The Embassy of Portugal in Washington DC Cordially invites you to the second webinar of our OutSpoken series, within the context of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, to be followed by a concert by Rui de Luna, accompanied by the Portuguese Navy Band, conducted by Délio Gonçalves.
Webinar: “Climate change - Building a transatlantic response: oceans and climate diplomacy”
Moderation by Ambassador Domingos Fezas
Vital Initial remarks by the Head of the EU Delegation, Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis
Panel:
• Sue Biniaz, on behalf of the Presidential Special Envoy for the Climate, the Honorable John Kerry
• Dan Lashof, Director of the World Resources Institute, USA
• Tiago Pitta e Cunha, CEO of the Oceano Azul Foundation, Portugal
• Mercedes García Pérez, Head of Global Issues and Innovation, EU Delegation, DC
Climate change is perceived today, in both sides of the Atlantic, as a major challenge, if not the existential challenge of our time.
Global warming has a far-reaching impact, demanding a comprehensive global response. The Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU sees the forthcoming 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) to be held in November, in Glasgow, as an opportunity we cannot miss for the EU and the US to come forward with a coordinated position, that is simultaneously ambitious and able to ensure the necessary global outreach, building upon the 2015 Paris Agreement.
In 2019, at COP25, the Parties recognized the ocean-climate nexus. The Ocean plays a vital role in regulating climate, it offers several key natural based solutions for climate change mitigation and is instrumental in ensuring a successful transition to a carbon free economy. Portugal and Kenya will be chairing the second United Nations Ocean Conference, due to take place in 2022. The outcome of COP 26 will be central to the discussion, as climate action and the ocean restauration are two inseparable components of the same fight.
The EU has already put forward its Green Deal and the EU Council of Ministers has just recently approved Conclusions on Climate and Energy Diplomacy. With President Biden, the US has returned to the Paris Agreements, former Secretary of State John Kerry has been appointed as Special Envoy for the Climate and the Administration is committed to a wide range of eco-friendly policies and investments in areas such as infrastructures, auto-industry, public transportation, energy, construction, housing, innovation, agriculture and conservation. The US has also announced the convening of a Leaders Summit on Climate Change, on April 22nd, Earth Day.
At this webinar members of the panel will be invited to address these issues and to state their views on how best to ensure that we have a common transatlantic response in Glasgow.
Musical Moment
The webinar will be followed by a concert by the Portuguese baritone Rui de Luna accompanied by the Portuguese Navy Band, conducted by Délio Gonçalves.
The performance, streamed from the Antique Hall of the Royal Riding School, in Lisbon, will be centered in a musical interpretation of the Sea and of the Portuguese diaspora and culture in general.
A centerpiece of the show will be a solo’ piece of the Navy Band: “The Sea who speaks Portuguese”, composed by Gilson Santos.
When: February 19th – 11 am EST (followed by the concert, at 12 am EST)
Where:
Live on Facebook: @PortugalintheUS
Zoom: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fKiZtMFYQimPHtzXD0js7g
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAyPKZwD_JCOhgMbl-JShDg