Highlights and images for 14 December 2019

Spain

UN Framework Convention on Climate Change – UNFCCC

The COP sign at the entrance to the venue as the negotiations go 42 hours over time, making it the longest COP in UNFCCC history.

***UPDATE: Sunday, 15 December, 1:55 pm: - COP 25 President Schmidt gavels the COP, CMP, and CMA to a close.

UPDATE: Sunday, 15 December, 10:17 am - The COP opened. After some debate, the COP adopted the "Chile-Madrid Time for Action" decision.

UPDATE: Sunday, 15 December, 5:00 am - Closing plenary scheduled for 8:00 am. Delegates unsure of what the process moving forward will be.

UPDATE: Sunday, 15 December, 12:30 am - The informal stocktaking plenary closes, with COP 25 President Carolina Schmidt outlining the outstanding, unresolved issues on WIM, Article 6, response measures, and others. She tells delegates "let's get to work."

UPDATE: Saturday, 14 December, 11:00 pm - Informal Presidency stocktaking scheduled to convene. Delegates still engaged in closed-door negotiations on Article 6, loss and damage, response measures, and other issues. ***

With the Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference ticking over from what was meant to be its final day into overtime, delegates speculated about how close parties actually were to any meaningful agreement.

A morning plenary stocktake by the Presidency confirmed several areas where views diverged in the final decisions, yet to be adopted. In the Paris Agreement governing body (CMA) outcome decision, Australia opposed calls from the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to ensure that units or emissions reductions under the Kyoto Protocol could not be used towards countries’ nationally determined contributions (NDCs). There was also disagreement on whether the Conference of the Parties (COP) outcome decision should mention the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Climate Change and Land, or mandate related work under the subsidiary bodies. In the same decision, several groups called for a clear call for enhancing ambition in NDCs in 2020, while other delegations supported a work programme on pre-2020 implementation and action. In the afternoon, bilateral Presidency-led consultations continued alongside closed informal consultations on finance, loss and damage, and Article 6 (market and non-market approaches).

The resulting mood in the conference centre alternated between frustration and resignation. In a press conference, NGO representatives denounced the latest presidency texts. Civil society held an impromptu “People’s Closing Plenary” in the space between both official plenary halls, calling out the “COP that has failed us.”

With the closing plenary delayed later and later into the night, press and observers alike were reduced to idly checking social media for any updates. For all the Presidency’s optimism that a plenary might be struck before midnight, some delegate meetings suggested otherwise. “It’s going to be a long night,” one said, rushing between rooms.

Sunday Morning: Closing Plenary

After a sleepless night of negotiations, delegates return to plenary to close COP 25.

 

UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa speaks with Teresa Ribera, Minister for the Ecological Transition, Spain.

 

UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa speaks with Shinjirō Koizumi, Minister of the Environment, Japan.

 

Delegates from Malaysia, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia consult informally.

 

Kimberly Carnahan, US, speaks with Teresa Ribera, Minister for the Ecological Transition, Spain.

 

Delegates from the Russian Federation and the EU speak informally.

 

Catherine Anne Stewart, Canada, speaks with delegates from the EU and New Zealand.

 

Ammar Hijazi, Palestine, speaks with Ayman Shasly, Saudi Arabia

 

International press arrive in plenary.

 

View of the dais as the closing plenary begins, more than 35 hours behind schedule.

 

Franz Perrez, Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG)

 

Mohamed Nasr, Egypt, speaking on behalf of the African Group

 

Leonardo Cleaver de Athayde, Brazil

 

Carolina Schmidt, COP 25 President, Chile

 

Archie Young, UK

 

Ian Fry, Tuvalu

 

Felipe De León, Costa Rica

 

Gary William Theseira, Malaysia, speaking on behalf of the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDCs)

 

Kera Sherwood-O'Regan, speaking on behalf of Indigenous Peoples, while members of civil society stand in support.

 

Snreya KC and Zuzanna Borowska, Youth NGOs (YOUNGOs)

 

Jolein Holtz, Women and Gender

 

Pere Fullana i Palmer, Research and Industry NGOs (RINGOs)

 

Tennant Reed, Business and Industry NGOs (BINGOs)

 

Delegates applaud the adoption of various items.

 

Sunday Morning Stocktake

UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa; Carolina Schmidt, COP 25 President, Chile; and Miriam Medel García, UNFCCC Secretariat

 

Carolina Schmidt, COP 25 President, Chile, tells people 'Let's get to work,' announcing consultations will continue at 1:30 am.

 

The US consults with delegates during an informal huddle.

Late Night Informal Consultations

Delegates from Argentina, Grenada, Egypt, and others huddle outside the negotiating rooms.

 

Simon Stiell, Minister of Climate Resilience, the Environment, Forestry, Fisheries, Disaster Management and Information, Grenada, speaks with Teresa Ribera, Minister for the Ecological Transition, Spain

 

Delegates from the Russian Federation and the EU review negotiating text.

 

Amjad Abdulla, Maldives; William Agyemang-Bonsu, UNFCCC Secretariat; and Teresa Ribera, Minister for the Ecological Transition, Spain

 

Delegates from the African Group consult.

 

Delegates from Spain and the US consult.

 

Delegates from Grenada, Malaysia, Brazil, Saint Lucia, and Gabon huddle outside the negotiating rooms.

 

Saturday Morning Presidency Stocktaking

Delegates gather in plenary for the start of the Presidency stocktaking.

 

Delegates review the draft negotiating text on a number of key issues.

View of the dais as the stocktaking begins.

 

Carolina Schmidt, COP 25 President, Chile

 

Carlos Fuller, Belize

 

Simon Stiell, Minister of Climate Resilience, the Environment, Forestry, Fisheries, Disaster Management and Information, Grenada

 

Krista Mikkonen, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Finland, speaking on behalf of the EU

 

Wael Aboulmagd, Egypt

 

Camila Isabel Zepeda Lizama, Mexico

 

Marco Túlio Cabral, Brazil

 

Ammar Hijazi, Palestine

 

Teresa Ribera, Minister for the Ecological Transition, Spain

 

Ola Elvestuen, Minister of Climate and Environment, Norway

 

Ayman Shasly, Saudi Arabia

 

Laura Juliana Arciniegas Rojas, Colombia

 

Choon Heng Joseph Teo, Singapore

 

Kimberly Carnahan, US

 

Tshewang Dorji, Bhutan

To receive free coverage of global environmental events delivered to your inbox, subscribe to the ENB Update newsletter.

ENB images are free for use with attribution. For the Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference, please use Photo by IISD/ENB Kiara Worth.

Participants

Tags