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
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ENB images are free for use with attribution. For the Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference, please use Photo by IISD/ENB Kiara Worth.
Informal Consultations
Delegates gather for the informal, parties-only consultations on climate finance.
Delegates huddle before the informal, parties-only consultation on loss and damage begin.
Press Conferences Throughout the Day
Barbara Creecy, Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Fisheries, South Africa, convenes a press conference in her capacity as the President of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), stressing the importance of enhanced ambition in NDCs, the global goal on adaptation, and means of implementation.
Members of civil society organizations hold an inpromptu press conference to express their concerns about the state of the negotiations.
Members of civil society organizations hold an inpromptu press conference to express their concerns about the state of the negotiations
Andrés Landerretche, COP 25 Presidency (left), convenes a press conference in the afternoon with international media to provide an update on the state of negotiations.
People's Closing Plenary
As delegates wait for the closing plenary to convene, members of civil society meet with UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa and Ovais Sarmad, UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary, to arrange a 'People's Closing Plenary' where the voices of civil society can be heard.
Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Indigenous Peoples, and Tasneem Essop, Executive Director, Climate Action Network (CAN) (center)
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa
Following the meeting, the 'People's Closing Plenary' takes place outside the formal plenary halls, creating a space for civil society to share their voices with the statement 'people power, climate justice.'
Harjeet Singh, ActionAid International
Catherine Abreu, CAN
Around the Venue
Carole Dieschbourg, Minister of the Environment, Luxembourg, with Archie Young, UK
Zaheer Fakir, South Africa; Simon Stiell, Minister of Climate Resilience, the Environment, Forestry, Fisheries, Disaster Management and Information, Grenada; and Karsten Sach, Germany
Around the venue
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) team covering COP 25: Beate Antonich, Germany; Annelies Van Gaalen, South Africa; Jennifer Bansard, Germany/France; Jen Allan, Canada/UK; Bernard Soubry, Canada; Mari Luomi, Finland/UAE; and Kiara Worth, South Africa
