UNGA 2026: CODES Roundtable on AI and the Planet
Harnessing AI for Sustainability and Building Sustainable AI
The CODES high-level roundtable, held on the margins of UNGA and New York Climate Week, co-organized by CODES co-champions UNDP and UBA together with GeSI, brought together leaders from governments, the private sector, international organizations, civil society, academia and Indigenous Peoples to discuss country needs, foresight on AI for Planet, and partnership pathways toward the upcoming Climate COP31 in Türkiye and beyond.
Opening Segment
· Prof. Dr. Dirk Messner, President, German Environment Agency (UBA)
· Ms. Francine Pickup, PhD, Deputy Director, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP
· Mr. Luis Neves, CEO, Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative (GeSI)
Framing Remarks
· H.E Ambassador Philip Thigo, Special Envoy on Technology, Republic of Kenya
· Ms. Reina Otsuka, Global Lead Digital for Planet, Planet Hub, UNDP
Roundtable speakers
· Mr. Pedro Ivo Ferraz da Silva, Chair of the Technology Executive Committee UNFCCC and Coordinator for scientific and technological affairs and bilateral relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Brazil
· Mr. Francesco Stabilito, Project Manager, United Nations Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies
· Ms. Amy Luers, Global Lead for Sustainability Science & Innovation, Microsoft
· Ms. Silvia Calderon, Latin America Centre Director, Stockholm Environmental Institute
· Mr. Yutaka Okano, Director, Supply Chain Sustainability Management Department, NEC Corporation
· WarīNkwī Flore, Founder, Kinray Hub / First-Generation Kara & Kichwa Data Sovereignty and AI Governance Scholar / Chichupampa Clan Land Trustee, Ecuador
· Mr. Kevin O’Neil, Managing Director, New Frontiers, Rockefeller Foundation
· Dra. Helena Freitas, Full Professor in Ecology and Biodiversity and UNESCO Chair Holder in Biodiversity Safeguard for Sustainable Development
· Ms. Sally Radwan, Chief Digital Officer, UNEP
· Ms. Marissa McInnins, Senior Director Global Sustainability & Small Business Supplier Accelerator, Verizon
· Ms. Faith Taylor, Senior Vice President and Global Sustainability & Citizenship Officer, Kyndryl
· Ms. Kay Seo, Senior Director and Head of Strategic Pursuits and Global Partnerships at NEC Laboratories
· Mr. Gerald Naber, Global Lead Environment, Prosus
· Mr. Jean-Manuel Canet, Senior Manager, Climate and Biodiversity, CSR Department, Orange Group
· Mr. Facundo Armas, Global Head of Sustainable Business, Globant
· Mr. Nizar Kammourie, CEO, SAWACO
· Mr. Sam Enoka, CEO, Greensparc
· Mr. Philippe Tuzzolino, Vice President Environment, Orange Group
· Dr. Thomas Chandler, Managing Director and Research Scientist at the National Center for Disaster Preparedness, Colombia University
