KPMG is proud to participate in COP31, with the KPMG at COP31 agenda aimed to help drive the transition to a sustainable economy, fostering value creation and preservation for both businesses and society.
Enabling and accelerating systemic change
Mike Hayes
Climate Change and Decarbonization Leader, Global Head of Renewable Energy
KPMG in Ireland
KPMG at COP31 agenda
Tuesday, 10 November 2026
Time: 08:00 – 10:00 (GMT+3)
Location: Menekşe Hall, AKRA Hotel (offsite)
AI, influence, and impact: Navigating the next frontier of sustainability leadership
As organizations accelerate AI adoption, sustainability leaders have a unique opportunity to shape how these technologies are governed, deployed and scaled. This interactive workshop invites senior sustainability executives to explore their role in the AI era, from influencing responsible AI practices and innovation strategies to navigating emerging risks and opportunities, particularly in the context of the climate and energy implications of AI.
Through facilitated peer discussions and thought-provoking exercises, participants can consider how AI may transform their organizations, explore where sustainability can create strategic value, and identify practical actions to strengthen their influence and impact in a rapidly changing business landscape.
In collaboration with: REA, Jones Day
Wednesday, 11 November 2026
Time: 08:00 – 10:00 (GMT+3)
Location: Sedir Hall, AKRA Hotel (offsite)
From ambition to implementation: The role of systemic change in delivering on transition planning (Transition Planning Bootcamp)
Building on the Transition Plan Bootcamp held at COP30, this interactive session aims to explore what it takes to drive systemic change in support of the net zero transition and to demonstrate the actions that can be taken by organizations to bridge the implementation gap. Bringing together leaders from business, finance, government and civil society, the discussion seeks to examine how organizations can turn transition plans into meaningful action through procurement, investment, public-private partnerships, industry collaboration, innovation and policy advocacy.
Through practical examples and peer discussion, participants can consider how to influence the market, policy and value-chain shifts needed to accelerate economy-wide decarbonization. The session will explore how collective action can unlock systemic change while creating resilience, competitiveness and long-term value.
Time: 10:30 – 12:00 (GMT+3)
Location: Sedir Hall, AKRA Hotel (offsite)
Carbon Market Buyer Coalitions: Continuing the dialogue
Building on prior convenings at Davos and London Climate Action Week, this session will explore the role of high-integrity carbon markets in accelerating global climate action. Participants can consider how voluntary demand for carbon credits can complement corporate decarbonization, support investment in emerging climate solutions and help mobilize finance beyond organizational value chains. The dialogue seeks to specifically examine the policy, regulatory and market signals needed to increase corporate confidence and scale private-sector participation and will highlight the role that advanced market commitments can play in achieving these objectives.
In collaboration with: Kinetic, LEAF and a number of other Carbon Market Coalitions
Thursday, 12 November 2026
Time: 8:00 – 10:00 (GMT+3)
Location: Menekşe Hall, AKRA Hotel (offsite)
Creating the enabling environment for FOAK projects to scale in developing countries
The side event explores how to create an enabling environment for first-of-a-kind (FOAK) demonstration projects to scale and replicate in developing countries. The event will showcase successful examples of policy and regulatory incentives at national and sub-national levels, industry interventions, multilateral support mechanisms, and FOAK projects, to share lessons learned on how to successfully foster collaboration between governments, international partners, local communities, industry, financiers and project developers to accelerate the market development and uptake of innovative climate solutions in developing countries.
In collaboration with: UNIDO
Time: 11:30 – 13:00 (GMT+3)
Location: Ireland / EU Pavilion, Blue Zone
Physical climate risk: Embedding adaptation and resilience into corporate strategy
As physical climate risks intensify, resilience is becoming increasingly important to business continuity, economic stability and long-term competitiveness. This session seeks to explore practical mechanisms for integrating adaptation and resilience into mainstream corporate strategy, financial planning and investment decisions. Drawing on research involving CFOs and finance leaders, the discussion will examine how resilience expenditure can be assessed, financed and reflected in business and public-sector balance sheets.
This session will also act as the formal launch of the WEF publication (in collaboration with KPMG), The CFO Playbook for Resilience Capital.
In collaboration with: Zurich Insurance
Time: 8:00 – 10:00 (GMT+3)
Location: Menekşe Hall, AKRA Hotel (offsite)
Guide for Adaptation and Resilience Finance (GARF) 2.0 | From commitments to capital allocation (Launch roundtable)
Building on the 2024 editionopens in a new tab, which helped the market understand and identify adaptation and resilience investments, GARF 2.0 introduces stronger assessment pathways, clearer links to value creation, refreshed market data and improved reporting approaches to support financial institutions to successfully scale investment to climate adaptation and resilience.
In this roundtable, Standard Chartered and KPMG will bring together experts and practitioners across finance, climate adaptation and resilience to discuss the Guide's key additions and explore how to accelerate capital allocation, investment decisions and systemic action.
In collaboration with: Standard Chartered
Friday, 13 November 2026
Time: 08:00 – 10:00 (GMT+3)
Location: Sedir Hall, AKRA Hotel (offsite)
Climate finance: Mobilizing private capital to finance the transition in growth markets
This session aims to explore how national climate ambitions and Nationally Determined Contributions can be translated into investable opportunities in emerging markets. Participants can examine practical barriers to investment, including project preparation, risk mitigation, blended finance and the development of stronger pipelines of bankable projects. Building on the Climate Promise Forward initiative, the discussion will identify how collaboration between investors, project developers, governments and development institutions can help mobilize private capital at scale.
During this session, UNDP and KPMG will present on the key findings from the pilot project undertaken with the Government of Mexico.
In collaboration with: UNDP
Time: 12:00 – 12:50 (GMT+3)
Location: Nigeria Pavilion, Blue Zone
Critical minerals and climate action: Building resilient supply chains for a just and investable energy transition
Critical minerals are essential to renewable energy systems, battery storage, electric vehicles, grids and other technologies underpinning the global energy transition. This session aims to explore how these resources can be developed responsibly, financed at scale and integrated into secure and resilient supply chains. Participants can examine national transition planning, investment across the minerals value chain, regional processing and manufacturing, and the governance, skills and community outcomes needed to support an inclusive transition.
In collaboration with: Prime Initiative for Green Development (PIGD)
Time: 13:00 - 14:30 (GMT+3)
Location: Ireland / EU Pavilion, Blue Zone
Electrification: Accelerating climate action and creating energy resilience
Electrification is rapidly evolving from a climate initiative into a core business and resilience strategy. This session aims to explore how organizations can electrify their operations and supply chains to reduce emissions, lower operating costs and strengthen energy security. The discussion will consider renewable energy procurement, the implications of growing AI-driven electricity demand, and the investment, financing and governance mechanisms needed to accelerate corporate electrification at scale.
This session will also explore the global “35 by 35” commitment and its relevance to corporate organizations, including a debate around the idea of a separate corporate commitment on electrification to support the global commitment.
KPMG, UNDP and the EU Council Presidency, Ireland: Delivering climate action – mobilizing the private sector through BRIDGE
KPMG, UNDP, and the Irish Government (in its capacity as the current holders of the EU Presidency) will co-host an exclusive dinner bringing together senior leaders from the public and private sectors, including government representatives, business executives and climate leaders. Against the backdrop of the COP31 Action Agenda and the Climate Implementation Bridge initiative, the discussion will focus on how stronger collaboration can accelerate the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and drive meaningful climate action.
In collaboration with: UNDP, Government of Ireland (in its capacity as holders of the EU Presidency)
Saturday, 14 November 2026
Time: 11:30 – 12:30 (GMT+3)
Location: WWF Pavilion, Blue Zone
Renewable energy procurement: Innovating for reliability, affordability and decarbonization
Renewable energy procurement is becoming a strategic business priority as organizations respond to rising electricity demand, price volatility and energy security concerns. This session aims to bring together corporates, renewable energy developers, investors and market innovators to discuss the future of clean energy sourcing. The discussion will explore innovative procurement models, energy storage, flexible contracting structures and the role of grid modernization in balancing affordability, reliability and emissions reduction.
Tuesday, 17 November 2026
Time: 08:00 – 10:00 (GMT+3)
Location: Sedir Hall, AKRA Hotel (offsite)
Financing nature-positive transitions: From ambition to investable climate and nature opportunities
The private sector has an important role to play in mobilizing finance for nature and supporting progress across climate and biodiversity goals. This roundtable session will begin by setting out the strategic case for business and financial action, highlighting practical examples of nature-positive transition, and then move to roundtable discussions to explore practical solutions that businesses and governments can take to help accelerate investment in nature-positive transitions. Learning from opportunities in the regenerative and sustainable blue economy, the discussion will consider alignment between climate and nature strategies, opportunities for business contributions to support global and national sustainable climate, nature and ocean priorities, and the partnerships, enabling conditions and financing mechanisms needed to mobilize capital at scale.
In collaboration with: ORRAA (Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance)
KPMG at COP31 focus areas
As KPMG’s climate leaders work to prepare a thoughtful program for COP31, their focus remains on areas that are highly relevant in today’s landscape, including:
Turning net zero ambition into value creation
In today’s environment, many organizations are shifting their focus beyond climate reporting and disclosure, and moving towards transition plans that drive tangible action, investment and long-term value creation. Effective transition planning helps businesses chart science-based pathways to decarbonization and resilience, addressing challenges such as Scope 3 emissions, climate risk, carbon abatement costs, and the role of carbon markets and removals. By embedding climate considerations into strategy and operations, organizations can accelerate implementation, strengthen competitiveness, and unlock opportunities in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Specifically, KPMG will be focused on how corporations can play a key role in helping to enable systemic change.
Embedding adaptation and resilience into corporate strategy
With the impacts of climate change intensifying, organizations are increasingly focused on understanding and managing physical climate risks to their operations, assets and value chains. Building resilience is more than risk assessment – it demands the integration of adaptation measures into strategic planning, capital allocation and investment decisions. To better protect long-term value, strengthen operational continuity and effectively navigate an increasingly uncertain climate future, organizations should look to integrate adaptation and resilience into corporate strategy from the start.
Mobilizing private capital to finance the transition in emerging markets
Delivering climate ambitions at scale may depend on the ability to mobilize capital and connect financing with implementation. As the market shifts from strategy to execution, many organizations could be increasingly focused on climate finance solutions that unlock investment in emerging markets and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy. From blended finance and sustainable finance frameworks to adaptation finance, green funds and innovative supply chain financing structures, the focus is on mobilizing private capital, developing investable climate projects, and creating the financial pathways needed to turn transition plans into action.
Meeting Scope 2 and Scope 3 targets
Renewable energy procurement is becoming an increasingly important lever for climate action as organizations work to meet decarbonization commitments while navigating energy cost, availability and supply challenges. Aligning procurement strategies with broader sustainability and business objectives can help organizations accelerate progress toward net zero and create long-term value and energy security.
