COP29 Virtual Pavilion - OECD/SWAC Events

Featuring a programme of 30+ virtual events, the OECD COP29 Virtual Pavilion runs from 4 to 22 November 2024. Covering a broad range of topics and convening leading experts, policymakers, and civil society, the pavilion presents key OECD contributions with insights to drive ambitious and globally effective action on climate change. Explore the events hosted by SWAC and featuring its members at the COP29 Virtual Pavilion below.

Online event | November 22, 2024 | 11:00 - 12:30

West Africa is and will continue to undergo rapid urbanisation. As Abidjan surpasses 15 million inhabitants, Dakar approaches 8 million, and Ouagadougou reaches 7 million, we face critical questions: will these cities become resilient, prosperous hubs or sprawling centres of limited opportunity?

Regional actors and development partners are promoting industrialisation based on agriculture, improved connectivity between capitals and secondary cities, and key development corridors. However, climate change poses a significant threat to these efforts. How exposed are these potential future hubs exposed to climate hazards? What can be done today to ensure the region’s development, especially with respect to governance?

This session will explore the challenges and opportunities of fostering resilient, prosperous urban centres. Our panellists, each offering unique perspectives, will discuss strategies to ensure sustainable growth that accommodates the needs of future urban residents. Join us for a thoughtful discussion on the future of West Africa's cities.

Moderator:

Brilé Anderson, OECD/SWAC, Programme Manager - Climate, Urbanisation and Environment

Speakers:

Jorge Patiño, OECD/SWAC, Geographical Scientist

Mattias Piani, Enabel's Urban Economic Development initiative in Rawanda, Project Manager

Papa Madiaw Seck, West African Monetary Union (UEMOA)

Online event | November 21, 2024 | 2:30 - 3:30

This session will explore the important connection between accessibility and sustainability in transport. Women’s reliance on walking and public transit supports greener travel, yet many face limited alternatives and accessibility challenges, making them captive users of these modes.

The session will highlight the "mobility of care" - travel needs linked to caregiving, which disproportionately fall on women. These trips, such as to schools or healthcare, often involve multiple stops and routes, yet are frequently overlooked in transport planning. Addressing these gendered travel patterns and the accessibility challenges women face is essential for creating sustainable, decarbonised transport systems.

The session will showcase policy tools, such as the ITF Gender Analysis Toolkit, that help integrate gender-sensitive approaches into transport planning, informed by data to support decarbonisation and sustainable mobility solutions.

Moderator:

        Magdalena Olczak-Rancitelli, International Transport Forum (ITF), Senior Manager, Institutional Relations and Summit

Speakers: 

        Brilé Anderson, OECD/SWAC, Environmental Economist and Programme Manager

        Naomi Mwara, Flone Initiative, Founder