Ministerial meeting of the "Online Platform" on a Sustainable and Resilient Recovery from COVID-19 and the website "Platform for Redesign 2020"

On 3 September, a ministerial meeting will be held online to share experiences and views on climate actions and environmental protection measures as part of the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The website "Platform for Redesign 2020" will also be launched.

１．Overview

Both global crises of the coronavirus pandemic and climate change require all countries to join forces and fully commit to tackling them. In this perspective, on 3 September, a ministerial meeting will be held online. Participating countries will be able to share their experiences and views on climate actions and environmental protection measures as part of their recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

The ministerial meeting will be chaired by Japan's Minister of the Environment, Mr. KOIZUMI Shinjiro, and will be joined by ministers and representatives from numerous countries as well as non-state stakeholders from a diversity of fields, including youth representatives, the civil society, the corporate sector, and local governments.

In parallel, the website "Platform for Redesign 2020" is launched to showcase information on countries' policies and actions on climate and environment in the context of recovery from COVID-19. Video messages from ministers, international organizations, local governments, the corporate sector, and the civil society are also available on the platform.

Platform for Redesign 2020: <https://platform2020redesign.org/>

２．Details on the Ministerial meeting

Date and Time: Thursday, 3 September 2020 | 20:00 to 23:00 JST (13:00 to 16:00 CEST, 07:00-10:00 EDT)

Language: English (simultaneous Japanese interpretation available on live-stream)

The ministerial meeting will be live-streamed on the "Platform for Redesign 2020" website and accessible from the below links:

English: <https://vimeo.com/446674498/a0b8760ed9>

Japanese: <https://vimeo.com/446674358/dafff991d0>

Draft Agenda and Session structure

Chair: KOIZUMI Shinjiro, Minister of the Environment, Japan

20:00-20:10 Opening:

Opening remarks by

KOIZUMI Shinjiro, Minister of the Environment, Japan

Patricia Espinosa, UNFCCC Executive Secretary

Message from leaders (video message) by

ABE Shinzo, Prime Minister of Japan

António Guterres, UN Secretary-General,

20:10-20:55 Session 1: Panel discussion-Redesign of Socio-economy with Three Transitions:

This session is expected to set the tone of this event, which is to address two global crises: COVID-19 and climate change. The three transitions toward decarbonization, circular economy, and decentralization, will be the cornerstone of our recovery from COVID-19, on the way to redesigning our lifestyle and business models to be more sustainable and resilient. In order to foster these transitions, it is necessary to encourage climate policies as well as financial and environmental protection policies.

・Facilitator: Andrew Steer, WRI President and CEO

・Panelists: KOIZUMI Shinjiro, Minister of the Environment, Japan

Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, GEF-CEO, former Costa Rican Minister of Environment and Energy

Mary Robinson, representative of The Elders, former President of Ireland

Mark Carney, COP26 Finance Advisor

20:55-22:55 Session 2：Ministerial Roundtable: COVID-19 recovery measures and actions

Ministers will exchange information and views on their measures and actions related to climate change and environmental protection as part of their recovery from COVID-19 in several key sectors and areas: energy, transportation, urban planning, adaptation, etc.

10 Ministers will deliver their statements as a lead speaker touching upon these sectors/areas, then followed by intervention by other ministers and vice-ministers.

Session Chair: Selwin Hart, Special Adviser of the UN Secretary-General on Climate Action

Messages by incoming COP26 President (video message)

Key sectors/areas to be covered by lead speakers.

1. Strengthening Climate Action and Fostering Ambition:
2. Energy (Renewable energy, Hydrogen etc.)
3. Transportation
4. Urban Planning
5. Adaptation (Water, food system etc.)

22:55-23:25 Session 3: Panel Discussion- Non-State Actors Interests

Representatives of non-state actors (business, subnational, labour and civil society) are invited to join as panelists to discuss redesigning of socio-economy from stakeholders' perspectives and their roles.

- Facilitator： Mr. Gonzalo Muñoz, High-Level Climate Champion of Chile

- Panelists：

Paul Polman, Co-founder and Chair, IMAGINE; Honorary Chair of International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of International Trade Union Confederation（ITUC)　

Kobie Brand, Regional Director: ICLEI Africa

Video messages by Youth* and Japanese local government will be shown.

*A relay message of young people in the world, collected by Japan Youth Platform for Sustainability (JYPS)