African Group

  Highlights for Monday, 14 January 2019 View of the room during the morning session The first substantive session of the Ad Hoc Open Ended Working Group (AHWG) towards a Global Pact for the Environment (A/RES/72/277), convening at the United Nations headquarters in Nairobi, was opened Monday by Co-Chair Amal Mudallali, Lebanon. Macharia Kamau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kenya, acknowledged France’s role in bringing forward the initiative and described how the proposed pact could help address a fragmented international environmental law framework. The Acting Director of UN Environment (UNEP) and Assistant UN Secretary-General, Joyce Msuya, invited frank discussion and encouraged an inclusive process that engages with civil society and academia. After adopting the AHWG’s provisional agenda (A/AC.289/3) and considering financial issues for the process, the AHWG Co-Chairs, Mudallali and Francisco António Duarte Lopes, Portugal, invited delegates to offer general statements. Many delegations welcomed the report of the UN Secretary-General, entitled “Gaps in international environmental law and environment-related instruments: towards a global pact for the environment” (A/73/419), while some sought to ensure a wider member state-led discussion on gaps. The G-77/China highlighted links between implementation gaps in international environmental law and the lack of resources, technology transfer, and capacity. The European Union called for a wider discussion than the content of the Secretary-General’s report, and cautioned against any weakening of existing international environmental standards. The African Group called for greater focus on the 1992 and 2012 Rio Declarations. The United States observed that the Secretary-General’s report does not comply with its mandate and is not fully objective nor an accurate reference text. She cautioned that many of the “gaps” identified in the report reflect intentional decisions by member states in specific MEAs, and that the report shows bias towards the option of a global pact. The Russian Federation warned against the AHWG setting up a new framework for environmental protection, given the functional role of fragmentation in helping achieve consensus on international environmental matters. Many other delegations gave general statements. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, povided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from the 1st Substantive Session of the Ad Hoc Open Ended Working Group Towards a Global Pact for the Environment. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Co-Chair Francisco António Duarte Lopes, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Portugal Co-Chair Amal Mudallali, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Lebanon Macharia Kamau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kenya Sebastian König, Switzerland Joyce Msuya, Acting Executive Director, UN Environment (UNEP) Delegates conferring during the morning session Shannon-Marie Soni, Canada Uriel Norman Garibay, the Philippines Fernando Coimbra, Brazil Marta Juarez Ruiz, Costa Rica Jean Kenfack, Cameroon Suzan Moh'd Al Ajjawi, Bahrain Martin Gomez Bustillo, Argentina Abdu al-Sharif, Saudi Arabia Burhan Namik Al-Jaf, Iraq Tidiani Couma, Monaco Elizabeth Taylor, Colombia Haibo Gou, China Langston James "Kimo" Goree VI, Director, IISD Reporting Services, with Dan Bondi Ogolla, former Principal Legal Adviser, UN Climate Change Framework Convention (UNFCCC) Secretariat Slaiman Arabiat, Jordan, and Ernesto Gomez Diaz, Cuba Raoul Renard, International Chamber of Commerce Angela Wright, Compassion in World Farming Sebastian Gil, European Union (EU), with Jorge Laguna-Celis, Secretary, Secretariat of Governing Bodies, UNEP Antonio Benjamin, International Council of Environmental Law (ICEL) Sunday Evening Opening Reception From L-R: Luisa Fragoso, Permanent Representative with the UN Office in Nairobi, Portugal; Macharia Kamau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kenya; Co-Chair Francisco António Duarte Lopes, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Portugal; and Co-Chair Amal Mudallali, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Lebanon  

As the 'Katowice Climate Package' is adopted, Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President, takes a giant leap for climate action The Katowice Climate Change conference continued on Saturday, a day after its scheduled close. Delegates engaged in consultations throughout the day to finalize the decisions for the Paris Agreement Work Programme (PAWP).The plenary convened at 9:30 pm to consider the decisions. CMA 1-3 was gavelled to a close on Sunday morning at 12:33 am. 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 Closing Plenary UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa arrives in plenary Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President, arrives in plenary Delegates stand at the beginning of plenary and hold a minute of silence in honour of Bernarditas Muller, Philippines Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa As the 'Katowice Climate Package' is adopted, Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President, invites heads of delegation to the podium Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President, thanks delegates for their help in achieving the 'Katowice Climate Package' Miguel Arias Cañete, Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, European Commission Franz Perrez, Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) Amjad Abdulla, Maldives, speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Patrick Suckling, Australia, speaking on behalf of the Umbrella Group Wael Aboulmagd, Egypt, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China Mohamed Nasr, Gabon, speaking on behalf of the African Group Ravi Prasad, India, speaking on behalf of Brazil, South Africa, India, and China (BASIC) Albara Tawfiq, Saudi Arabia, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group Gebru Jember Endalew, Ethiopia, speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Gurdial Singh, Malaysia, speaking on behalf of the Like-minded Developing Countries (LMDCs) Zakir Hossain, Farmers Shaila Shahid, Women and Gender Joint statement on behalf of Youth NGOs (YOUNGOs) Delegates Consult Informally Delegates from the EU, US, Australia, and Switzerland Delegates from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the COP 24 Presidency Delegates from Switzerland and Norway Jo Tyndall, New Zealand, speaks with Tomasz Chruszczow, Poland Ministers from Luxembourg and Spain speak with delegates from the EU and Norway Delegates huddle during the final stages of negotiations UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa Martin Frick, UNFCCC Secretariat Kimmo Tiilikainen, Minister for Housing, Energy, and the Environment, Finland Pieter Terpstra, the Netherlands, and Philip Weech, Bahamas Katarzyna Snyder, COP 24 Presidency Mehmet Emin Birpınar, Turkey Family Photos UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa poses for a photo with the delegation from Mexico The COP 24 Presidency Family photo of the UNFCCC Secretariat Family photo of negotiators working on ex-ante finance transparency (Article 9.5) Family photo of negotiators working on the transparency framework Family photo of negotiators for the transparency framework from the G-77/China Tribute to Bernarditas Muller After learning of her passing, delegates pay tribute to Bernarditas Muller, Philippines, who was recognised for her commitment and dedication to the UNFCCC, a 'legend within the process' Around the Venue SBSTA Chair Paul Watkinson, France Seyni Nafo, Mali, and Zaheer Fakir, South Africa Delegates read the latest draft of text Jo Tyndall, New Zealand Issa Bado, International Organisation of the Francophonie (OIF) Matt McGrath, BBC Ovais Sarmad, UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary Staff around the venue  

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  

Highlights for Tuesday, 11 December 2018 Members of the African Group consult informally between sessions Posted by IISD Reporting Services on Wednesday, 12 December 2018 The Katowice Climate Change Conference continued on Tuesday, opening with the political phase of the Talanoa Dialogue. It met throughout the day in 21 ministerial roundtables, to share stories that could help raise climate ambition.The Presidency continued to convene consultations on issues central to the Paris Agreement Work Programme (PAWP), including: Mitigation/nationally determined contributions (NDCs); Adaptation; Global stocktake; Technology; Agreement Article 6 (cooperative approaches); Implementation and compliance committee; and Response measures. In the evening, COP 24 President Michał Kurtyka convened a stocktaking where he reported “insufficient progress.” With only three days of negotiations left, he appointed ministers to consult with parties to reach consensus on the outstanding issues. 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 Talanoa Dialogue Opening Meeting View of the dais during the opening meeting of the Talanoa Dialogue Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa Frank Bainimarama, COP 23 President IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee Laurent Fabius, COP 21 President Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, COP 20 President Delegates during the session Henryk Kowalczyk, Minister of the Environment, Poland Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Indigenous Peoples Ragna Árnadóttir, Landsvirkjun, Iceland Inia Seruiratu, Minister of Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development, and National Disaster Management, and High-level Climate Champion, Fiji Ministers participate in high-level 'Talanoas' throughout the day Presidency Consultations throughout the Day Presidency consultations on technology Presidency consultations on compliance and implementation Presidency consultations on Agreement Article 6 (cooperative approaches) Family photo of negotiators working on the transparency framework Presidency's Stocktaking View of the dais during the stocktaking Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President Jo Tyndall, New Zealand, and Sarah Baashan, Saudi Arabia Paul Watkinson, France Emmanuel Dlamini, eSwatini Yassmin Abdelaziz, Minister of Environment, Egypt Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety, Germany Gender Day High-level Event Martin Frick, UNFCCC Secretariat Princess Abze Djigme, Burkina Faso Teresa Ribera, Minister for the Ecological Transition, Spain, and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa stands with the winners of the UN Climate Action Award Materials on display around the venue discussing gender related issues APA Co-Chairs' Dialogue with Observer Organizations Delegates during the dialogue Moderator Lina Dabbagh, Climate Action Network (CAN) International APA Co-Chairs Jo Tyndall, New Zealand, and Sarah Baashan, Saudi Arabia Hwei Mian Lim, Women and Gender Christian Holz, CAN International Presidency's Briefing to Observer Organizations Delegates during the session Artur Lorkowski, COP 24 Presidency Moderator Yunus Arikan, Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMAs) Tracy Bach, Research and Independent NGOs (RINGOs) Keyon Rostamnezhad, Youth NGOs (YOUNGOs) Civil Society Demonstrations Members of the Indigenous Peoples constituency advocate for the rights of indigenous people to be respected and included in the 'Paris Agreement Rulebook' Youth from Easter Island perform a traditional dance to remind delegates of the important role that youth and indigenous people play in addressing climate change Members of Plant-for-the-Planet hand out chocolates to give delegates energy for the long negotiations Around the Venue UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa speaks with Miguel Arias Cañete, Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, European Commission A delegate poses for a photo with Frank Bainimarama, COP 23 President Members of the IPCC and the COP 23 Presidency Rachel Kyte, Special Representative of UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll), speaks with a delegate Laurent Fabius, COP 21 President, speaks with IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa speaks with Frank Bainimarama, COP 23 President Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Indigenous Peoples Catherine Stewart, Canada Delegates meeting informally Delegates between sessions Aerial views of the Earth

The following events were covered by IISD Reporting Services on Monday, 10 December 2018: Supporting Regional NDC Hubs - Africa and Pacific Fighting Climate Change Requires Zero Tolerance on Food Loss and Waste Low-Emissions Solutions Conference (LESC): Accelerating Action to a Low-Carbon Future Climate Finance at Work: Inspiring Ambitious Mitigation Actions on the Ground 10-year REDD+ Anniversary Reception Photos by IISD/ENB | Natalia Mroz / Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Supporting Regional NDC Hubs Presented by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), the Islamic Development Bank and the NDC Partnership Participants and panelists pose for a photo at the end of the event This event, moderated by Davinah Milenge Uwella, AfDB, convened to discuss regional hubs in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, which have been created to support developing countries implement and enhance their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Speaking on the Africa NDC Hub, Amadou Hott, AfDB, noted initial concerns about individual countries implementing their NDCs without clear financial support, highlighting that this was the rationale behind engaging institutional partners to set up the African NDC Hub. He underlined the need for bankable projects for the private sector to finance, noting that the AfDB has been working with countries to train stakeholders on how to create these projects. Mustapha Benjada, 4C Maroc, presented an overview of his organization, which is a center bringing together climate change stakeholders to: build capacity and share experiences; manage climate change knowledge on mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation; develop tools to inform decision makers; and replicate best practices across the continent. Sara Guibunda, Mozambique, said that 80% of her country depends on smallholder agriculture, which makes food production vulnerable to climate change. She said that her country’s NDC has developed a roadmap to address climate change impacts in agriculture, which involves the ministries of environment, agriculture and finance. Stressing that climate change actions deliver development benefits, Stephen King’uyu, Kenya, presented the country’s climate change action plan and finance policy, highlighting that, inter alia: the Plan is linked to both the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction; and the revised Action Plan (2018-2022) was supported by the Africa NDC Hub, and included the views of the private sector, civil society and faith-based organizations. Chris Bartlett, Vanuatu, stressed that the NDC is the single most important tool to address climate change in the Pacific. He noted that many of the first NDCs were focused on energy, and stressed that the Pacific NDC Hub will address all sectors. Crispin d’Auvergne, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), spoke on accelerating NDC implementation through Caribbean climate leadership. He noted that the region’s first NDCs were rushed and based mostly on mitigation, but stating that the revised NDCs will be more robust, cross-sectoral and include adaptation. He highlighted the launch of the NDC Finance Initiative, which is a learning platform to support and enhance NDC implementation in the region. Cameron Diver, Deputy Director General, Pacific Community, highlighted that one goal of the Pacific NDC Hub is placing the needs of the Pacific Island countries at the heart of the Hub. He said the Hub, once operational, will work on: developing NDC roadmaps; enhancing financing; mainstreaming NDCs into development plans; and sharing knowledge. Jahan Chowdhury, NDC Partnership Support Unit, said that the project-specific perspective on the ground needs to adopte amulti-stakeholder, long-term programmatic approach. He also noted that the lack of engagement from finance and planning ministries in sustainable development will delay the  mainstreaming of NDCs. He called for “synchronized dancing” between the public and private sectors in the implementation of NDCs. Frank Rijsberman, Director General, GGGI, noted that before the Paris Agreement, GGGI was working to support countries in establishing national green growth strategies. He citied opportunities for regional development banks to assist in leveraging private sector and blended finance, and lauded the NDC hubs for promoting regional learning. Ahmed Al Qabany, Islamic Development Bank, said that climate change is a strategic priority for the Bank, and underlined the importance of aligning voluntary national reviews (VNRs) related to implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals with NDCs to ensure countries are not replicating efforts. Expressing interest in collaborating with the Caribbean and Pacific Hubs, Julia Wolf, FAO, highlighted the launch of the Thematic Working Group on Agriculture, Food Security and Land Use. She stressed the importance of engaging finance and planning ministries in the development and implementation of NDCs, but also hearing the needs of those in agriculture, food security and the private sector. Veronica Jakarasi, Africa Group of Negotiators, called for the Hubs to help increase NDC ambition. She noted that countries need guidance to incorporate gender and human rights in their NDCs, but underlined that the guidance should not be too prescriptive. She said that if countries are using markets for NDC implementation, information is needed on how to best increase their bankability. Wrapping up the session, Anthony Nyong, AfDB, drew attention to the Africa NDC Hub Roadmap, a three-year work programme to assist African countries to develop, enhance and implement their NDCs. L-R: Crispin d’Auvergne, OECS; Chris Bartlett, Vanuatu; Stephen King’uyu, Kenya; Sara Guibunda, Mozambique; Mustapha Benjada, 4C Maroc; Amadou Hott, AfDB; and Davinah Milenge Uwella, AfDB Davinah Milenge Uwella, AfDB Mustapha Benjada, 4C Maroc Amadou Hott, AfDB Stephen King’uyu, Kenya Chris Bartlett, Vanuatu A slide from Chris Bartlett’s presentation Crispin d’Auvergne, OECS Sara Guibunda, Mozambique L-R: Julia Wolf, FAO; Veronica Jakarasi, Africa Group of Negotiators; Ahmed Al Qabany, Islamic Development Bank; Frank Rijsberman, Director General, GGGI; Jahan Chowdhury, NDC Partnership Support Unit; and Moderator Davinah Milenge Uwella, AfDB Cameron Diver, Deputy Director General, Pacific Community Jahan Chowdhury, NDC Partnership Support Unit Frank Rijsberman, Director General, GGGI Ahmed Al Qabany, Islamic Development Bank Veronica Jakarasi, Africa Group of Negotiators Olatunji Yusuf, Islamic Development Bank Sylvie Goyet, Secretariat of the Pacific Community Julia Wolf, FAO Uzoamaka Uloma Nwamarah, Economic Community of West African States Anthony Okon Nyong, AfDB Participants during the event CONTACT Davinah Milenge Uwella | d.milenge-uwell@afdb.org MORE INFORMATION www.afdb.org Fighting Climate Change Requires Zero Tolerance on Food Loss and Waste Presented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) This side event discussed reducing food loss and waste as a global shared obligation in a changing climate, and as an opportunity to both drive the transformation of food systems and mitigate climate change. Opportunities, actions and solutions were presented during the event by the private sector, foundations and other stakeholders. Moderator Zitouni Ould-Dada, Climate and Environment Division, FAO, noted that sustainable consumption and production are key to the fight against climate change in terms of emissions produced. He highlighted that a third of food produced for consumption is lost or wasted, together with the energy required to produce it, contrasting this revelation with the fact that 821 million people are currently undernourished. He said the issue of food loss and waste should not be underestimated, noting that population growth will continue to put significant pressure on natural resources. Karol Krajewski, on behalf of Jan Krzysztof Ardanowski, Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Poland, said that we are facing a global problem with millions of people suffering from malnourishment. He noted that 24% of European consumers admit to wasting food, even though two thirds of food waste can still be used. He explained that EUR 1 spent on waste prevention equals 265 kilos of food waste saved, stressing that fruit and vegetables constitute the majority of wasted food products. He stressed that Poland is working hard to combat food waste and admitted that it is a complex problem, with losses occurring throughout the food supply chain. He noted that young people, in particular, are wasting more food, and welcomed Polish food banks efforts to tackle the issue. Martien van Nieuwkoop, World Bank, underscored that the food lost from waste can be used to feed the number of people who are undernourished around the world four times over. He highlighted that the World Bank has produced a report describing a conceptual framework to close the food, land and greenhouse gas mitigation gaps to have a sustainable nutrition system. He stressed the need for an integrated approach to tackling the issue of food waste and loss, and urged building awareness, collaborating with different partners, and supply chain efficiency. Katie Millen, Farmer Representative, lamented that people have become disconnected from food production and buy much more food than needed because of it. She expressed hope for a change in behavior, noting that New Zealand spends less money on children’s advertising for healthy products compared to sugar-rich ones. She highlighted the need to educate children about food waste and connect them with farming practices so they better understand the origins of food and eventually work towards reducing waste in the future. She stressed that the change in attitudes towards food waste should begin at the individual level. Raphaël Podselver, ProVeg, stressed that food waste is a pressing issue related to achieving SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production) and said that the current production and consumption system should be questioned. He noted that consumers in Europe are becoming more aware of the environmental costs associated with their food choices, and recognized the opportunity for innovation in the food industry sector through investments in plant-based products. He underscored that it is the role of governments to provide a framework that favors healthy and sustainable food production. He concluded by emphasizing the importance of unlocking the potential of plant-based proteins with major benefits for both health and climate. Craige Mackenzie, Agri Optics, highlighted that farming must be more efficient in terms of food production, and stressed the need for producing quality food and having “the appropriate food in the appropriate place” as key for food security. He also noted that the sustainable production of food must be profitable for farmers, pointing to the need for farmers to access information on proper food storage techniques. In the ensuing discussion, panelists responded to questions on: linking food waste with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs); the role of waste management policy in reducing food waste and ways of increasing food bank donations; changing consumer behavior to opt for locally-grown food products; and emphasizing the educational aspect on food waste with a special focus on parent-oriented education. L-R: Katie Millen, Farmer Representative; Craige Mackenzie, Agri Optics; Karol Krajewski, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Poland; Moderator Zitouni Ould-Dada, Climate and Environment Division, FAO; Martien van Nieuwkoop, World Bank; and Raphaël Podselver, ProVeg Zitouni Ould-Dada, Climate and Environment Division, FAO Martien van Nieuwkoop, World Bank Craige Mackenzie, Agri Optics Katie Millen, Farmer Representative Raphaël Podselver, ProVeg A participant takes a photo of the panel Participants during the event Dalma Somogyi, World Business Council for Sustainable Development Dana Efrati Philip, Israel Cindy Isenhour, Climate Change Institute CONTACT Julia Wolf, FAO | Julia.Wolf@fao.org MORE INFORMATION http://www.fao.org/climate-change/en/ Low-Emissions Solutions Conference (LESC): Accelerating Action to a Low-Carbon Future Presented by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), in collaboration with the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and ICLEI-Local Government for Sustainability (ICLEI) Bertrand Piccard, Co-Founder and Chairman, Solar Impulse This event focused on energy and land use, particularly on what is still needed and how public-private partnerships can support the common objectives of nations, cities, businesses and academia. In his opening remarks, Han Huang, Vice President, Economic and Technology Research Institute, Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO), noted that the Paris Agreement is an important tool as countries seek to decarbonize their development pathways. Via video, Jeffrey Sachs, Director, UN SDSN, lamenting that the world is losing the battle to advance on decarbonization, stressed the need to move away from the words of the Paris Agreement and towards implementing practical pathways to low-carbon development, such as closing coal-fired power plants. Calling to connect low-carbon renewable energy sites with each other to create a world grid of renewable energy, he stated that this will meet the requirements of the Paris Agreement to supply energy to a growing population. Maria Mendiluce, Managing Director, WBCSD, presented on “New Energy Solutions for 1.5°C.”  She stressed the importance of electrifying energy consumption, particularly in the building and transportation sectors, and pointed to the need to better capture how to achieve a circular economy. Elena Crete, SDSN, moderated the panel on the role of decarbonized electricity in decarbonizing end-use sectors. Carlos Sallé, Vice-President, Energy Policies and Climate Change, Iberdrola, emphasized the importance of considering the net present value of future impacts of climate change and air pollution and the positive effects generated by a decarbonized economy. He also called for changing current narratives on urgency and externalities, and raising citizens’ awareness. Pascal Chalvon-Demersay, Solvay, called for raising awareness regarding the fact that growth cannot be at the expense of the planet. As a big energy consumer, he described his company’s commitment to absolute emission reductions, highlighting the importance of long-term goals, digitalization in microgrids, and circularity in the use of materials. Xiaodong Wang, World Bank, said that the Bank had doubled its commitment to climate change adaptation and mitigation to USD 200 billion. On decarbonizing the power sector, she drew from the Chinese experience, noting the cost reduction in renewable energy through competitive auctions and the need for regional and continental grid connectivity to prevent energy losses. Rasmus Valanko, WBCSD, moderated the panel on key enablers for passenger transport electrification. Stressing the need to reduce pollution and resource use in the electric car business, Nicola Tagliafierro, Enel X, highlighted that the company focuses on circular economy models, and said that Enel X has a target of providing 28,000 charging stations in Italy, Spain and Romania by 2022. Anirban Ghosh, Chief Sustainability Officer, Mahindra Group, stressed that electric vehicles by themselves are not the solution, pointing to the need for an entire mobility ecosystem change. He also drew attention to electric vehicles in India catering to passengers going to the airport as a shift in the ecosystem that provides a clean, competitive service. Yeom Tae-young, Mayor of Suwon, Republic of Korea, on behalf of ICLEI’s Ecomobility Alliance, said that the Korean government has focused on supporting hydrogen vehicles through subsides. He noted that 10% of subsides are provided by local governments. Wolfgang Teubner, ICLEI Europe, moderated the panel discussion on electrification of buildings, digitalization and smart cities. Gilles Vermot Desroches, Schneider Electric, stressed the need to focus on digital energy efficiency in buildings. Noting that buildings are responsible for 30% of carbon emissions and that by 2050 innovation will be required to avoid poor quality buildings, he underlined the need to become three times more energy efficient while providing sufficient energy for all. Leszek Drogos, Director of Infrastructure Department, City of Warsaw, underlined the urgency of energy efficiency in buildings. He highlighted the Warsaw Housing Standard for both existing and new buildings, drawing attention to the need to align buildings with mobility strategies and environmental conservation. Meg Argyriou, ClimateWorks Australia, spoke on Australia’s transition to energy efficient buildings, highlighting that it will save the country USD 20 billion by 2030, as well as improve quality of life. She called for energy market reforms and stated that a delay of five years would lead to billions of dollars in wasted energy costs, which cannot be recovered through retrofits. In concluding remarks, Bertrand Piccard, Co-Founder and Chairman, Solar Impulse, stressed the need for a paradigm shift to protect the environment, while creating jobs and growth. Noting his company’s 1000 efficient and profitable solutions (#1000solutions) initiative, he emphasized the importance of using solutions based on existing technologies, saying  “innovation of yesterday has brought solutions of today.” Han Huang, Vice President, Economic and Technology Research Institute, GEIDCO Jeffrey Sachs, Director, SDSN, addressed participants via video. Moderator Elena Crete, SDSN Maria Mendiluce, Managing Director, WBCSD Pascal Chalvon-Demersay, Solvay Carlos Sallé, Vice-President of Energy Policies and Climate Change, Iberdrola Xiaodong Wang, World Bank Dawn Wells, Columbia University L-R: Carlos Sallé, Vice-President of Energy Policies and Climate Change, Iberdrola; Moderator Elena Crete, SDSN; Xiaodong Wang, World Bank; and Pascal Chalvon-Demersay, Solvay Nicola Tagliafierro, Enel X Moderator Rasmus Valanko, WBCSD Anirban Ghosh, Chief Sustainability Officer, Mahindra Group Yeom Tae-young, Mayor of Suwon, Republic of Korea, on behalf of ICLEI’s Ecomobility Alliance L-R: Moderator Rasmus Valanko, WBCSD; Yeom Tae-young, Mayor of Suwon, Republic of Korea, on behalf of ICLEI’s Ecomobility Alliance; Anirban Ghosh, Mahindra; and Nicola Tagliafierro, Head of Sustainabile Product Development, Enel X Gilles Vermot Desroches, Schneider Electric Moderator Wolfgang Teubner, ICLEI Europe Meg Argyriou, ClimateWorks Australia Leszek Drogos, Director of Infrastructure Department, City of Warsaw, Poland Participants listen to panelists CONTACT Elena Crete, SDSN | elena.crete@unsdsn.org MORE INFORMATION http://lowemissions.solutions/event/lesc-at-cop24 Climate Finance at Work: Inspiring Ambitious Mitigation Actions on the Ground Presented by the NAMA Facility L-R: Etienne Coyette, European Commission; Zoe Norgate, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), UK; Karsten Sach, German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU); Xin Chen, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, China; Camila Rodriguez, Ministry of Environment, Colombia; Sören David, NAMA Facility This side event was a presentation of the NAMA Facility, an initiative that aims to support mitigation projects internationally through financial and technical support. It featured representatives from donor and partner countries, and aimed to showcase the results of NAMA Facility-funded projects, as well as announce its 6th Call for applications. Etienne Coyette, European Commission, introduced the panelists.  Karsten Sach, German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), began the panel by saying that the NAMA Facility is unique as a programme as it combines a wide-scale approach, ambitious mitigation action and financial support, which leverages both private and public capital. He explained the Facility’s attempt to develop policy frameworks and capacity of applicants, be country-driven, and, ideally, have high government buy-in across sectors. The objective of the Facility, he explained, is to empower national and sub-national actors to independently reproduce NAMA-like projects in the future. Xin Chen, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, China, began her presentation by outlining that waste management in urban areas, especially in China, needs to be a multi-level joint effort if it is to be successful. She explained that reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated from waste is an important facet of China’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and presented an integrated model of waste management systems across China, which aims to reduce 352 million tonnes of potential CO2-equivalent by 2030. Underlining the need to integrate the full spectrum of waste management techniques into this plan, including anaerobic digestion, she celebrated the fact that the Chinese waste management NAMA Facility project has provided technical assistance packages to reduce GHG emissions in municipalities by 140,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent per year.  Camila Rodriguez, Ministry of Environment, Colombia, gave an overview of the ways in which the NAMA Facility has spurred Colombian efforts to implement its national climate change policy. She outlined the non-conditional goals of Colombia’s NDC, to reduce emissions by 20% by 2030 across economic sectors, and addressed the priorities of the country’s NAMAs, namely building mitigation potential, multi-sectoral engagement, stakeholder commitment and replicability. She presented the example of the transportation sector, which through the NAMA Facility’s support, is aiming to transition the government fleet to electric vehicles. Rodriguez concluded by stressing that including stakeholders, including the private sector, in the development of climate action plans is essential for national ownership of NAMAs.  Zoe Norgate, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), UK, celebrated the fact that the NAMA Facility has had wide impacts, both geographically and sectorally, and that the demand has adequately convinced the UK to commit to future funding for the programme. She announced £45 million of additional funding from the UK government. She provided examples of successful projects in Peru, Thailand and Mexico, citing that an important facet of the impacts of NAMAs is their capacity to affect peoples’ lives. Norgate concluded by saying that NAMAs remain relevant in the age of the Paris Agreement, given that they are “the building blocks of NDCs.” Sören David, NAMA Facility, closed the panel by informing the audience that the 6th Call for applications will be open between 10 December 2018 and 15 March 2019. He also reminding them that further information is available on the NAMA Facility’s website.  In the ensuring discussion, participants considered: evaluation criteria used to assess proposals, relevance of NAMAs for least developed countries and their participation, the possibility of trading carbon credits for emission reductions, caps for funding for NAMA initiatives, and the inclusion of national governments in proposals. David mentioned that the 6th Call for applications is not focused on specific thematic areas, and welcomed all applications. Chen and Rodriguez provided advice from their experience as funding recipients, recommending that parties thoroughly engage with both the private sector and affected stakeholders in developing the proposals.  Etienne Coyette, European Commission Karsten Sach, BMU Xin Chen, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, China Camila Rodriguez, Ministry of Environment, Colombia Zoe Norgate, BEIS, UK Sören David, NAMA Facility Philipp Behrens, Germany A participant reads the brochoure on the event Participants pose questions from the floor Participants interact at the event A participant takes notes Delegates from China pose for a group photo CONTACT NAMA Facility | contact@nama-facility.org MORE INFORMATION nama-facility.org 10-year REDD+ Anniversary Reception Presented by the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, the Climate Investment Fund’s Forest Investment Program and the UN-REDD Programme Family photo at the end of the reception Posted by IISD Reporting Services on Wednesday, 12 December 2018 The side event celebrated the 10-year anniversary of REDD+ as a key milestone to look ahead and take stock of a decade of coordinated actions on REDD+ through the development and implementation of readiness, investment and financial support to help countries in their forest-based mitigation efforts. Moderating the event, Mario Boccucci, Head, UN-REDD Programme Secretariat, lauded all partners working on deforestation for their support of over 70 countries in all phases of REDD+. Laura Tuck, Vice President for Sustainable Development, World Bank, highlighted the Bank’s Forest Action Plan, and underlined the positive impact forests have on other sectors and in mitigating climate change. She announced that the World Bank signed its first Emission Reductions Payment Agreement (ERPA) with the Democratic Republic of Congo of USD 55 million in performance-based payments, and expressed the World Bank’s commitment to redouble efforts in the forest agenda. Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General, Climate and Natural Resources, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), congratulated all countries working on REDD+ and their efforts in operationalizing REDD+, and called attention to all the UN bodies working on this issue. She noted the collaborative partnership has been successful in data gathering, addressing deforestation and enhancing safeguard systems. Looking forward, she called for building on and replicatingresults to further address deforestation, food security and, ultimately, the threat of climate change. Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UN Development Programme (UNDP), said reaching the 10-year anniversary of REDD+ is the result of the commitment of theseven countries and three agencies that created REDD+, and underscored that “forests are the soul of civilization“ and one of the most important tools to address climate change. He underlined that Katowice is the make-or-break moment for the Paris Agreement. Mafalda Duarte, Head, Climate Investment Funds (CIF), acknowledged the complexity of REDD+, reflecting that the CIF has learned that: a focus on integrated solutions is necessary in the forestry and REDD+ sector; a sustained commitment is required to build long-term engagement; and new business models must be continually tested and rolled out to implement REDD+. Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Minister for Environment and Forestry, Indonesia, expressed her gratitude for UN-REDD’s assistance in implementing the REDD-readiness phase through strengthening multi-stakeholder participation. She stated that partner institutions have been supportive in the country’s efforts to shift the paradigm in forest management since 2015, and highlighted the country’s success in reducing its deforestation rate. Malgorzata Golinska, Secretary of State in the Ministry of the Environment, Poland, lauded this anniversary as an important event for Poland, reminding attendees that, during COP 19, delegates adopted the Warsaw Framework for REDD+. She appreciated forests as the “green lungs of the planet,“ and stated that deforestation is a global problem that affects us all. Stressing that forests are a sanctuary and habitat for many species, Tomasz Chruszczow, High-Level Climate Champion and Special Envoy for Climate Change, Poland, said that five years ago the REDD+ Framework changed the game for forests, which continued to help countries develop forest management plans and policies. He underlined that forests are going to be part of the transition to carbon-neutral economies. Sveinung Rotevatn, Ministry of Environment, Norway, highlighted that climate policies, new technologies and new energies are difficult to implement whereas preserving the forest is an easy task, noting that “we don’t need new technologies to know not to cut the trees.” He stressed that Norway is committed to REDD+, underscoring his country’s commitment to keep investing in land-use preservation. Mario Boccucci, Head, UN-REDD Programme Secretariat Laura Tuck, Vice President for Sustainable Development, World Bank Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General for Climate and Natural Resources, FAO Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Minister for Environment and Forestry, Indonesia Mafalda Duarte, Head, CIF Malgorzata Golinska, Secretary of State in the Ministry of the Environment, Poland Tomasz Chruszczow, High-Level Climate Champion and Special Envoy for Climate Change, Poland Sveinung Rotevatn, Ministry of Climate and Environment, Norway Laura Tuck, Vice President for Sustainable Development, World Bank, and Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Minister for Environment and Forestry, Indonesia CONTACTS Florian Eisele, UN-REDD | florian.eisele@un.org MORE INFORMATION http://www.un-redd.org/ https://www.climateinvestmentfunds.org/topics/sustainable-forests https://www.forestcarbonpartnership.org/ Around the Venue