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Your daily must-read during the UN climate change summit in Paris | COP21 Day #8
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The likes of John Kerry, US secretary of state, and his counterparts from nearly 200 countries started arriving in Paris last night for the crucial five remaining days of the climate change negotiations. On Saturday, organisers announced that a ‘blueprint accord’ had been reached in record time — raising hopes that a full week of minister-led talks will result in a deal despite many sticking points, the Guardian reports.
“This is a milestone,” France’s ambassador to the talks told the Financial Times. “I’m probably not the only one who feels really emotional about this,” she said. Reportedly, delegates from wealthy countries might accept a demand for $100 billion a year after 2020 to help poorer countries deal with climate change. Although the BBC says that some worry that too much may have been left to ministers to agree, and that too many compromises might be made as a result, there is an “air of optimism” at the summit,” according to the Guardian.
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UN special envoy for climate change Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland, has called for more global collaboration in the search for solutions. In her keynote address during a special night in Paris held to recognise climate innovators, Robinson praised participants for their ambition to build a zero carbon economy through transformative innovations and business models.
Robinson, who heads the ‘climate justice’ focused Mary Robinson Foundation, also highlighted Climate-KIC’s efforts to export its climate innovation partnership model outside Europe, starting in the South Pacific region. ”Collaboration is needed on an unprecedented scale,” she said, “and not just between countries”. Robinson made her comments in the Grand Palais, which hosts the ‘SolutionsCOP21’ cleantech and art exhibition — a major component of the public climate change programme put together by the French organisers of COP21.
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It is not every day that climate change diplomats rub shoulders with Hollywood stars like Robert Redford and Sean Penn — or political heavyweights such as former US vice president Al Gore or actor-cum-politician Arnold Schwarzenegger. But at COP21, hardly a day goes by without a global celebrity making an appearance. Take Titanic star Leonardo DiCaprio, who told participants at an event for city leaders this weekend that COP21 may be "the most important conference of everybody's lifetime," Huffington Post reports. "Be bold, be courageous, do everything in your power to change our current course. The entire world is watching you," he said.
He welcomed moves by 392 cities, home to more than 361 million people, to sign up to taking action against climate change under the "compact of mayors" and challenged the mayors, city and regional leaders to do more. "Whatever agreements the national leaders make, the execution takes place in the cities led by mayors," DiCaprio said. The actor’s comments follow the launch of a new platform for cities-related climate action by Climate-KIC. The CityActions Platform will allow cities to share information, engage, and find solutions to common challenges, Phys.org reports
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The French hosts of the COP21 climate summit have delivered a surprise for veterans of previous UN climate negotiations, the Financial Times reports. Food at previous summits had often been so unappetising that delegates have been known to smuggle in their own supplies, the paper knows. Fancy a bite of poulet en persillade, washed down with a crisp Chardonnay? How about a spoonful of crème caramel or some tarte au chocolat? All this is on the menu at the climate summit, along with an on-site bakery — Paul, for those familiar with the chain — turning out armfuls of hot baguettes and croissants.
But with roughly a third of all greenhouse gas emissions originating from food production and consumption, it makes sense to consider your options before you dig in. Eaternity, a start-up company supported by Climate-KIC, has built a food database with the carbon footprint of 5,000 different meals. If we can cut half the emissions out of every meal, the start-up estimates more than five times the total yearly emissions of a country like Germany can be saved globally. Knowledge is power when it comes to this: the production of beef, for example, strongly affects the climate, while potatoes barely have an impact.
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Scroll Down for Social Media Highlights
 It's week two of the historic climate summit! Scroll down for COP21 social media highlights, including a special message from a certain bodybuilder. Today's Daily Planet also brings you insider tips from Le Bourget where the negotiations are taking place, our insight of the day about the role of business in solving climate change as well an overview of climate innovation events in Paris and a flashback to how we made it there. Not a subscriber yet? Subscribe today!
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Insider Tips from the Summit in Le Bourget
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The Daily Planet's latest insider tips, brought to you by Climate-KIC's observers at the COP21 negotiations.
- Don't forget to offset your COP21 travel! The UNFCCC offers every COP21 participant the opportunity to offset their travel emissions online or onsite at the "Climate Neutral" desks in Le Bourget.
- You can manage only what you can measure: Check out this event on the metrics of progress towards the two degree goal. Join the review of "how science can inform policy progress towards stabilising the climate" at 15:00 in Le Bourget's Blue Zone.
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- COP21's largest business event: The Sustainable Innovation Forum (SIF15) is the largest business focused event held during COP21, Climate-KIC is a partner. The forum takes place today and tomorrow in the Stade de France.
- Tomorrow at the Stade de France: If you're going to the forum, don't miss this discussion organised by Climate-KIC about how best to empower board members with skills and knowledge to provoke the radical changes needed to thrive in a post-COP21 world.
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Top Tip: Watch out for an Exciting Announcement at This Event!
 Make sure to pay attention if you attend the "forward-thinking discussion" between Governors and Premiers in Le Bourget at 16:45 today with speakers including the First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon and the premier of Ontario (Canada), Kathleen Wynne. The event focuses on the role of states and regions in responding to climate change. Get to know the Compact of States and Regions — supported by Climate-KIC — and the Under2MOU agreement. More info? Contact Jean-Charles Seghers.
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About the Compact
The Climate-KIC supported Compact of States and Regions provides the first ever single, global account of greenhouse gas reduction targets made by state and regional governments. It is a transparent reporting mechanism that showcases the efforts to tackle climate change from states, provinces and regions across the world.
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Sparking Innovation: Insight of the Day
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A new Climatea-KIC study — released in Paris last week — shows European business is addicted to incrementalism, and lacks the skillset needed for an innovation step change in line with a 2°C trajectory. The Daily Planet brings you an insight per day!
Did you know: Only 10 per cent of accounting and finance teams, which are critical to forming corporate strategy, have climate change expertise.
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Climate Innovation at COP21
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If you’re in Paris this week, be sure to head to the Grand Palais for the SolutionsCOP21 exhibition where companies are showcasing a mix of climate change solutions and art installations until Thursday 10 December.
The Daily Planet has been on site to bring you some of the highlights! More >>
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Today in central Paris (Grand Palais) at 13:00.
An interactive debate about transformative climate innovation in Europe’s cities, showcasing activities across the whole building value chain collaboratively as championed by Climate-KIC’s flagship programmes, start-ups and projects
More info >>
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Today in central Paris (Grand Palais) at 16:00.
Climate-KIC presents its Transition Cities project which promotes the low carbon transition in cities.
More info >>
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Tomorrow in Paris (Stade de France) at 14:15.
Climate-KIC will host an expert-led roundtable discussion entitled “The Great Transformation” during the Sustainable Innovation Forum, the largest business gathering during COP21.
More info >>
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Tomorrow in central Paris (Grand Palais) at 15:00.
A panel of business and community leaders tests out the options and examine the opportunities of the Global Calculator, an interactive model of the world’s energy, land and food systems.
More info >>
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Climate Hero: UN climate chief Christiana Figueres tweeted a photo of herself with her "climate hero", actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio. The Titanic star met Figueres in Paris over the weekend.
"With my #climate hero @LeoDiCaprio at #COP21. Thanks again for dropping by, and looking forward to your documentary," she tweeted.
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Cycling Senator: The UN tweeted a short video of US senator Ben Cardin, who was spotted charging his mobile phone at the COP21 summit, low-carbon style.
"U.S. @SenatorCardin is at #COP21 and recharging his mobile phone with self-generated energy! " the tweet reads.
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He's back!: Former governor of California and Hollywood action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger was also at COP21 this weekend. He tweeted this Snapchat video. His username? "ArnoldSchnitzel".
"I've arrived in Paris for #COP21. I'm going to take you everywhere I go on @Snapchat: ArnoldSchnitzel," he wrote.
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Daily #JourneyToParis Flashback
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#JourneyToParis:
We have arrived!
 Following a virtual journey that started in June, we have arrived in Paris and now keep you up to date with daily reports from COP21.
Find out how we got here by checking out our Journey to Paris, which took us across 27 countries. We put a spotlight on innovators who are already creating solutions across Europe.
We have an unprecedented opportunity to create a prosperous zero carbon future, driven by innovation, jobs, and investment. Climate-KIC is seizing that opportunity for Europe by connecting both public and private sectors with climate change-focused education, research and innovation. Join us!
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Get in touch
 Drop the Daily Planet newsroom a line if you have any questions or tips!
Contact our editors — based in Paris and London during COP21 — on Twitter or send us an email at media@climate-kic.org.
Connect with Climate-KIC's COP21 observers at the official UN site in Le Bourget: Tweet @krptndr or email andrea.karpati@climate-kic.org.
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EDITORIAL: Executive Editor: Angela Howarth | Editor in Chief: Peter Koekoek | Editor, Events: Kelsey Hunter | Editor, Social Media: Molly Redmond | Reporter, Le Bourget: Andrea Karpati
PUBLISHER: Climate-KIC, the EU's main climate innovation initiative © 2015 Climate-KIC
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