Celebrating 20 years of the Prince Claus Chair

The celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the chair, is to be held at the Nieuwe Kerk in The Hague on Wednesday 6 December 2023. As we honour the legacy of the late Prince Claus, we will use the lens of equity to explore one of the most pressing challenges of our time: a just climate transition.

Just transition: The Next Steps

The Prince Claus Chair has equity and development at its core. In this afternoon event, prominent speakers and PC chairholders will use the lens of equity to discuss their perspectives on one of the most pressing present-day challenges: a just climate transition. We continue to be inspired by Prince Claus, who was disruptive and innovative in his time by challenging our thinking on North-South relations and equity. On this day we will challenge ourselves to have a similar approach to Just Transitions.

Ms Winnie Byanyima, an aeronautical engineer, former parliamentarian, diplomat, human rights activist, Director of Oxfam International and currently executive director of UNAIDS, will provoke us with some key questions during her opening remarks: what does a just transition even mean, why should we want it and under which conditions?

Subsequently, current Prince Claus chairholder and climate justice expert dr. Fatima Denton and Professor of environment and development in the global south and member of the PCC curatorium Joyeeta Gupta will facilitate a conversation among chairholders and the audience. Chairholders past and present will approach the climate transition from their respective fields of work, making for a kaleidoscopic conversation in which they will use the lens of equity to challenge our thinking on climate justice.

Dr. Vera Songwe, former Director of the UN Economic Commission for Africa and current senior fellow of Brookings Institute and co-chair of the High Level Panel on Climate Finance will give an address providing her perspective on one of the most crucial questions: how can we have a just transition when access to the financial means to support that transition continues to be unevenly distributed?

This unique high level event will take place during a crucial point in time: the 28th Conference of Parties (COP), the annual UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai. We will establish a live connection with the COP to get a live update and to share our advice and concerns to the place where decisions are being made.

The event will be facilitated by social entrepreneur and social impact strategist Lynn Zebeda. The language of the event will be English.

This event is invite only.