UK Horizons: CEF

The Climate Emergencies Forum (CEF), powered by Renaissance Philanthropy’s partnership with the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), is an action-focused knowledge platform that brings together key actors to align on climate tipping points and potential emergency responses.

Climate change could drive global temperatures up by several degrees by the end of the century, increasing the risk of triggering climate tipping points with severe and irreversible consequences worldwide. While decarbonization remains the only sustainable solution to mitigating these risks, the possibility of crossing critical thresholds in the near future has spurred growing interest in strategies to actively reduce the likelihood of potential climate tipping points.

CEF ensures that climate tipping points—such as AMOC collapse, permafrost thaw, and ice sheet destabilization—are recognized as top-tier risks in global governance, finance, and security. It works to responsibly accelerate the scientific and institutional frameworks needed to integrate early warning and risk assessment into decision-making, ensuring that climate emergencies are anticipated and that potential risk mitigation options are well understood and safe.

The Challenge

We predict risks, but we don’t prepare for them. We have potential options for managing risks and impacts, but they are not tested. We lack the systems to integrate risk assessment, intervention feasibility, and economic planning.

Our Approach

The Climate Emergencies Forum (CEF) convenes scientists, policymakers, NGOs, funders, and industries like insurance and finance to drive greater awareness of catastrophic climate threats and potential options, enable coordination across traditional silos, and establish the scientific basis for coordinated action, informed governance, and R&D funding decisions. Without a concerted effort to create strong, governance-ready institutions, even the best R&D will not be enough to mitigate catastrophic risks.

  • CEF elevates attention and awareness on climate tipping points and potential response options, positioning tipping points as top-tier risks in global governance, finance, and socioeconomic strategies.

  • CEF facilitates coordination by connecting experts across science, policy, and industry to strengthen early warning systems and better assess intervention feasibility.

  • CEF includes representation from youth and frontline communities around the globe to ensure diverse perspectives are integrated into decision-making, prioritizing equitable solutions for those most affected by climate risks.

  • CEF unlocks investment by directing capital into prediction, prevention, and preparedness solutions for long-term risk reduction, not just disaster response.

Request for Proposals

Coalition-building partners for the Climate Emergencies Forum (CEF). Please click here for details on how to submit your proposal.