03.06.2026; Vortrag
SONDERVERANSTALTUNG: International Climate Diplomacy: “Fit for [what] purpose?”
International Climate Diplomacy: “Fit for [what] purpose?”
Talk from guest speaker Mr Richard Kinley & Panel Discussion
► Registration 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 than 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 faces, and the opportunities ahead.
Event on 03.06.2026 – 13:30-17:00 (including coffee break), at the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER)
Climate change presents far-reaching challenges that cut across national borders and policy domains, making sustained international cooperation indispensable. Over the past three decades, global climate governance has evolved into a complex architecture of negotiations, agreements, and implementation mechanisms under the UNFCCC. While milestones such as the Paris Agreement represent important progress, ongoing debates highlight concerns about the effectiveness, coherence, and future direction of multilateral climate action in an increasingly dynamic geopolitical landscape.
At the same time, it is essential to recognize that international agreements alone cannot deliver the scale and speed of transformation required. A persistent challenge in climate discourse is the disconnect between multilateral commitments and concrete national, industrial, and business action. Translating global frameworks into domestic policy, investment decisions, 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 practice-oriented perspective. At its core is a talk by Richard Kinley, whose extensive experience in international climate negotiations provides valuable insight into the evolution of global climate diplomacy. His talk will revisit the origins of climate discussions, trace key phases of the negotiation 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 agreements, and examine the persistent challenges shaping collective climate efforts.
Looking ahead, the lecture will address ways to strengthen the effectiveness of climate multilateralism. Topics will include institutional reform, transparency and accountability, and—crucially—the role of national policies, industrial strategies, and business engagement in delivering tangible outcomes. The discussion will also highlight the importance of finance, investment, and broader international engagement, emphasizing how alignment between global frameworks and domestic implementation can accelerate progress. Rather than offering definitive solutions, the session aims to foster a grounded, experience-based discussion on what is both desirable and feasible in the current global context.
The lecture will be followed by a moderated discussion and panel. By highlighting concrete examples and lessons learned, the discussion will explore how diverse actors can contribute to actionable, scalable, and socially inclusive climate solutions. Contributions from representatives of TU Dresden, the United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material 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 practitioners, and members of the international community working on sustainability and climate-related issues. It aims to encourage thoughtful dialogue beyond formal narratives, promote critical reflection on the role of multilateralism, and underline the importance of bridging global commitments with 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 Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER) in Dresden (Weberplatz 1, 01217 Dresden). Further details on the agenda and venue will be shared in due course.
Agenda
13:30 Welcome & Overview (Dr. Anna Görner, CIPSEM)
13:40 Inside Climate Diplomacy: Lessons from Three Decades of Global Negotiation (talk from Richard Kinley), including Q&A
- The talk introduces its aim: to assess the science of climate change and evaluate how effective international cooperation has been, and how it could be improved.
- It first briefly outlines the scientific basis of climate change, focusing on key measurable indicators like temperature rise, greenhouse gas levels, sea level change, and extreme weather trends, while separating evidence from political narratives.
- It then reviews the history of climate negotiations in five phases, from early awareness before 1991, through formal UN negotiations, slow progress in the 2000s, renewed momentum leading to the Paris Agreement era, and recent years marked by mixed progress and implementation challenges.
- Next, it evaluates climate multilateralism by explaining its purpose and limits, and how it can be judged. It highlights its main functions: coordinating global negotiations, creating rules, raising awareness, hosting major conferences, and mobilising actors beyond governments.
- Finally, it considers ways to improve effectiveness, including reforming negotiation processes, increasing transparency, strengthening national action and coalitions, scaling up finance, expanding participation, and using economic tools like carbon pricing and trade measures.
15:00 Break & Networking
15:30 Panel Discussion on “Driving Action: From Climate Commitments to Social and Economic Transformation.” This panel will shift the focus from analysis to implementation, exploring how climate goals can be translated into concrete action across national policies, business practices, and economic systems, and addressing the persistent gap between international frameworks and real-world transformation. The discussion will highlight the role of governments, market, and finance in driving change, while also reflecting on how education and research can support this process by equipping professionals with relevant skills, fostering innovation, and linking knowledge to practice.
With:
Mr Richard Kinley (former Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC))
https://www.foggs.org/richard-kinley/
Dr Serena Coetze (Head of Program (Education) at United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES)
https://unu.edu/flores/about/expert/serena-coetzee
Dr Markus Egermann (Head of Research Area Transformative Capacities at the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development)
https://www.ioer.de/en/institute/staff/egermann
16:30 Wrap-up & Conclusions
Until 17:00 Closing & Networking