Here at the IES we believe that collaboration and sharing of best practice is an integral part of successful climate action. This is why we are partnering with a diverse range of professional bodies - to help empower and inspire professionals to take action.
The IES has signaled it's commitment to climate action by becoming an official signatory to the Professional Bodies Climate Action Charter. The Charter, led by E3G, was launched on the 1st July as part of London Climate Action Week. It is a vital first step towards enabling collaboration and a shared vision across the professions. We recognise the importance of the initiative for supporting transformative change and have been involved since its inception, playing an active role in the working group drafting the Charter text.
The Charter aims to leverage greater collective ambition on climate action through interdisciplinary coordination. It provides a great starting point for COP26 to be the COP to trigger action. The Paris Agreement back at COP21 was a landmark moment and was the year for solidifying commitments to climate action and igniting the rhetoric for what was needed to address climate change. However, despite the commitment to keeping warming below 2°C, UNEP's Emissions Gap Report 2019 found that if all current climate pledges are met, the world is heading for a 3.2°C temperature rise.
We now therefore need to move beyond rhetoric and towards catalysing action - we need to make COP26 the most ambitious COP yet, and to define it by it being the moment that all sectors of society solidify the actions they need to take. The focus on tangible actions and reducing siloed working in the Charter is a great first step for this for professional bodies.
Join us for an online panel event on the 4th November led by the E3G, The Professional Bodies Climate Action Charter at COP26. The event will comprise a presentation on the Charter, followed by a discussion between representatives from the professional bodies, including the IES.
