M-RCBG Senior Fellow-Led Study Group: Archie Young
Wednesday, October 25, 4:15-5:45pm
Ofer-401
Urgent climate action is needed from governments and all parts of society. There are a large number of commitments, pledges and initiatives ranging from ‘Nationally Determined Contributions’ (official country pledges) to multi-stakeholder coalitions focused on specific issues. Although still collectively insufficient to meet our global goals, if delivered in full they could represent significant progress.
But that’s a huge and critical ‘if’. How much do we know about whether those commitments are being delivered? Do we see what has happened to all the announcements made on shiny platforms?
Real, practical, difficult work is underway across the globe: progress is being made, challenges are being encountered and many barriers still need to be overcome. These realities need to be better shared and understood - to learn lessons, to direct support, to course correct, and to build credibility. This study group will explore these different climate commitments (particularly by governments), and get students’ views on the dynamics around the attention to commitments versus delivery, and what international focus, fora or formats might help us all be clearer on how far promises are being delivered.
For this study group, Arche Young will be joined remotely by Andrea Guerrero García.
Andrea is the Director of Field Innovation at the Growald Climate Fund; she is also a Senior Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership’s Negotiation & Conflict Resolution Collaboratory. She has been a key figure in global climate action through many previous roles. These include being the Lead Climate Negotiator for Colombia (and facilitating one of the chapters of the Paris Agreement), a member of the UN Secretary General’s Climate Action Team and founding an NGO ‘Transforma’.
This study group / discussion is open to all. Registration is not necessary.
M-RCBG welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs. To request accommodations or ask questions about access provided, please email: mrcbg@hks.harvard.edu
Archie Young was the UK’s Lead Climate Negotiator from 2016-2022, including in the UN, EU, G7 and G20. As Lead Negotiator for the UK’s Presidency at COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Archie led the process that resulted in all 196 countries agreeing the 'Glasgow Climate Pact' and finalising the Paris Agreement Rulebook. He has a background in both international and domestic policy for the UK government. Previous roles include Director International Climate & Energy; Deputy Director Americas & Head of South America Department in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office; Head of Delivery in the Department of Energy & Climate Change; and Deputy Director for Business, Environment and the Olympics in the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael & St George (CMG) in Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Jubilee Honours for services to tackling global climate change. He graduated from Peterhouse, Cambridge University in 2003 and has worked/studied in France, Argentina and the USA. He is currently on sabbatical, accompanying his wife on her diplomatic posting with their two children. During this sabbatical he is undertaking a range of academic and advisory work, including with climate philanthropy and the Centre for Multilateral Negotiations. As an M-RCBG Senior Fellow, Archie will focus on how to strengthen implementation of commitments in the international climate regime. His faculty sponsor is Robert Stavins, the A.J. Meyer Professor of Energy and Economic Development. Email: ayoung@hks.harvard.edu