Author: WHCEQ Staff Published: 12/5/2023 The President Council on Environmental Quality
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FOR PLANNING PURPOSES
December 5, 2023
CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory and Federal Chief Sustainability Officer Andrew Mayock to Highlight America’s Progress on Climate Change at COP28
Will Promote Global Cooperation to Combat Climate Change, Boost Conservation, and Build Climate Resilience
DUBAI – White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chair Brenda Mallory and Federal Chief Sustainability Officer Andrew Mayock will attend the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change this week in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Throughout the week, CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory and Federal Chief Sustainability Officer Andrew Mayock will highlight Biden-Harris Administration initiatives that are working to accelerate climate solutions, reduce emissions, advance environmental justice, increase conservation, and bolster global cooperation.
They will participate in the following events:
Tuesday, Dec. 5, 10:15 AM GST / 1:15 AM EST
Blue Zone; SDG7 Global South Pavilion, Livestream available here
Federal Chief Sustainability Officer Andrew Mayock will make an announcement at the Sustainable Energy for All’s “Advancing the 24/7 CFE Movement in the Global South” event, which will feature high-level discussions on challenges and opportunities of adopting and implementing 24/7 Carbon-Free Electricity (CFE solutions) in the Global South. It will also explore case studies from regions that have successfully integrated carbon-free energy solutions and explore ways to make the 24/7 CFE movement inclusive, ensuring its benefits extend to diverse communities and nations. The Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal Sustainability Plan outlines an ambitious path to power Federal facilities with 100% carbon pollution-free electricity by 2030, at least half of which will be locally supplied clean energy to meet 24/7 hourly-matched demand.
Tuesday, Dec. 5, 1:30 PM GST / 4:30 AM EST
Blue Zone; GCA Meeting Room 11, Livestream available here
The Clean Energy Ministerial Industrial Deep Decarbonization Initiative (IDDI) has launched the Green Public Procurement Pledge, which commits governments to start requiring the procurement of low emission steel, cement and concrete in public construction projects and to support the development and use of harmonized emissions accounting standards and definitions for low and near zero emission construction materials. Federal Chief Sustainability Officer Andrew Mayock will join “Accelerating Green Demand of Heavy Emitting Sectors,” a roundtable discussion to introduce governments and the private sector to green demand scaling and promote governments’ announcements on the IDDI Green Public Procurement Pledge. The Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal Sustainability Plan outlines an ambitious path to achieve net-zero emissions from Federal procurement by 2050, including a Buy Clean program to catalyze markets for construction materials with lower embodied emissions.
Tuesday, Dec. 5, 4:00 PM GST / 7:00 AM EST
Blue Zone; Global Renewables Hub, Pavilion B2-17
Hourly matched renewable energy, also known as 24/7 Carbon-Free Electricity (CFE), is a new approach to renewable energy procurement that offers a number of potential benefits, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, greater grid reliability, lower energy costs, and enhanced corporate sustainability. Federal Chief Sustainability Officer Andrew Mayock will join “The Journey Towards, and Benefits of, Hourly Matched Renewable (24/7 CFE),” a panel that brings together cross sectoral experts to discuss the key benefits, opportunities, and challenges of 24/7 CFE. The panel will also explore collaborative strategies for accelerating 24/7 CFE adoption and identify key actions that need to be taken.
Wednesday, Dec. 6, 11:30 AM GST / 2:30 AM EST
Blue Zone; Global Climate Action, Zone B7, Action Lab Al Shaheen, Register here; Livestream will be made available here
Federal Chief Sustainability Officer Andrew Mayock will join “UAE Presidency Breakthrough Agenda Roundtable: Charging Ahead: A collective vision on charging infrastructure to accelerate the EV transition,” which will provide a unique opportunity for leading experts, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to share insights and discuss the challenges and opportunities to support ZEV adoption by accelerating charging infrastructure deployment. The Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal Sustainability Plan outlines an ambitious path to achieve 100% zero-emission vehicle acquisitions by 2035, including 100% light-duty acquisitions by 2027.
Wednesday, Dec. 6, 3:00 PM GST / 6:00 AM EST
Blue Zone; SE Room 1, Livestream available here
Federal Chief Sustainability Officer Andrew Mayock will present at “Partnering on the Path to Net Zero in North America,” a conversation where public and private sector leaders discuss ways to partner to implement scalable solutions for CO2 reduction, resilience, and health benefits in the built and natural environment. Attendees will learn about the role that community engagement and public policy tools play in building frameworks for economic development and sustaining climate action progress.
Friday, Dec. 8 at 11:30 AM GST / 2:30 AM EST
Blue Zone; Singapore Pavilion, Livestream available here
The Greening Government Initiative (GGI), launched in 2021 by the United States and Canada, is an international community for officials to share best practices, showcase innovation, and develop collaborations to advance environmental sustainability in national government operations. Federal Chief Sustainability Officer Andrew Mayock will moderate “Learning from Each Other: How a Global Community of Practice is Helping Countries Lead by Example and Green Government Operations,” an event that will showcase how GGI member countries are learning from one another and highlight member countries’ efforts to decarbonize national government operations.
Friday, Dec. 8, 10:15 AM GST / 1:15 AM EST
Blue Zone; U.S. Center, Zone B5, Building/RM 59, Livestream available here
CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory will announce new actions to advance environmental justice at the U.S. Center’s “Dear World Leaders – A Message from the Youth” event, where senior Biden-Harris Administration officials and leaders from departments and agencies will join young people as they share powerful personal experiences. The overarching goal of this event is to listen, learn, and brainstorm together – reversing the typical roles of “speaker” and “listener” and elevating youth perspectives. The discussion will center around ocean justice, climate literacy, and other topics important to youth.
Friday, Dec. 8, 3:45 PM GST / 6:45 AM EST
Blue Zone; U.S. Center, Livestream available here
The Net-Zero Government Initiative commits governments to achieve net-zero emissions from national government operations by no later than 2050 and deliver roadmaps that outline the pathway for achieving this commitment. By joining the Initiative, countries demonstrate the critical role of governments to lead by example in catalyzing economy-wide climate actions and supporting their countries’ achievement of broader climate targets. CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory and Federal Chief Sustainability Officer Andrew Mayock will host the “Delivering on the Commitment: Roadmap to Net-Zero Emissions from National Government Operations” event, which will highlight the roadmaps that outline country-specific pathways for achieving net-zero emissions from government operations and announce new countries that have joined the Initiative since COP27.
Saturday, Dec. 9, 10:45 AM GST / 1:45 AM ET
Blue Zone; IUCN Pavilion: Zone B7, Building/Rm 87, Livestream available here
CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory will deliver remarks on advancing nature-based solutions at the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s “Accelerating the ENACT Partnership – The Way Forward for Integrated Action on Climate Change and Biodiversity” event. Nature-based solutions are actions to protect, sustainably manage, or restore natural or modified ecosystems as solutions to societal challenges, such as fighting climate change. Last year at COP27 in Egypt, the Biden-Harris Administration released the Nature-Based Solutions Roadmap, an outline of strategic recommendations to put America on a path that will unlock the full potential of nature-based solutions to address climate change, nature loss, and inequity.
Saturday, Dec. 9, 3:45 PM GST / 6:45 AM EST
Blue Zone; U.S. Center, Blue Zone – Zone B5, Building/RM 59, Livestream available here
Harnessing the power of nature-based solutions (NbS) that support climate mitigation and adaptation, reverse biodiversity loss, and produce social, economic, and environmental benefits is a growing priority for the international community. At “Building a Resilient Future: Whole-Community Approaches to Nature-Based Solutions” CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory will participate in a session that aims to raise NbS ambition, celebrate whole-community successes, and expand knowledge on NbS, while highlighting current and planned NbS initiatives and investments that contribute to building a resilient future for communities in the United States and abroad.
Saturday, Dec. 9, 5:00 PM GST / 8:00 AM EST
Blue Zone; U.S. Center, Building/RM 59, Livestream available here
To address the interrelated climate and biodiversity crises, in 2021 the Biden-Harris Administration launched the America the Beautiful initiative, a decade-long campaign to conserve and restore our nation’s lands and waters through locally led voluntary conservation efforts. The cornerstone of this initiative is President Biden’s national conservation goal to conserve and restore at least 30% of American lands and waters by 2030; recently, governments across the globe collectively committed to an international version of this goal. In this session, “America the Beautiful: U.S. Efforts to Conserve Lands and Waters,” CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory and other environmental leaders will showcase U.S. leadership and whole-of-government-and-society progress toward the goal and offer an update on the new American Conservation and Stewardship Atlas.
Sunday, Dec. 10, 9:00 AM GST / 12:00 AM ET
Blue Zone, Buildings Pavilion, Level 1, Zone B7, Buildings 88, Livestream available here
CEQ Chair Brenda Mallory will deliver remarks on climate resilience at the U.S. Green Building Council’s “Net Zero and Resilient Futures: Navigating Climate Challenges in Urban Development and Real Estate Sustainability” event. She will highlight how the U.S. Government is acting to increase resilience across the country using funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The Federal government is also leading by example to improve the sustainability and resilience of the Federal building portfolio.
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