International Climate Dipl omacy: “Fit for [what] purpose?”
Talk from guest speak er Mr Richard Kinley &\; Panel Discussion
► Registrati on link below.
About Richard Kinley
Mr Richard Kinley is a former Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)\, where he played a central role in shaping international climate negotiations over more tha n two decades. He was closely involved in key milestones of global climate diplomacy\, including the development of the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. With extensive experience at the intersection of policy\, law\ , and multilateral cooperation\, he brings a unique insider perspective on how international climate governance has evolved\, the challenges it face s\, and the opportunities ahead.
Event on 03.06.2026 – 13:30-17:00 (including coffee break)\, at the Leibniz Insti tute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER)
C limate change presents far-reaching challenges that cut across national bo rders and policy domains\, making sustained international cooperation indi spensable. Over the past three decades\, global climate governance has evo lved into a complex architecture of negotiations\, agreements\, and implem entation mechanisms under the UNFCCC. While milestones such as the Paris A greement represent important progress\, ongoing debates highlight concerns about the effectiveness\, coherence\, and future direction of multilatera l climate action in an increasingly dynamic geopolitical landscape.
At the same time\, it is essential to recognize that international agreem ents alone cannot deliver the scale and speed of transformation required. A persistent challenge in climate discourse is the disconnect between mult ilateral commitments and concrete national\, industrial\, and business act ion. Translating global frameworks into domestic policy\, investment decis ions\, technological innovation\, and sectoral change remains a critical —and often underemphasized—dimension of effective climate governance. This event offers an opportunity to reflect on these issues from a practic e-oriented perspective. At its core is a talk by Richard Kinley\, whose ex tensive experience in international climate negotiations provides valuable insight into the evolution of global climate diplomacy. His talk will rev isit the origins of climate discussions\, trace key phases of the negotiat ion process\, and critically assess how multilateral cooperation functions today. It will also explore the purpose and limitations of international negotiations\, consider how success can be defined beyond formal agreement s\, and examine the persistent challenges shaping collective climate effor ts.
Looking ahead\, the lecture will address ways to strengthen the effectiveness of climate multilateralism. Topics will include institution al reform\, transparency and accountability\, and—crucially—the role o f national policies\, industrial strategies\, and business engagement in d elivering tangible outcomes. The discussion will also highlight the import ance of finance\, investment\, and broader international engagement\, emph asizing how alignment between global frameworks and domestic implementatio n can accelerate progress. Rather than offering definitive solutions\, the session aims to foster a grounded\, experience-based discussion on what i s both desirable and feasible in the current global context.
The le cture will be followed by a moderated discussion and panel. By highlightin g concrete examples and lessons learned\, the discussion will explore how diverse actors can contribute to actionable\, scalable\, and socially incl usive climate solutions. Contributions from representatives of TU Dresden\ , the United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Mat erial Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES)\, and related initiatives will be particularly valuable in grounding the debate in real-world experience.
The event is intended for researchers\, students\, policy practiti oners\, and members of the international community working on sustainabili ty and climate-related issues. It aims to encourage thoughtful dialogue be yond formal narratives\, promote critical reflection on the role of multil ateralism\, and underline the importance of bridging global commitments wi th decisive action at national and sectoral levels. The session will take place on June 3\, from 13:30 to 17:00\, at the Leibniz Institute of Ecolog ical Urban and Regional Development (IOER) in Dresden (Weberplatz 1\, 0121 7 Dresden). Further details on the agenda and venue will be shared in due course.
Agenda
13:30 Welcome &\; Overvi ew (Dr. Anna Görner\, CIPSEM)
13:40 Inside Climate Diplomacy: Less ons from Three Decades of Global Negotiation (talk from Richard Kinley)\, including Q&\;A
15:00 Break &\; Networking
15:30 Pa nel Discussion on “Driving Action: From Climate Commitments to S ocial and Economic Transformation.” This panel will shift the f ocus from analysis to implementation\, exploring how climate goals can be translated into concrete action across national policies\, business practi ces\, and economic systems\, and addressing the persistent gap between int ernational frameworks and real-world transformation. The discussion will h ighlight the role of governments\, market\, and finance in driving change\ , while also reflecting on how education and research can support this pro cess by equipping professionals with relevant skills\, fostering innovatio n\, and linking knowledge to practice.
With:
Mr Rich
ard Kinley (former Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Natio
ns Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC))
https://www.fogg
s.org/richard-kinley/ (https://www.foggs.org/richard-kinley/)
https://unu.edu/flores/about/expert/serena-coe
tzee (https://unu.edu/flores/about/expert/serena-coetzee)
D r Markus Egermann (Head of Research Area Transformative Capacitie s at the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development) https://www.ioer.de/en/institute/staff/egermann (https://www.ioer.de/en /institute/staff/egermann)
16:30 Wrap-up &\; Conclusions
Until 17:00 Closing &\; Networking
► CLICK HERE TO REGISTER (h ttps://tu-dresden.de/bu/umwelt/cipsem/ueber-cipsem-news/registration-inter national-climate-diplomacy)
This event is part of the 49th UNEP/UN ESCO/BMUKN International Postgraduate Course on Environmental Management f or Developing Countries (EM49) (https://tu-dresden.de/bu/umwelt/cipsem/une p-unesco-bmukn/kurse/em49?set_language=en)\, which is supported by the Ge rman Federal Ministry for the Environment\, Climate Action\, Nature Conser vation and Nuclear Safety\, the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt )\, the UN Environment Programme\, and UNESCO.
DTSTAMP:20260609T072012Z CREATED:20260531T041129Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260603T053940Z END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR