An official UN Side Event by UNOPS, UNEP, FAO, UNIDO, and UN Global Compact

Can climate action start with a contract? Public procurement - representing 13–30% of GDP in many countries - is one of the largest levers governments have to direct finance toward sustainable outcomes. Yet it remains underused in climate policy and practice. This event will ask what happens when governments embed climate ambition into every procurement decision, and show how procurement can shift markets, accelerate resilience, and become a climate solution in its own right.

On 28 October, UNFCCC launched the 2025 NDC Synthesis Report, assessing the updated NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions), which are the national climate targets—and plans to achieve them. This “new generation of NDCs” often refers to the private sector as a co-developer and co-implementer of solutions, and a key stakeholder in regard to financing climate action. This session will feature the experiences of the NDC Dialogues and the private sector’s crucial role in implementing and accelerating decarbonization and adaptation plans.

This session is hosted by the UN Global Compact Global Operations Team

Building on the discussions and outcomes from PRI in Person in São Paulo, this session will bring together business and financial institutions and investors to showcase how the business case and investor case can be better aligned and build on each other to mobilize capital, de-risk climate investments and contribute to the goals of the Paris Agreement.
 

This session is hosted by the UN Global Compact Environment Team and PRI. 

Highlighting findings from the 2025 United Nations Global Compact–Accenture CEO Study, which draws on insights from nearly 2,000 CEOs across 128 countries to examine how leaders are moving from sustainable ambition to action, despite economic uncertainty and geopolitical challenges. Discussions during the session will also explore how the UN Global Compact is leveraging these findings to inform the implementation of its newly adopted strategy towards 2030.

This session is hosted by the UN Global Compact Environment and Climate Team.

​​​​Join us to discuss the Taskforce on Net Zero Policy’s second-year report, “Policy Matters: From Pledges to Delivery – A Decade After Paris", alongside the latest update of Integrity Matters. The Integrity Matters report captured the work of the UN High-Level Expert Group on the Net Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities (UN HLEG), mandated by the UN Secretary-General to establish criteria benchmarking net zero pledges and transition plans from non-state actors. Its ten recommendations culminated in a call to scale up regulation as the only effective way to ensure all actors play their part in achieving net zero. The 2025 Policy Matters report reviews policy developments across G20 countries and beyond, examining corporate, financial and real-economy regulation that supports credible transitions and climate resilience. It identifies key levers to accelerate delivery on the Paris Agreement’s goals and align policy, finance and real-economy action.

Hosted by the UN Global Compact and the Taskforce on Net Zero Policy

This high-level dialogue provides a platform for energy leaders to align on shared goals, explore policy and investment frameworks and advance practical solutions that ensure the transition is both fast and equitable. By working together, energy companies can accelerate progress toward a net-zero future while supporting resilience, inclusion and long-term value for all stakeholders.
 

This session is hosted by the UN Global Compact Environment and Climate team.

This session will spark a deeper understanding of responsible leadership in practice and how it must evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. Through this immersive simulation, participants will experience the complexity of decision-making in moments of crisis, explore how diverse perspectives can lead to better outcomes and reflect on the role of education in preparing future leaders for these realities. The session aims to inspire action across sectors — bridging the worlds of academia, business and civil society — to equip the next generation with the mindset and skills needed to lead for a sustainable, just and resilient future.

This session is hosted by the UN Global Compact PRME team.

The session explores the necessary enablers (in terms of policies, capacity development and the role of the different actors) for youth to seize green employment opportunities so as to fully display their potential. This discussion will follow a dynamic and open dialogue with a diverse group of youth representatives to exchange views, share concerns and experiences and raise proposals and recommendations.

This session is hosted by Iberdrola. 

Building on the COP30 agenda and evolving corporate disclosure requirements, this session will explore how companies can design Climate Transition Plans that effectively integrate emissions reduction. Panelists will address the practical and organizational hurdles businesses face in setting targets, aligning governance, securing financing, and managing value chain emissions, in the context of climate change mitigation.The discussion will highlight innovative approaches from different sectors that enable companies to align ambition with feasibility, credibility, and long-term objectives.

Participants will gain insights about the main challenges businesses face in the process of elaborating a Climate Transition Plan and showcase approaches to building credible, feasible, and competitive strategies in a rapidly evolving context.

This session is hosted by UN Global Compact Country Networks Portugal, Italy, Spain and France.
 

With time running out, the private sector has a key role to play in keeping 1.5°C alive and securing the transition to a net-zero future by 2050. This session will feature examples of ambitious corporate climate action with a special focus on the Global South, the key role that the private sector plays in securing the transition to a net-zero future, and how Global Compact Country Networks are supporting business leaders in their journey towards science-based targets.

This session is hosted by the UN Global Compact Global Operations Team

Adopted in 2015, the Paris Agreement marked a turning point in global climate action, setting a collective goal to limit global warming below 1.5°C. Since then, businesses have become central actors in advancing climate solutions, mobilizing investment, driving innovation and scaling up renewable energy, low-carbon technologies and sustainable practices. At COP30 in Belém, Brazil (2025), all participating countries are expected to present new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that reflect ambitious action for the coming decade. Businesses will play a critical role in partnership with governments, enabling pathways to decarbonize the global economy, foster a just transition to a low-carbon world and prevent the worst impacts of climate change. Followingthe event co-convened by UN Global Compact Networks France, Spain and Brazil at the United Nations during the 80th General Assembly, this special private sector event, convened by UN Global Compact France and Brazil, will provide an opportunity to reflect on a decade of business engagement since Paris 2015, assess progress, identify persistent gaps and explore opportunities and responsibilities.

Session host/organizers: CN France & CN Brazil

Speakers (more will most likely follow): 
Nils Pedersen, Executive Director, UN Global Global Compact Network France
Sandrine Bouttier-Stref, Group Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Sanofi 
Céline Coulibre-Dumenil, Chief Sustainability Officer, Rexel 
Simon Allain, Coordinator ACT Initiative, ADEME

An invitation-only reception for climate leaders, hosted by the Science Based Targets initiative

The session will explore how corporate accountability can drive measurable climate and environmental performance progress within food systems. The discussion will review progress and next steps under the Coalition on Corporate Accountability in Food Systems, focusing on enhancing coherence, transparency and comparability of private sector actions across climate and environmental dimensions. Building on insights from the multi-stakeholders convened in Indonesia and Brazil, the session will highlight national perspectives and lessons learned on advancing corporate accountability in relation to climate and environment. Panellists will discuss practical approaches for improving data alignment, transparency and policy coherence, and identify collaborative opportunities and partnerships that can support the development of a coherent roadmap toward a Corporate Accountability mechanism.
 

This session is hosted by UN Global Compact Country Networks Brazil and Indonesia, UNEP, WBA and ATNi. 

This high-level session will explore how cross-sector collaboration and digital technologies—such as geospatial intelligence, AI, and digital twins—can accelerate climate-resilient infrastructure. Panelists will highlight practical examples of ecosystem partnerships that enable cities and communities to design, operate, and maintain infrastructure capable of withstanding climate extremes. The discussion will emphasize how private and public actors can co-innovate to scale systemic solutions across geographies and stakeholders.

Panel Discussion with featured speakers:
• Laia Romero, CEO, Lobelia – Sustainability Innovator and Partner.
• Karin Formigoni, Latam Director and Brazil Country Manager & Resilience
Business Area Director, Arcadis
• Leandro Marin, VP, Operations, AEGEA

This event is hosted by UN GCN Portugal and Bentley Systems;

Building on the COP30 agenda and the growing importance of corporate climate strategies, this session will explore how companies can integrate adaptation and resilience into their core business models. The discussion will focus on how businesses can mobilize finance, align governance and embed adaptation into risk management, procurement and ESG frameworks. It will also highlight nature-based solutions and multilevel partnerships as key enablers of climate resilience.

This session is hosted by UN Global Compact Country Networks Spain, Portugal and France.

This event will bring together European companies committed to tackling the challenge of Scope 3 emissions, which often account for the largest portion of their carbon footprint. Through expert presentations, case studies, and collaborative discussions, we will dive into actionable approaches to measure, mitigate and report Scope 3 emissions. The event will provide a platform for sharing best practices, innovative solutions and strategies for integrating sustainability into the supply chain, fostering a collective movement towards a low-carbon economy. This event will also explore recent EU legislation changes and how they impact businesses tracking Scope 3 emissions. This event aims to position businesses as key drivers of climate action, promoting transparency, collaboration and the integration of sustainability across value chains to meet the EU’s ambitious climate goals and the Paris Agreement targets.

This session is hosted by UN Global Compact Country Networks Portugal, Spain and France.

As the global community assemble in Belem, Brazil, for COP 30, the program highlight the commitments and priorities outlined in the Sagarmatha Declaration. Despite the being must vulnerable region, mountain issues remain underrepresented in international climate negotiations. The Sagarmatha Sambaad sought to highlight the issues and that narrative calling for mountain ecosystems to be central to climate action. Building on this momentum, the proposed side event at COP 30 aims to amplify mountain voices, ensure their priorities are integrated into global climate negotiations, and identify collective priorities for adaptation, resilience, and sustainable mountain development.

The workshop will discuss ways to strengthen impact governance as a lever for advancing the climate agenda, highlighting the role of collective action in building transformative solutions. The program includes the presentation of the results of the “Global Compact Network Brazil Towards COP30” Program and a dialogue on the next steps for corporate climate action in Brazil to drive greater ambition, commitments, and concrete results.

This session is hosted by UN Global Compact Network Brazil.

At COP30, the University of Coimbra invites you to contribute to a high-level discussion on “Just Transition: Digital Solutions, Biodiversity and the Rights of Nature", a strategic dialogue in which environmental law, biodiversity science and technology leadership converge to turn ambition into action. How can artificial intelligence help conserve living systems without sidelining the intrinsic rights of nature and local knowledge? In this session, leading AI, biodiversity science and nature law experts will test assumptions and co-create principles for responsible innovation.

This session is hosted by UN Global Compact Country Network Portugal.

Speakers: Professor Alexandra Aragão and Professor Helena Freitas from the University of Coimbra;  Yang Baocheng, President of Huanghe Science and Technology University (HHSTU).

*The session will be moderated by the Vice-Rector, Professor Patrícia Pereira da Silva, from the University of Coimbra.

With time running out, the private sector has a key role to play in keeping 1.5°C alive and securing the transition to a net-zero future by 2050. This session will feature examples of ambitious corporate climate action around the world, the key role that the private sector plays in securing the transition to a net-zero future, and how Global Compact Country Networks in the Global South and Global North are supporting business leaders in their journey towards science-based targets.

This session is hosted by the UN Global Compact Global Operations Team

Implementing the UNFSS+4 Call to Action: the private sector role in driving food system transformation and climate action

Co-organized by the UN Global Compact and the World Benchmarking Alliance

Transforming food systems is essential to achieving the 1.5°C goal and ensuring access to healthy diets for all. The private sector—one of the largest investors and innovators across the food value chain—has a critical role to play in driving sustainability, resilience, and equity. Yet much more can be done to unlock responsible investment, scale innovation, and foster meaningful public–private collaboration. Building on the momentum of the UNFSS+4 and the UN Secretary-General’s Call to Action, this side event will explore how businesses can embed accountability and climate ambition into their models, strengthen financing mechanisms, and accelerate transformative action for people, planet, and prosperity.

An event by UNGC, UNCTAD and FAO
Seaweed and aquatic foods are emerging as powerful nature-based solutions to address the climate crisis, enhance food security, and support sustainable livelihoods. This event explores pathways for sustainable aquatic food and non-food uses (e.g. cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, biomaterials & biofuels) through FAO’s Blue Transformation and the UN Global Seaweed Initiative (UNGSI), showcasing how aquatic systems can drive climate-resilient, low-emission, and nature-positive solutions for food, product development and livelihoods.