 7 November 2011

Thursday 8 December - High-level Panel Discussion chaired by the OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría: Green growth and climate change: Achieving a climate-resilient and low carbon economy

Given the ongoing economic challenges and the escalating impacts of climate change, there is a pressing need to mitigate emissions and adapt to a changing climate. Addressing these concerns on a global scale will require both political and financing commitment. This high-level panel discussion provided the opportunity to share insights on how to deliver climate finance and action in the current economic context. Agenda and presentations.

Press releases

• Climate change aid up to USD 22.9 billion in 2010, said OECD Secretary-General, Angel Gurría, 6 December 2011.
• Political courage in Durban needed to combat climate change, said OECD's Gurría, 24 November 2011.

Policy Briefs and Further Reading

• Key Finding: Chapter on Climate Change and pre-release of the full Chapter on Climate Change of the OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050;

• Policy Briefs: Financing Climate Change Action; Promoting Technological Innovation to Address Climate Change and First Ever Comprehensive Data on Aid for Climate Change Adaptation

• Tracking and Trading: Expanding on Options for International Greenhouse Gas Unit Accounting after 2012 (November 2011), Andrew Prag, (OECD), Christina Hood (IEA), André Aasrud (IEA) and Gregory Briner (OECD)

• Design Options for International Assessment and Review (IAR) and International Consultations and Analysis (ICA) (November 2011), Jane Ellis (OECD), Gregory Briner (OECD), Yamide Dagnet (seconded to OECD) and Nina Campbell (IEA)

• Keeping Track: Options to Develop International Greenhouse Gas Unit Accounting After 2012 (June 2011), Andrew Prag (OECD), André Aasrud and Christina Hood (IEA)

• Frequent and Flexible: Options for Reporting Guidelines for Biennial Update Reports (May 2011)
  Jane Ellis, Gregory Briner (OECD), Sara Moarif (IEA) and Barbara Buchner (CPI)

• Monitoring and Tracking Long-Term Finance to Support Climate Action (May 2011)
  Barbara Buchner (CPI), Jessica Brown (ODI) and Jan Corfee-Morlot (OECD)

Spotlight: Green growth

Publications and Brochures

The crisis convinced many countries that a different kind of economic growth is needed, which takes into account environmental, social and technological considerations.

"Ministers welcomed the Green Growth Strategy and provided guidance on future work. They agreed that green growth tools and indicators can help expand economic growth and job creation through sustainable use of natural resources, efficiencies in the use of energy, and valuation of ecosystem services.

• More about OECD work on Green Growth
• Recent OECD work on Climate Change
• OECD work on adaptation to climate change
   

• OECD Green Growth Studies: Energy, 2011
• Transition to a Low-carbon Economy, 2010

Related links

• OECD work on climate change
• Financing Climate Change Action
• Focus on Aid Targeting the Objectives of the Rio Conventions
• Green Group: One who does not look ahead always remains behind
• OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050
• OECD at prior UNFCCC conferences
• COP17, Durban, South Africa (UNFCCC website)
• UN Framework Convention on Climate Change official site
• IISD Linkages daily reports on the Talks