Opening Conference
Rio Climate Action Week
23-29 August 2025
RIO CLIMATE ACTION WEEK
SATURDAY 23RD – FRIDAY 29TH AUGUST 2025
Programme
Harnessing the power of Brazil for climate action & sustainable development in a critical year as host of COP30
As the host of the COP30 Climate Summit in November 2025, all eyes will again be on Brazil to build consensus for climate action and recommit to multilateralism. From the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, which created the world’s sustainability architecture and climate convention, Rio will once again play a key role in building global mutirão – collective action for social and planetary wellbeing in 2025.
Rio Climate Action Week is an independent, non-partisan initiative, in support of the Brazilian COP30 Presidency and its six-themed Action Agenda, in partnership with London Climate Action Week, to showcase and mobilise climate action at every level. RCAW will bring the public, private and voluntary sectors, together with financial institutions, faith groups, philanthropy and others, in a series of events across the week showcasing climate solutions and ambition for delivery at COP30.
RCAW OPENING CONFERENCE
Rio Climate Action Week will open with a high-level international conference revisiting the legacy of the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 and looking ahead to how to create the political and other conditions for success at COP30.
The programme for the international opening conference is provided below:
Opening Programme
RIO CLIMATE ACTION WEEK
Monday, 25 August 2025
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Museu do Amanhã
Praça Mauá, 1 – Centro, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 20081-240, Brazil
REVIVING THE SPIRIT OF RIO:
Multilateralism in a Multipolar World
8:45
Registration opens
9:00-10:00
Tea and Coffee
10:00 -10:30
WELCOME & OPENING CEREMONY
Welcome by the host – Ricardo Piquet, President Director of Museum of Tomorrow
Welcome and introduction by RCAW Co-Convenors – Dr Marcelo de Andrade & Malini Mehra, Rio Climate Action Week (RCAW)
Opening prayer blessings and readings by indigenous and faith leaders, Marcos Terena Xane leader & founder, United Indigenous Nations, and Álvaro Tukano, or Doéthiro, political leader, thinker, and Shaman from the Yepã Mahsã or Tukano people.
Welcome speeches by the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro and State Authorities
10:30-10:40
Keynote Address: “What would Maurice do? Reflections on the architect of the Rio Earth Summit and modern challenges”
Hanne Strong, Founder & President, Manitou Foundation
10:40-10:50
Keynote Address: “Reviving the Spirit of Rio: the COP30 Presidency and a new era of global Mutirão”
H.E. Andre Correa do Lago*, President Designate, COP30
10:50-11:00
Family Photo
Session 1: The Making of the Rio Earth Summit and its Relevance for Today
The Rio Earth Summit (1992) emerged from a 20-year process of international environmental diplomacy started at the Stockholm conference on the Human Environment in 1972. Maurice Strong was the architect of both Summits whose diplomatic and organizational genius led to the creation of modern environmental governance. This session examines how fraught Cold War politics and diplomatic tensions were overcome to create the Rio Consensus in 1992 by those who were there. How institutions such as UNEP, Earth Day, IPCC, the Rio Conventions and the Earth Charter were created and what lessons they hold for reforging multilateralism today in our multipolar and geopolitically challenged world.
Moderator: Ana Luisa Anjos, Brazilian Journalist & Broadcaster, Dos Anjos Productions\
Speakers:
- Paulo Protasio, Director, Authority for Sustainable Development of the State of Rio de Janeiro; Executive Secretary of the Rio Earth Summit 1992 (UNCED)
- Michael Zammit Cutajar*, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC (1991-2002)
- Prof Carlos Nobre, Earth System Scientist, National Institute for Space Research – INPE, Brazil
- Telma Taurepang,* leader, Union of Indigenous Women of the Brazilian Amazon (UMIAB)
- Dr Marcelo de Andrade, Founder & Chair, Pro Natura International, Co-Founder, Earth Capital Partners
12:00-13:00
Session 2: The Legacy of the Rio Earth Summit: Institutional Renewal for a New Era
The Rio Earth Summit was a high-water mark for international cooperation and delivered major outcomes such as Agenda 21, the Rio Principles, and the UN Conventions on Climate Change and Biodiversity. It revolutionized UN processes through the adoption of the Major Groups multistakeholder system, new institutions such as the Commission on Sustainable Development, and Local Agenda 21. Are these institutions past their prime or can they adapt to a new global order? As the UN faces its own reckoning with UN80, the system-wide effort to strengthen its operations and relevance on its 80th anniversary, this session will examine how Rio’s core legacies can withstand the rise of populism, public skepticism, and multilateral fragmentation to rebuild a politics of consensus to address the climate and nature crises.
Moderator: Luciano Huck*, Brazilian Broadcaster, TV Host and Entrepreneur
Speakers:
- Dan Ioschpe, High-Level Climate Champion for COP30
- Izabella Teixeira, Former Minister of the Environment & Climate Change, Brazil; Member, Advisory Board, Brazilian Center of International Relations (CEBRI)
- Jeb Brugmann, Founder, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability; Founding Principal, Resilient Cities
- Maria Netto, Executive Director, ICS Brazil
- Malini Mehra, CEO, GLOBE Legislators; Founder, Centre for Social Markets (CSM-India)
- Felix Dodds, Author and Expert on International Environmental Governance
13:00-14:00
Lunch Break
14:00-14:15
Keynote Address: “How COP30 is a shift in thinking: a new way of seeing the world that can galvanise action”
Marcele Oliveira, Youth Climate Champion for COP30
Session 3 – The ‘1992 Generation’: Building on the Inheritance of Rio for a Climate-safe, Prosperous and Equitable World in 2050
The Rio Earth Summit is a generation away for today’s young people. In 1992, global population was 5.5 billion, global GDP was $25.5 trillion USD, and average global CO2 atmospheric concentration was 356 ppm. Today the figures are 8.2 billion, $110.55 trillion USD, and almost 430 ppm respectively. How are Millennials and Gen Z responding to the challenges that Rio sought to address? How are they creating solutions across different sectors that can help deliver success at COP30? What is their vision for building a resilient, prosperous and equitable world for 10 billion people by 2050? This session examines these issues with dynamic young changemakers of the Rio generation who are committed to shaping their futures for a brighter, better world.
Moderator: Carolina Aragão, Director, Pro Natura International; Brazilian beach volleyball champion
Speakers:
- Leyla Hasanova, Youth Climate Champion for COP29 (Azerbaijan)
- Guilherme Syrkis, Executive Director, Brazil Climate Centre (CBC)
- Taily Terena, Brazil Director, WECAN
- Felipe Villela, Director for Brazil, EarthShot Prize
- Daniel Owino aka Futwax, Human Needs Project, Kenya
Session 4 – Mobilising the Private Sector, Financial Institutions & Philanthropy for Real Economy Transformation & Ambitious NDCs 3.0 at COP30
A key litmus test for success at COP30 will be ambitious NDCs or national climate plans submitted by governments. Each must also be an investment plan for real economy transformation to meet the climate challenge, prepare citizens, SMEs and other economic actors for a Just Transition. This session addresses how to build confidence for ambitious NDCs 3.0 such as through the “Baku to Belém Roadmap” which aims to secure $1.3 trillion in climate finance, and the Circle of Finance Ministers, an initiative aimed at developing an action plan to unlock climate finance for developing countries, for success at COP30.
Moderator: Veronica Nyhan Jones, Global Head, Climate Capacity & Inclusion Accelerator, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Speakers:
- Ambassador Tatiana Rosito, Secretary for International Affairs, Brazil’s Ministry of Finance
- Nigar Arpadarai, High-Level Climate Champion for COP29
- Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Climate Change High Level Champion for Egypt, UN Special Envoy on Financing 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda; Chair, GFANZ Africa Network
- Marina Grossi, President, CEBDS
- Ricardo Mussa, Chair, Sustainable Business COP
- Pablo Viera*, Global Director, NDC Partnership
16:45-17:00
Closing Cultural Event: Music from the fabulous Favela Brass band, an inspiring free music school for underprivileged children from the Pereira da Silva favela and neighboring public schools in Rio de Janeiro.
17:00
Thanks & Close
19:30-22:00
RCAW Gala Dinner at AquaRio
*Speakers indicated with an asterisk are awaiting confirmation. All confirmed speakers can be viewed on the Opening Conference Speakers site.
The RCAW Opening Conference on Monday 25th August is an invitation-only event for in-person attendance, but it will also be live streamed for hybrid engagement.
IMP: Those wishing to be considered for IN-PERSON attendance are invited to register their interest using the REGISTER YOUR INTEREST link provided below.
Approved registered delegates will be notified by email and ticket details provided to enable their in-person attendance.
The Zoom registration link and livestream details will be provided by 6th August 2025.
For any further information, please contact: secretariat@rioclimateactionweek.org
25 August, 2025
Museu do Amanhã Praça Mauá, 1 – Centro, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 20081-240, Brazil