A series of side events is organised at the UNESCO Pavilion/Paris-le Bourget during UNFCCC COP21 on 5 December that invite expert speakers and public to explore how the impacts of climate change are being evidenced and managed at UNESCO designated sites.

In support of the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to be held in Paris from 30 November to 11 December 2015, UNESCO is organizing and hosting a large number of events and initiatives leading up to and during COP21, taking place at UNESCO headquarters in Paris or at UNESCO Pavilion at Paris-Le Bourget site.

UNESCO Pavilion hosts events dedicated to theme “UNESCO Sites - A Climate Change Observatory” on Saturday 5 December. The aim of the day is to explore how the UNESCO designated World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves and the Global Geoparks serve as a global field observatory, where climate knowledge can be gathered and solutions found on the impacts of climate change on human societies and cultural diversity, biodiversity and ecosystem services, and the world’s natural and cultural heritage.

The events are joined by practitioners from UNESCO sites, researches, experts and policy makers who will share their experiences through interviews and roundtable discussions. All the events are open to the public, and welcome interventions from the audience.

              
11.00-11.15 Welcome and introduction to UNESCO sites
11.15-12.00 Discussion: UNESCO sites as experimental areas for green growth and low carbon development
13.00-14.00 Event: UNESCO Sites as Climate Change Observatories: the contributions of World Heritage Sites, Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks for climate knowledge and action
14.00-15.00 Event: UNESCO World Heritage Marine programme: The impacts of climate change on our common ocean heritage
15.15-16.00 Discussion: Cultural Heritage & AR6.: Improving the treatment of cultural heritage in the next IPCC Assessment Report (AR)
16.00-16.45 Event: Renewable Energy and UNESCO Sites
17.00-17.45 Event: Arctic and climate change