Hogan Lovells to host Great Green Wall session at COP26: UN Climate Change Conference 2021

At the conference, the firm will host a documentary and panel discussion with our social impact client the Great Green Wall, an African-led initiative that aims to build an 8,000km barrier of plants and trees at the southern border of the Sahara desert, from Senegal in the west, to Djibouti in the east, in the hope of rebuilding what used to be a thriving and fertile region.

Susan Bright, Global Managing Partner for Diversity & Inclusion and Responsible Business, said: “The Great Green Wall presents solutions to many of the challenges facing Africa and the global community as a whole, including climate change, drought, famine, conflict and migration. We are very proud to be supporting this pioneering project. Delivering on our commitments to being a Responsible Business is one of our firm’s five strategic priorities.”

The UN climate change conference is centred on four main goals of:

• Securing global net zero by mid-century and keeping 1.5 degrees within reach;
• Adapting to protect communities and natural habitats;
• Mobilizing finance and;
• Working together to deliver on the challenges of the climate crisis.

Adrian Walker, Head of ESG at Hogan Lovells, said: “As the 26th annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) approaches, this a critical moment for reinforcing global efforts to address the climate crisis. This is an important opportunity for businesses, governments, international organisations and societies to discuss the latest science and how to collaborate to tackle the climate crisis.” 

Hogan Lovells’ existing work on sustainability includes the recent launch of the next stage of its own global sustainability plan including:

• The firm’s commitment to the UN Business Ambition for 1.5˚C and Race to Zero
• Setting science based targets and a strategy to achieve net zero by 2030
• Driving change through procurement policies. 

The firm is a member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance, the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance and the American Legal Industry Sustainability Standard.

If you have any questions about our ESG practice please contact Adrian Walker (Global Head of ESG).

On our commitments to being a Responsible Business, contact Susan Bright (Global Managing Partner, D&I and Responsible Business).

For queries about the Great Green Wall, please contact Gill McGreevy (Partner), Neil Mirchandani (Partner) Andrew Skipper (Head of the Africa practice) or Robert Gardener (Director of Government Affairs) and Yasmin Waljee (International Pro Bono Partner).

The trailer for the Great Green Wall documentary can be viewed here. For further information on our pro bono impact see “Earth Fixers” a special series on climate and biodiversity action in partnership with Pioneers Post. Earth Fixers | The Social Enterprise Magazine - Pioneers Post

Notes to editors 

‘COP26’, which stands for ‘Conference of Parties’ with the ‘Parties’ referring to the governments who are signatories to the UN Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC), will take place in Glasgow, Scotland in November. The firm works with an ever-growing body of climate-related regulation and supports clients on their climate change journeys to net zero and has been invited to host an event to be showcased at the conference.  

At this year’s conference, the UK and Italy will be acting as joint-Presidents, and each attending country will have the opportunity to update their plans for reducing emissions of greenhouse gasses and work together to reach net zero.