Highlights and images for 3 June 2021

The May-June 2021 UN Climate Change Conference continued on Thursday in a virtual format to prepare for the 26th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 26) in Glasgow, Scotland, scheduled for November 2021.

Informal consultations took place on several transparency-related issues, the Adaptation Fund, and capacity building. Other events related to cooperation with international organizations, the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform, and the second periodic review of the long-term global goal of holding the global average temperature increase to well below 2°C and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.

Common tabular formats for tracking progress on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

In informal consultations on common tabular formats for tracking progress on NDCs, co-facilitators presented a “visual tool” to guide discussions. Parties were unable to agree on the way forward, expressing diverging interpretations of the item’s mandate. Some groups provided substantive comments on the tool, specifically on a common tabular format for the structured summary. A substantive issue discussed, concerned the proper way to reflect linkages with the ongoing negotiations under Article 6. Other groups opposed developing a tabular option without concurrently developing a non-tabular one, with one party calling for resolution of the issue of whether or not the substantive summary is a table before developing such a table. Parties were also unable to agree on holding informal informals or spending additional time in informal consultations on this item. 

Common tabular formats for support under Articles 9–11 of the Paris Agreement

In informal consultations on this issue, delegates aim to exchange views on common tabular formats to report on financial, technology development and transfer, and capacity-building support provided and mobilized, as well as support needed and received. These discussions are technical and center on the design of tables, their columns, and the way to fill these in. Options include using yes/no boxes or filling in numeric information. In this first session, delegates discussed options for reporting on inflows and outflows of finance in multilateral channels, such as multilateral development banks. Delegates underscored the need to differentiate between information related to inflow and outflow, and thus avoid double counting. Other issues that were raised include: challenges related to reporting on outflows; presenting information in both grant-equivalent and face-value amounts; and methodologies for determining climate specificity.

Review of the Adaptation Fund

In informal consultations, delegates exchanged views on the process to initiate the fourth review of the Adaptation Fund (AF). Marianne Karlsen, Chair of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation, pointed to an informal note she prepared on this item, which includes the terms of reference (ToR) of the third AF review and submissions by parties and observers. There was general consensus on the suitability of the ToR from the third review as a basis for the fourth review. Disagreement related to possible references to the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA), with several groups noting the AF now serves the Paris Agreement, while others argue that the Fund is still under the authority of and accountable to the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP). Other points raised included: whether the review should be only backward looking; and how quickly the review could be initiated, with several delegations calling for concluding the review at COP 26.