Resilience for Communities (R4C) Measuring Vulnerability and Building Equitable Resilience Thursday, 19 January 2023 08.00 AM EST

 

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Resilience for Communities (R4C) Measuring Vulnerability and Building Equitable Resilience    🗓️ Thursday, 19 January 2023 🕘 08.00 AM EST / 01.00 PM GMT / 09.00 PM SIN/KUL Register Extreme weather events are among the most dangerous shocks that plague cities and are becoming increasingly common as a result of climate change, impacting people's livelihood and well-being, especially the most vulnerable. In 2022 alone, the catastrophic extreme weather and climate disasters that impacted the United States are estimated to have cost at least $1 billion each, according to a new report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For the first Cities on the Frontline Speaker Series of 2023, jointly organized by the Resilient Cities Network and the World Bank, we will be joined by R-Cities Regional Director for North America, Laurian Farrell, David Nash, Senior Manager for Climate Change and Partnerships at the Z Zurich Foundation, and Jordana Vasquez, Program Manager for R-Cities' flagship program on flood and heat resilience, Resilience for Communities (R4C). R4C is designed to strengthen climate resilience and address social inequities at the community level, by looking at the question of how we define resilience at the community level, and perhaps most crucially, who gets to define resilience. During the session, we will discuss the community-focused methodology behind implementation, track current progress in Houston, and share some of the lessons we have learned so far. Register Access previous sessions

1/18/2023 U.S. Releases Memorandum of Understanding with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to Strengthen Electric Vehicle Battery Value Chain

 The United States Releases Signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to Strengthen Electric Vehicle Battery Value Chain

01/18/2023 01:21 PM EST

 

Office of the Spokesperson

Today, the Department of State released the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on electric vehicle battery value chains signed by the United States on December 13, 2022, during the Africa Leaders Summit.  Through this MOU, the United States will support the commitment between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia to develop jointly a supply chain for electric vehicle batteries.  The MOU supports the DRC and Zambia’s goal of building a productive supply chain, from the mine to the assembly line, while also committing to respect international standards to prevent, detect, and take legal action to fight corruption throughout this process.

The DRC produces more than 70 percent of the world’s cobalt.  Zambia is the world’s sixth-largest copper producer, and the second largest cobalt producer in Africa.  These resources, and this commitment to cooperation, are crucial components of the urgently needed global energy transition.  The plan to develop an electric battery supply chain opens the door for open and transparent investment to build value-added and sustainable industry in Africa and creating a just energy transition for workers and local communities.  The U.S. private sector is a tremendous resource, both for technical knowledge and financing, for commercial development at every step in the process.  The U.S. government will work with the DRC and Zambia to ensure the private sector has a level playing field to participate in these projects.

The Memorandum of Understanding is available here.  For further media information, please contact ENR-PD-Clearances@state.gov.