COP30 Brings Issues of Climate Finance and Trade to the Forefront

L-R: Klaus Skytte (Nordic Energy Research), Agnes Vinblad (USCIB), Ask TH Bruel (Ramboll), Rob McDonald (SSE Energy Solutions), Rene Dinesen (CIP).

As negotiations at the 30thConference of the Parties (COP30) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Belém reach the halfway mark, Agnes Vinblad, USCIB Director, Environment and Sustainability, continues to contribute to the Global Business and Industry Delegation (BINGO) in the negotiations. During the COP, Vinblad has also represented USCIB member priorities by convening policy-relevant discussions and events, and contributing as a speaker during several panel sessions.

Roundtable co-organized by USCIB, BCSE, EY, and National Grid.

On November 14, USCIB collaborated with the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE), EY, and National Grid, to co-organize a business roundtable on the nexus of climate, nature, and energy. The event convened leaders from across the private sector, academia, and international organizations to discuss emerging challenges faced by companies when considering impacts of climate change and nature policy interventions.

On November 17, Vinblad delivered the global Business and Industry intervention during the negotiations under the Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP), advocating for a more coherent and constructive approach to trade-related climate measures to avoid further fragmentation, and to strengthen cooperation while providing more predictable conditions for business investment and global supply chains.

L-R: Wendy Miles (Twenty Essex), Agnes Vinblad (USCIB), Jayanta Chaudhuri (Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy),
Felicity Spors (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development), Dana Barsky (Standard Chartered Bank).

COP30 is now well into its second week of intense negotiations with several challenging sticking points for Parties to resolve.

"This year's COP has brought issues of unilateral trade measures, and overall cross-border impacts of climate policies, to the forefront," said Vinblad. "These are especially sensitive and complex issues - it is critical for global business that Parties reach pragmatic and balanced outcomes on these topics, and that the WTO remains as the main forum for trade negotiations."

USCIB will be on the ground until the expected conclusion of COP30 on Friday, November 21.