Summary
As the Talanoa Dialogue draws to a close, Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President, thanks Frank Bainimarama, COP 23 President, for bringing the Fijian tradition of Talanoa into the negotiation process,
The Katowice Climate Change Conference continued on Wednesday, with most negotiations happening at the ministerial level. For some issues, ministers conducted open-ended consultations, while for others ministers and delegations engaged in more informal settings. The Presidency’s texts were released in the afternoon for most issues. In the evening, two heads of delegation meetings convened.The Talanoa Dialogue concluded its political phase. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated "it is time for consensus,” and called for “compromise, as our last best chance to stop run-away climate change." He further cautioned, that failing to do so would "not only be immoral, it would be suicidal.” At the conclusion of the Talanoa Dialogue, COP 23 President Frank Bainimarama and COP 24 President Michał Kurtyka launched the Talanoa Call for Action.
For more details on the day's events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily reports, daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis from the Katowice Climate Change Conference – December 2018.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth
For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page
High-level Segment
Delegates during the high-level segment
Wallace Cosgrow, Minister of Environment, Energy, and Climate Change, Seychelles
Lina Dolores Pohl Alfaro, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, El Salvador
Ricardo José Lozano Picón, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Colombia
Mokoto Francis Hloaele, Minister of Energy and Meteorology, Lesotho
Simon Stiell, Minister for Climate Resilience, the Environment, Forestry, Fisheries, and Disaster Management and Information, Grenada
Heryck Rangel, Minister of People's Power for Ecosocialism, Venezuela
Informal and Presidency Consultations throughout the Day
Presidency's open-ended ministerial consultations on finance
Delegates huddle during informal consultations on linkages between the Technology Mechanism and the Financial Mechanism
Presidency's open-ended ministerial consultations on transparency
Closing of the Talanoa Dialogue
Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President
Frank Bainimarama, COP 23 President
UN Secretary-General António Guterres
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa
Inia Seruiratu, Minister of Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development, and National Disaster Management, Fiji
Sławomir Mazurek, Deputy Minister of the Environment, Poland
Xiaofeng Guo, China
Doris Leuthard, Switzerland
Members of NGO constituencies (L-R): Ching Wen Yang, Youth NGOs (YOUNGOs); Taily de Faria Marcos Terena, Women and Gender; Mariano Sanz Lubeiro, Trade Union NGOs (TUNGOs); Michael Lazarus, Research and Independent NGOs (RINGOs); Cor Lamers, Local Government and Municipal Authorities (LGMAs); Naw Ei Ei Min, Indigenous Peoples; Bjørn Gimming, Farmers; and Sandeep Chauhan, Business and Industry NGOs (BINGOs)
Michael Lazarus, RINGOs
Ching Wen Yang, YOUNGOs
Taily de Faria Marcos Terena, Women and Gender
Sandeep Chauhan, BINGOs
The 'People's Seat' is present during the session, representing the millions of stories collected digitally
As the Talanoa Dialogue draws to a close Frank Bainimarama, COP 23 President, and Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President, stand with Timoci Naulusala, Fiji, and Hanna Wojdowska, Poland, representing the future generations
Civil Society Demonstrations
Representatives of the Jubilee South Asia Pacific Movement share stories of how climate change impacts food, land, and water in different regions around the world, and call on delegates to include the protection of human rights in the negotiations
Representatives of ACT Alliance and Christian Aid call for greater financing for developing countries by staging an interactive game where delegates 'roll the dice' to see what outcomes they can achieve in the negotiations
High Ambition Coalition Press Conference
Representatives and Ministers hold a press conference to announce the revival of the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) to step up ambition
David Paul, Minister of the Environment, Marshall Islands, and Miguel Arias Cañete, Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, European Commission
A journalist takes notes during the briefing
Delegates flood the hallway to enter the event
Around the Venue
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa and UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrive in plenary
Jo Tyndall, New Zealand, and Todd Stern, World Resources Institute (WRI)
Al Gore, Climate Reality Project
Derek Hanekom, Minister of Tourism, South Africa
Xie Zhenhua, Special Representative for Climate Change Affairs, China
UN Secretary-General António Guterres
Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Belgium, holds up his '1.5°C' tie during a Climate Action Network (CAN) International press conference
Panel speakers during a high-level event (L-R): Ingrid Hoven, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany; Cora van Nieuwenhuizen, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management, Netherlands; Emma Howard Boyd, Chair, Environment Agency UK; Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Naoko Ishii, CEO, the Global Environment Facility (GEF); and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa
Delegates from the African Group
Members of the COP 24 Presidency and UNFCCC Secretariat
Delegates from the EU
Co-facilitators and Secretariat from the informal consultations on transparency
Franz Perrez, Switzerland, speaks with members of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG)
Around the exhibition area
