Events | Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability

Cornell Events at COP31

November 9 | November 12 | November 13 | November 14 | November 16

Monday, November 9

Advisory Opinions, State Obligations: Reshaping Climate Governance to Achieve 1.5°C

16:45 – 18:15 (TRT)
Side Event Room 6 – KATİP ÇELEBİ

The ICJ, IACtHR and ITLOS advisory opinions, and subsequent UNGA resolution, have clarified States’ obligations under the Paris Agreement. This event explores how NGOs and Parties can use these rulings to strengthen mitigation, adaptation, equitable finance, and implications for governance.

Cornell Speakers: Allison Chatrchyan, Charlotte Ruzzica de La Chaussée
Partners: INTLawyers, Opportunity Green (OG)

Thursday, November 12

Climate Change and Culture: Two Perspectives on a Global Challenge

13:30 – 15:00 (TRT)
Italian Pavilion

Organized by Istituto di Scienze del Patrimonio Culturale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR ISPC), European Research Infrastructure for Heritage Science E-RIHS ERIC, Climate Heritage Network, Europa Nostra, ICOMOS/ICOMOS Turkey, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, Architecture 2030, Built Buildings.org and the Decarbonising the built environment through heritage campaign, Preserving Legacies and the Heritage Adapts! 3000×2030 campaign, Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change, Fondation des Sciences du Patrimoine, European Partnership for Resilient Cultural Heritage, EU-funded Interreg NEXT MED Programme, JPI Climate, and Associazione Arte Contemporanea / AAC Platform

Featuring Work by: Billie Faircloth
Partners: CNR ISPC, Climate Heritage Network

What Can Historic Buildings Teach Us About a Climate-Resilient Future?

15:30 – 16:15 (TRT)
Estonian Pavilion

Historic buildings have survived centuries of changing climates, evolving societies and shifting needs. What can we learn from their design, materials, craftsmanship and adaptability as we face the challenges of climate change today? Preserving and adapting our historic buildings is not a question of whether, but how. Beyond their cultural and historical value, these buildings hold valuable lessons in resource efficiency, durability, passive climate adaptation, and long-term resilience. This panel explores how traditional knowledge and modern innovation can work together to make historic buildings more energy-efficient and climate-resilient while preserving their unique character. Drawing on European and international research, policies, and practical experience, the discussion will examine how heritage can contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation — and what it takes to turn these insights into practical solutions.

Cornell Speaker: Billie Faircloth
Partners: International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)

Friday, November 13

Beat the Heat in a Warming World: Adapting Cities and Decarbonizing the Built Environment

17:00 – 18:00 (TRT)
Special Event Room 3, Blue Zone

This Solution and Delivery Event brings together three initiatives already delivering at this intersection in cities, each working on a different dimension of urban action where adaptation and mitigation meet: city-wide heat resilience and sustainable cooling, the historic building stock, and the informal settlements where much of urban growth is taking place. Three short, results-focused mini panels will demonstrate how these solutions are already being delivered at scale and what is required to replicate them across hundreds of cities globally.

Cornell Speaker & Moderator: Billie Faircloth
Partners: Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action, Global Climate Action Agenda

Saturday, November 14

Climate Action is Not for Climate: Centering Well-Being, Wetlands, and Planetary Health from Science to Design

10:00 – 11:00 (TRT)
Thailand Pavilion, Blue Zone

Cornell Speaker & Moderator: Billie Faircloth

Design & Heritage

17:00 – 18:00 (TRT)
Buildings & Cooling Pavilion

Cornell Speaker & Moderator: Billie Faircloth

Monday, November 16 – Thursday, November 19

COP 31 Exhibit Booth #20

This exhibit features Cornell, Tufts, and Boston University’s leadership on the Global Climate Agenda, including research on energy transition, forests, oceans, biodiversity, agriculture and food systems, resilient cities, infrastructure and water, social development, and climate policy, law, and governance.