How can we prepare for a Climate Overshoot?

About this event

18 October 2023 from 17:30 until 19:00

Amphithéâtre Jacques Chapsal

27 rue Saint-Guillaume, 75007, Paris

Organized by

Paris School of International Affairs

PSIA is delighted to welcome a panel of experts to discuss the Climate Overshoot Commission's cutting edge report on how to reduce the risk of falling short of the Paris Agreement target of keeping global temperature rise under 1.5°C. It is ever more vital that we widen our repertoire of tools to address climate change in policymaking. We must prepare for a climate overshoot.

This event is co-organized with the Climate Overshoot Commission.

THE COMMISSION

Acknowledging the diplomatic challenges of dealing with overshoot scenarios, the Climate Overshoot Commission was formed to address the governance gaps in multilateral climate action. It is the first international independent political body to take a position on how to cope with such risks. Comprising twelve global leaders, the Commission’s goal is to examine a wide range of solutions to climate change without political constraints. They are supported by scientists and youth representatives to ensure evidence-based recommendations and a diversity of perspectives.

THE REPORT

Released in September 2023, the report provides a wide range of holistic recommendations on how to lower the risk of exceeding the 1.5°C temperature increase. Its bottom-line is that an overshoot is still avoidable, but all tools available must be considered. As such, it reviews diverse political and scientific tools beyond accelerated emission reductions, including enhanced adaptation, carbon dioxide removal (CDR), solar radiation modification (SRM), and innovative financing schemes. See the report and the executive summary (PDF).

GUEST SPEAKERS

Chair:

Sébastien Treyer, Executive Director, IDDRI

Panelists:

Pascal Lamy, Chair of the Climate Overshoot Commission; Coordinator, Jacques Delors Institutes; Vice Chairman, Paris Peace Forum
Laurence Tubiana, Member of the Climate Overshoot Commission; CEO, European Climate Foundation; Professor, Sciences Po
Arancha González, Member of the Climate Overshoot Commission; Dean, PSIA
Anni Määttänen, CNRS senior scientist, Laboratoire Atmosphères et observations spatiales, Sorbonne Université

BIOGRAPHIES

Arancha González is the third Dean of Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) at Sciences Po and first woman to lead the world's third school for Politics and International Studies.

Prior to joining PSIA, Ms González served as Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (2020-2021). She previously was Assistant-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (2013-2020). Between 2005 and 2013 she served as Chief of Staff to the Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Pascal Lamy. Before that she held senior positions at the European Commission in the areas of international trade and development.

Pascal Lamy is the coordinator of the Jacques Delors Institutes (Paris, Berlin, Brussels). He is Vice-Chairman of the Paris Peace Forum and Chairman of the European branch of the Brunswick Group.

From 2005 to 2013, Pascal Lamy served two consecutive terms as Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). He was previously Trade Commissioner (1999-2004), Director General of Crédit Lyonnais (1994-1999), Chief of staff of the President of the European Commission, Jacques Delors, as well as his Sherpa at the G7 (1985-1994).

He also served as Deputy Chief of staff of the Prime Minister (1983-1985) and of the Minister for the Economy and Finance (1981-1983) in France.

Dr. Anni Määttänen is a CNRS senior scientist working in the LATMOS-IPSL laboratory at Sorbonne Université, Paris.

Her research interests include sulphur aerosols and ice cloud microphysics in the atmospheres of terrestrial planets, and solar geoengineering with an interdisciplinary approach. She also teaches a course on Climate Sciences and Climate Intervention at Sciences Po-PSIA.

Laurence Tubiana is CEO of the European Climate Foundation (ECF) and a Professor at Sciences Po, Paris. She previously chaired the Board of Governors at the French Development Agency (AFD), as well as the Board at Expertise France (the French public agency for international technical assistance).

Before joining the ECF, Laurence was France’s Climate Change Ambassador and Special Representative for COP21, and as such, a key architect of the landmark Paris Agreement. Following COP21 and through COP22, she was appointed UN High-Level Champion for climate action.