ICCA2019 | International Conference on Climate Action
Tackling climate change now!
Through interactive discussions, ICCA2019 aims to strengthen mitigation measures by improving coordination and cooperation across all levels of government.
ICCA2019 host Heidelberg as a climate hub
The International Conference on Climate Action, to be held in Heidelberg on 22 and 23 May 2019, is jointly organised by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg and the City of Heidelberg. Senior members of national and subnational governments and high-ranking representatives of international organisations, initiatives and networks will discuss ways to improve coordination and cooperation across all levels of government in order to strengthen mitigation measures.
Table of contents
Climate background
The IPCC special report on global warming of 1.5°C is an alarming call to action reaffirming the urgency of the Paris Agreement’s goals. Overall, ICCA2019 aims to support actions to achieve these goals at a decisive moment. At a concrete level, ICCA2019 will be a milestone in the run-up to the UN Climate Action Summit to be held in September 2019, providing a decisive moment for preparing the summit’s deliverables for the Infrastructure, Cities and Local Action work stream.
The importance of cities
Given that more than half of the world’s population live in cities, causing over 70 percent of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, municipalities play a key role in reducing emissions and adapting to the consequences of climate change. Thanks to their economic and innovative power and the commitment of their citizens and other parts of society, cities and towns are in a position to develop low-emission economic practices and lifestyles as well as resilient infrastructure and social systems.
Transitioning towards a low-carbon economy and society is possible. We already have the necessary means, scientific knowledge and technological innovations. An increasing number of local authorities demonstrate true leadership, pursue ambitious goals and sometimes even go beyond national and international goals. ICCA2019 offers a unique opportunity to learn from pioneers and join the front-runners in cooperation on ambitious climate action.
Conference programme
ICCA2019 will offer a dialogue-centred programme with a rich variety of topics, including three plenary sessions and several parallel interactive cluster sequences. Collaborative mitigation measures will be discussed from a sectoral perspective and with a view to cross-sectoral policy levers. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to contribute and provide impetus to initiatives for the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit in September 2019. ICCA2019 invites decision-makers at all political levels, multipliers, and others, to engage in climate-friendly sustainable development. Among the invitees are ministers and high-ranking representatives of national and subnational governments, mayors and their global networks. Other participants include representatives of UN organisations and other globally known organisations, international financial institutions, civil society, the business sector and the scientific community.
Climate Neighbourhoods, ambitious cities, good mitigation practice
In addition to the main conference in Heidelberg’s historic city hall, ICCA2019 offers a variety of events for professionals and the general public. In parallel to ICCA2019, advocacy and civil society groups will hold the Climate Neighbourhoods programme at different locations in the historic centre. The Transition Towns Workshop on 20 May will provide a variety of initiatives with an opportunity for networking. Several events are scheduled for the day before the conference, 21 May: the project conference ‘Bridging European and Local Climate Action’ (BEACON), the Youth Climate Summit, bringing together young people from all over the world, the meeting of the global Under2Coalition, the final session of Cities Fit for Climate Change and the first Climate Neighbourhoods (CN) excursions as well as a Science Slam, setting the stage for ICCA2019 and the associated CN. On the first day of the conference, on 22 May, cities and towns from Baden-Württemberg will come together for the Municipal Climate Action Congress and no less than three award programmes will recognise their winners: Impact Hub’s Better Together Award, the Energy Saving Teams from Heidelberg schools and the “Good Energy Management” municipal competition. On the morning of the second conference day, on 23 May, Heidelberg’s mayor Eckart Würzner will chair the Mayors Session. Following the main ICCA2019, participants and press representatives are invited to visit good practice examples of municipal climate action on guided tours offered by Climate Neighbourhoods. At the same time, Energy Cities will hold its membership meeting in the city hall.
Pre- and Post-Conference Field Trips
In advance on May 21 and after ICCA2019 on May 23, field trips to selected local climate protection projects in the Heidelberg region will provide hands-on experience and opportunities for face-to-face exchange.
