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Eleventh session of the Conference of the Parties to the Climate Change
Convention and first meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol
Palais de Congrès, Montréal, Canada | 28 November-9 December 2005
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COP-11 and COP/MOP-1 Open in Montreal
The eleventh Conference of the Parties (COP 11) to the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the first Conference of
Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol
(COP/MOP 1) opened in Montreal on Monday morning, 28 November. After a
welcoming ceremony, both the COP and COP/MOP addressed organizational
matters and heard opening statements. In the afternoon, the UNFCCC's
subsidiary bodies began their twenty-third sessions. The Subsidiary Body
for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) considered
organizational matters, adaptation, mitigation, and methodological
issues. The Subsidiary Body
for Implementation (SBI) took up organizational issues, national
communications, capacity building, and education, training and public
awareness.
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Monday, 28 November
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Opening Session
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Canadian artists presented a multimedia performance about humanity's
relationship to the Earth and climate change.
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Gerald Tremblay, Mayor of Montreal, said delegates had a serious
obligation to achieve concrete results, and highlighted the support of
local governments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
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Jean Charest, Premier of Québec, highlighted its support for
emissions reductions and the need for strong action to address climate
change.
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Delegates stood and observed a minute of silence in memory of the
late UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Joke Waller Hunter.
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COP 10 President Ginés González Garcia, Argentina,
opened COP 11.
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Environment Minister Stéphane Dion, Canada, was elected
President of COP 11 and COP/MOP 1. He called for steps to "implement,
improve, and innovate."
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UNFCCC Acting Executive Secretary Richard Kinley highlighted 2005 as a
remarkable year for international climate policy, but drew attention to
new publication by the Secretariat showing an increase in Annex I
emissions.
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Plenary and COP/MOP 1
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Harlan Watson, US, emphasized the need for a clear separation between
Convention and Kyoto Protocol issues.
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Speaking for the G77 and China, Claudia Barnes, Jamaica expressed
concern at the GEF resource allocation framework and conditionalities
for accessing funds.
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Speaking for the EU, Sarah Hendry, UK, called for an "open mind" and
"creative and innovative ways" to address climate change after 2012.
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Bangladesh, on behalf of the Least Developed Countries, highlighted
the need to operationalize the LDC, Adaptation and Special Climate
Change Funds.
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Speaking for the Umbrella Group, Australia expressed a commitment to
a successful conference.
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Speaking for the Alliance of Small Island States, Enele Sopoaga,
Tuvalu, called for future commitments under Kyoto Protocol Article 3.9
(future commitments).
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Afternoon SBSTA and SBI Sessions
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The SBSTA session, chaired by Abdullatif Benrageb, Libya, heard a briefing
from ICAO on work and progress in the area of aircraft engine emissions.
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The SBI session, chaired by Thomas Becker, Denmark, considered
matters of national communications, non-Annex I communications,
provision of financial and technical support, and education,
training and public awareness.
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Around COP-11 and COP/MOP-1
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COP 10 Chair Garcia and Mayor Tremblay chatted before the morning session.
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Many COP 11 participants are dressed in suits, but of course individual
preferences lead some to select different kinds of suits than others.
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Atilio Savino, State Secretary of the Environment, Argentina, chats
with COP 10 Chair Garcia, Mayor Tremblay and Pierre Pettigrew, Minister
of Foreign Affairs, Canada.
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