Highlights and images for 9 December 2019

Spain

Delegates huddle during the final stages of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) closing plenary.

The Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference transitioned into its second week of work. There were last-minute consultations on some issues under the subsidiary bodies as delegates tried to bridge remaining divisions.By the end of the night, several issues were left unagreed. Unresolved issues were handled in a variety of ways. Some issues were deferred for discussions at the next session. Others were forwarded to the COP Presidency for consideration during this conference.

Consultations also continued on a number of other items, including on finance and, at the head of delegation level, on the meeting outcome decision (1/COP.25 1/CMP.15 and 1/CMA.2). Heads of delegation also met to agree on the mode of work for the rest of the conference.

The Chilean COP Presidency, with ministers of finance, sought to amplify the Santiago Action Plan. Originally launched in April 2019, at the World Bank Group-International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting, the Plan aims to catalyze high-level support for mainstreaming climate action in economic policy. Finance ministers discussed their role in enhancing countries’ nationally determined contributions (NDCs). The importance of finance ministers to climate action was clear: as UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa underlined: “if you lead, others will follow.”

The Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action connected the dots between climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Participants discussed how collaboration between state and non-state actors can help realize climate action, and also SDGs 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 14 (Life under Water), and 15 (Life on Land).For more details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

Informal Consultations Throughout the Day

Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) informal consultations on matters relating to gender and climate change.

Informal consultations on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

The primary focus of the day was to finalize draft negotiating texts under the subsidiary bodies so they could be adopted in plenary.

Members of the G-77/China huddle informally.

A heads of delegation meeting is held with the subsidiary body chairs to determine a way forward for the negotiations.

SBI Closing Plenary

Delegates gather for the SBI closing plenary.

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

SBI Chair Emmanuel Dlamini, eSwatini

Andrew Neustaetter, US

Chen Zhihua, China

SBI family photo.

SBSTA Closing Plenary

View of the dais during the SBSTA closing plenary.

Ammar Hijazi, Palestine, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China

SBSTA Chair Paul Watkinson, France

Delegates huddle during the final stages of the SBSTA closing plenary.

Presidency Consultations

Delegates gather for the COP Presidency's consultations on the outcome of the negotiations.

Julio Cordano, COP 25 Presidency, Chile

Ammar Hijazi, Palestine, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China

Ayşin Turpanci, Turkey

Gary William Theseira, Malaysia

Coalition of Ministers of Finance for Climate Action

The Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action launch the ‘Santiago Action Plan’, which aims to create linkages between the UNFCCC process and the practices of finance ministers, as well as to promote their active engagement in the elaboration of nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

Ignacio Briones, Minister of Finance, Chile

Kimmo Tiilikainen, State Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Finland

UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa

Axel van Trotsenburg, Managing Director, World Bank

Tao Zhang, Deputy Managing Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Facilitative Sharing of Views

Delegates gather for the facilitative sharing of views (FSV) to share experiences and report on their activities to address climate change.

Jaivardhan Ramanlal Bhatt, India

Jenny Mager, Chile

A slide from the Malaysian presentation.

K. Nagulendran, Malaysia

Ricardo Fernandez, EU

Takashi Morimoto, Japan

Civil Society Demonstrations

Members of civil society pay tribute to environmental activists who have lost their lives in the defence of the environment.

Members of civil society, including First Nations youth and elders, demonstrate against the Teck tar sands project in Canada, highlighting the negative impact this would have on Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

Around the Venue

A press conference is held with youth climate activists from around the world (L-R): Carlon Zackhras, Marshall Islands; Ángela Valenzuela, Chile; Nakabuye Hilda Flavia, Uganda; Luisa Neubauer, Germany; Greta Thunberg, Sweden; Arshak Makichyan, Russian Federation; Rose Whipple, Canada; and Kisha Erah Muaña, the Philippines.

The press conference room is filled to capacity.

Youth watch the press conference being live streamed.

Roberto Cadiz, the Philippines

Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General, Economic and Social Affairs (center)

UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw; Edgar Gutierrez Espeleta, UNCCD Special Advisor; and Marcos Montoiro, UNCCD Secretariat

Delegates from Saudia Arabia meet informally in the corridors.

Media interviews take place throughout the day.

 

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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.

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