The 29th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change – COP29 – is taking place this year in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November.

The COP, the main annual event where all the signatories of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) gather, is a crucial appointment for the definition of global climate policies and for strengthening international cooperation.

RSE, represented by its CEO Franco Cotana, the Director of the TTD Department Luciano Martini and the Assistant for International Cooperation Activities Viktoriia Fedorova, will be attending COP29 and contributing to several events. In particular RSE will have the opportunity to organise the following event at the Italian Pavilion in the Blue Zone:

• ‘Innovative Approaches to Climate Change Mitigation: Solar Radiation Management and Actions for a Mission Innovation’s Green Powered Future for Africa’.
  13 November 2024, 17:30-19:00, Italian Pavilion
  The event is divided into two main sessions, both focusing on the energy transition and climate change mitigation with a special focus on Africa. The first session, organised by RSE in collaboration with the CIRIAF of the University of Perugia and the Italian Space Agency, explores the potential of high albedo systems, a promising technology to mitigate the effects of global warming. The second session focuses on the results of the Green Powered Future Mission, the Mission Innovation’s highly successful initiative aimed at demonstrating that power systems in different geographies and climates can effectively integrate up to 100% VRE by 2030, and will provide an overview of the Mission’s activities progress and outcomes, as well as its ongoing fruitful collaborations with key international actors and initiatives. Overall, the event is set to be a key opportunity for policy makers and stakeholders in the energy sector, and will provide a detailed and up-to-date overview of the latest trends and developments in the field of clean energy and sustainability technologies.

Additionally, Luciano Martini, in his capacity as GPFM Director, will also speak at the following events:

• ‘Challenging towards Carbon Neutrality through Innovative Energy Technologies’.
  15 November, 9:45-11:15 am, Japan Pavilion
  The event will be organised by RD20 (Research and Development 20 for clean energy technologies), an “initiative” (framework) for international research and development aiming to strengthen international collaboration by leading research institutes in G20 countries and regions that develop the world’s most advanced technologies for achieving carbon neutrality. The seminar will be an important opportunity to present RD20’s recent activities and R&D results, and to explore the potential of artificial intelligence in the clean energy sector, analysing the prospects for achieving global carbon neutrality and the crucial role of international collaborations.

• ‘3DEN Initiative: implementing tomorrow’s smart power systems’
  16 November, 15:30-17:00, Italian Pavilion
  The event, co-organised by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), will bring together 3DEN Initiative partners and pilot project leaders to celebrate the successes achieved and reflect on the lessons learned from Phase I (2020-2024). Participants will discuss the impact of digital tools on grid optimisation and demand management, focusing on how these technologies have improved energy efficiency and energy security. Looking to the future, the event will introduce and launch the new 3DEN Phase II call for pilot projects, which aims to accelerate the digitisation of agrifood and urban systems, with a geographical focus on Africa.

The delegation will also be actively involved in other key events, such as the panel event organised by the Green Grids Initiative (GGI) and the Global Renewables Alliance (GRA) ‘Delivering the Grids pledge – The essential role of finance’, which will focus on the pivotal role of finance in transforming global energy grids to support renewable energy integration. A Breakthrough Agenda High-Level Event is also planned, where ministers, policymakers and leading representatives of international organisations will showcase the progress being made, the shared high ambitions for the year ahead, and highlight where great efforts are most needed.