European Union

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 Wednesday, 12 December 2018 The aquarium at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco The Third Meeting of Signatories (MOS3) to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks (Sharks MOU) continued its deliberations on Wednesday, 12 December, at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. Key takeaways from the third day included: the need to balance ambitious activities in the programme of work with means and capacities for implementation; a discussion on mobilization of resources, including potentially developing a fundraising strategy for the MOU in the future; consideration of how the Sharks MOU and regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) could best coordinate to build bridges between conservation and management; approval of a document outlining suggestions for how the MOU may cooperate with the CMS on Concerted Actions to improve the conservation status for whale sharks, mobulid rays, and angelsharks; and welcoming Defenders of Wildlife as a new Cooperating Partner for the MOU. Delegates further addressed in detail: the programme of work for the next triennium 2019-2021; species-specific conservation measures for Annex 1 species; habitat conservation; capacity building; communication and awareness raising; and the potential for a performance review in the future. The working group to address the pending listings of the blue shark and the angelshark met at lunchtime, reporting that consensus could not be reached regarding the blue shark. Deliberations on the angelshark continue. The working group on species-specific conservation measures met in the evening.At lunchtime, Collecte Localisation Satellites organized a side event called “Argos Satellite System for Animal Tracking: Improvements and Future of the Constellation.” IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided a summary and analysis report from Sharks MOS3. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our https://enb.iisd.org/attribution-guidelinesAttribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. MOS3 Vice-Chair David Hogan, US, and Melanie Virtue, CMS Secretariat Céline van Klaveren-Impagliazzo, Monaco From L-R: John Carlson, Chair, Sharks MOU Advisory Committee; Andrea Pauly, CMS Secretariat; MOS3 Vice-Chair David Hogan, US; and Melanie Virtue, CMS Secretariat Alejandra Goyenechea, Defenders of Wildlife, and Rebecca Regnery, Humane Society International Patricia Walker and Irene Kingma, Dutch Elasmobranch Society (NEV) Melanie Virtue, CMS Secretariat Andrea Pauly, CMS Secretariat Daniel Kachelriess, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Kim Friedman, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Angela Martini, EU MOS3 Vice-Chair David Hogan, US Sarika Singh, South Africa   Lesley Gidding-Reeve, Australia Mohamed El Hacene Mekiyoun, Mauritania Isabel Ender and Rebecca Carter, Manta Trust Coralie Passeron and Clarisse Campagna, Monaco Irene Kingma, NEV Jennifer Lenhart, IISD Reporting Services, and Lesley Gidding-Reeve, Australia Jamie Rendell and Alice Doyle, UK Beatriz Ladines Villamar, Ecuador Signing ceremony Melanie Virtue, CMS Secretariat, and Alejandra Goyenechea, Defenders of Wildlife Alejandra Goyenechea signs the Sharks MOU on behalf of Defenders of Wildlife, which becomes the twelfth Cooperating Partner. Life in the aquarium  

The following events were covered by IISD Reporting Services on Tuesday, 11 December 2018: NDC Partnership: Taking Action to Raise Climate Ambition in LDCs and SIDS through NDCs and Long-Term Strategies Low-Emissions Solutions Conference (LESC): High-Level Dinner Dialogue Photos by IISD/ENB | Natalia Mroz / Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page NDC Partnership: Taking Action to Raise Climate Ambition in LDCs and SIDS through NDCs and Long-Term Strategies Presented by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) L-R: Dolf Gielen, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA); Al-Hamdou Dorsouma, African Development Bank (AfDB); Jenny Kim, GGGI; and Moderator Orestes Anastasia, GGGI This event included senior government officials from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS) who have championed mitigation measures in their countries, showcasing examples of projects for raising mitigation ambitions through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and long-term strategies. In the first part of the event, Orestes Anastasia, GGGI, moderated a panel discussion on the topic. In the second part, participants engaged in a dialogue on national and international mitigation ambitions. Jean Pierre Mugabo, Ministry of Environment, Rwanda, set the scene for his country by mentioning that Rwanda is a small, developing state and has low greenhouse gas emissions compared to the global average. He addressed Rwanda’s ambitions to improve climate resilience by creating inclusive pathways to growth, centered on initiatives in the energy, agriculture transport; land use and forestry sectors. He pointed to Rwanda’s Green Forest Policy, which aims to convert significant amounts of agricultural land back to forests through agroforestry management techniques by 2024. Mugabo concluded by mentioning the importance of partnerships with other organizations, including the NDC Partnership, the GGGI, and local and regional knowledge groups, to monitor the impacts of climate change and reduce vulnerabilities to these impacts.  Jenny Kim, GGGI, stated that investment in green sectors facilitates job creation and increases productivity, contributing to economic growth. She showcased GGGI’s collaboration with partner countries to materialize green growth in the field and help them develop ambitious NDCs and effectively implement them. Kim stressed that GGGI also assists countries in developing national green growth resilient strategies, as well as introducing and revising policies that combine economic growth and environmental sustainability. On the issue of ensuring finance for the implementation of countries’ strategies and ambitions, Kim underscored that GGGI helps partner countries establish a national financial vehicle. She highlighted examples of Rwanda’s Green Fund and Senegal’s national renewable energy and energy efficiency fund, and explained that GGGI helps with mobilizing finance for investment in the green sector, facilitating countries gain access to the Green Climate Fund. She reiterated the Institute’s commitment to continue working with SIDS to effectively implement a high level of NDCs. Dolf Gielen, IRENA, noted that 80% of NDCs include some sort of renewable energy targets with more than 40 countries mentioning adaptation and resilience building. He said that technological innovation is significant, showcasing IRENA’s analysis on renewables in the European Union, which shows that more renewables would be cost-effective today compared with 2014, given improvements in technology. Gielen highlighted IRENA’s collaboration with developed and developing countries as well as regional partnerships, and stressed that long-term energy planning should be based on sound modeling and the latest information available. He also noted the Agency’s efforts to enhance the policy framework and develop transition roadmaps for partner countries, and underscored the provision of project preparation support through their atlas of renewable potentials and guidelines for the development of bankable project proposals. He concluded by emphasizing the potential to increase the renewables component of NDCs and expressed IRENA’s commitment to provide the best possible information to countries that need it in to implement that potential. Al-Hamdou Dorsouma, AfDB, gave context for LDCs and SIDS in Africa, pointing out that most of them have submitted very ambitious targets for mitigation by 2030 compared with other countries. What they need now, he said, is financial, technological and capacity-building support. He commented that commitments for adaptation in LDCs are too broad and too vague compared to mitigation, and that more work needs to be done by countries to build implementation arrangements for adaptation within their NDCs. He brought up the AfDB’s efforts to help boost adaptation and resilience in Africa by promoting mitigation and lo- carbon development, aiming to create an enabling environment for the private sector to provide its own support. He announced that the Bank has decided to “stop supporting fossil fuel projects”. In the subsequent question-and-answer session, participants and panelists discussed: connecting the development objectives of LDCs and SIDS with their mitigation and adaptation targets; the difficulty of changing governments’ mindsets towards green growth and maintaining political momentum once projects are enacted; the necessity of private funds to help create an enabling environment across Africa; the difficulty of maintaining skilled personnel in the public sector; and what raising adaptation ambitions truly looks like. Some participants expressed doubts that financial institutions are moving too slowly to adequately support countries’ efforts, while others pointed to the availability of international finance as a potential solution. Moderator Orestes Anastasia, GGGI Jenny Kim, GGGI Participants listen to Jenny Kim’s address Jean Pierre Mugabo, Ministry of Environment, Rwanda A participant takes a photo of Jean Pierre Mugabo Dolf Gielen, IRENA Al-Hamdou Dorsouma, AfDB Pablo Vieira, World Resources Institute Paul Stevers, Kenya CONTACTS Orestes Anastasia | orestes.anastasia@gggi.org MORE INFORMATION http://gggi.org/ Low-Emissions Solutions Conference (LESC): High-Level Dinner Dialogue Presented by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), in collaboration with the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and ICLEI – Local Government for Sustainability (ICLEI) Thelma Krug, Intergovernmental on Climate Change (IPCC) Vice-Chair The LESC dinner convened to facilitate open dialogue between business, government and academia on the role of land-use and natural climate solutions as an essential component of climate action. The event also focused on the land-energy nexus and its role in the transition to a low-carbon future. In his remarks, Gino van Begin, Secretary-General, ICLEI, emphasized the importance of this dinner in bringing together businesses, civil society, cities and research institutions, saying it sends an important signal to negotiators at COP 24 that these sectors can cooperate in developing climate solutions. He noted LESC’s relationship with the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action and previous gatherings at the 2017 New York Climate Week and COP 23. He closed by challenging attendees to collectively find solutions that can help us raise our ambition and achieve the 1.5˚C temperature target. Maria Mendiluce, WBCSD, noted that from the outside, it always appears as though negotiations are progressing slowly. She stressed the importance of engaging with the public on the importance of addressing climate change, adding that businesses, cities and researchers are well placed for this due to established relationships with customers and citizens. Mendiluce also said that this dinner is specifically focused on natural climate solutions, which can affordably provide over 30% of the climate solution. Rasmus Valanko, WBCSD, Elena Crete, SDSN, and Yunus Arikan, ICLEI, co-moderated a dialogue on “Key Pathways to 1.5°C: The Role of the Land Sector in Ambitious Climate Action.” Thelma Krug, IPCC Vice Chair, citing the IPCC Special Report on 1.5°C (SR15), highlighted that climate change impacts and pathways should be addressed in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She noted that the 1.5°C scenario requires rapid transitions in energy, land, ecosystems, and infrastructure, highlighting the need for an increase of 70-80% in renewable energy for electricity by 2050. Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility (GEF), underscored that transformation is key to catalyze the change to meet the 2°C scenario, if not 1.5°C. She highlighted the essential role of multi-stakeholder coalitions, including with governments, cities and academia, to move all decarbonization pathways forward. Ishii then pointed to the potential loss of nature’s ability to provide solutions, such asin the Amazon, which is approaching a “tipping point” as a carbon sink. Moderators opened the floor for participants to share examples of climate action. Felipe Villela, reNature Foundation, said his work involves restoration of degraded lands through agroforestry. Elim Sritaba, Asia Pulp and Paper, highlighted her company’s success in eliminating the use of natural forests for pulp production in 2013. Martin Frick, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat, highlighted the recent charter signed with leading fashion companies and encouraged further collaborations of this kind. Andrew Cooper, Green Party Local Councillor, United Kingdom, shared a local project to plant over 1000 fruit trees that involved local children. Joan Krajewski, Microsoft, encouraged attendees to apply for their USD 50 million fund “AI for Earth” with innovative projects focusing on water, agriculture, biodiversity or climate change. Rebecca Heaton, Drax Group, described their demonstration project using bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, which is now capturing one tonne of CO2 per day. Flavia Bellaguarda, Youth Climate Leaders, shared her organization’s work to prepare youth for embarking on climate-focused careers. Adriana Facchiano, student, Moravian College, highlighted her university’s efforts to implement the SDGs at the local level through the Millennium Campus Network. In a session on scaling up natural climate solutions, Alema Bibi, WBCSD, introduced WBCSD’s video on natural climate solutions, which highlighted that natural climate solutions could offer up to 37% of the emission reductions needed between now and 2030 to limit global warming to 2°C. In an interactive dialogue, participants introduced best practices on multi-stakeholder coalitions, inter alia: a multi-stakeholder coalition’s efforts in São Paulo, Brazil, to address water pollution, especially by bringing money from the private sector; and a sewage system utilizing wastewater and land water in the same pipe, with large natural reserves in a town in Weststellingwerf, the Netherlands. Andreas Ahrens, IKEA, answering the question on how to reach 1 billion people to take climate actions in their home countries, said, “we need more, we can do more.” He underscored the need to invest in ensuring sustainable supply chains that integrate, for example, positive changes in land-use management while building resilience. On finance and innovation, Jennifer Morris, Conservation International, noting that only 2% of global climate finance goes to forests due to the lack of demand, highlighted the importance of carbon pricing and green bonds to get investors involved. She also said that now is “the age of adaptation,” and stressed the role of the media in raising awareness about the urgency to address climate change adaptation. In a second round of sharing climate actions. Victor Salviati, Sustainable Amazon Foundation, mentioned his organization’s efforts to engage indigenous and traditional communities for sustainable development in the Amazon. Ralf Pfitzner, Volkswagen Group, highlighted an upcoming electric vehicle that will have a carbon-neutral supply chain. Luc Bas, International Union for Conservation of Nature, called for more efforts to include nature-based solutions in cities. Bernhard Stormyr, Yara, stressed the need for restoring land degraded by agriculture and that agrobusiness can contribute to this. Jeremy Manion, Arbor Day Foundation, shared a reforestation initiative in Mississippi, US, and commended the role of the private sector in supporting such projects. Dario Abramskiehn, Climate Policy Initiative, talked about the The Lab, an incubator for climate finance solutions, which is open for idea submissions until 19 December 2018. Pierre Rousseau, BNP Paribas, highlighted their collaboration with the UN Environment Programme to finance agroforestry and agroecology projects. Tomasz Chruszczow, High-Level Climate Champion for COP 24, Poland, highlighted Poland as an example of the sustainability transition, from a country based on mining and heavy industry with high levels of pollution and environmental degradation to one moving towards a low-carbon economy. He cited the Polish Environment Protection Fund, created in 1989, as a key pillar of this transition. He also said that environmental services must be properly priced, noting that we have long taken the benefits of nature for granted. Chruszczow identified three words that are currently paramount in the negotiations: transition, collaboration and innovation. He closed by reinforcing the importance of circular economy approaches to reducing emissions in waste and industrial production. In his closing remarks, Martin Frick, UNFCCC Secretariat, called on all sectors to act with inspiration and not be limited in their ambition by what we currently know how to do right now, noting we must be planning for the decades ahead. He also stressed we must go beyond “sustainability,” which privileges the status quo, and be thinking more about “restoration.” Frick also said that farmers should be thought of as potential agents of change who help keep our life support systems working, both in terms of feeding the world and protecting nature. Elim Sritaba, Asia Pulp & Paper Andrew Cooper, Green Party, Local Councillor, UK Elena Crete, SDSN Ramus Valako, WBCSD Participants at the event Alfredo Sirkis, Fórum Brasileiro de Mudança do Clima, with Elena Crete, SDSN, and Ramus Valako, WBCSD Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson Yunus Arikan, ICLEI Adriana Facchiano, Millennium Campus Network Felipe Villela, reNature CONTACTS Elena Crete, SDSN | elena.crete@unsdsn.org MORE INFORMATION http://lowemissions.solutions/event/lesc-at-cop24-dinner

  Highlights for Tuesday, 11 December 2018 Two-seater submarine ANOREP I, created to search for red coral in the Mediterranean Sea, on display at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco The Third Meeting of Signatories (MOS3) to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks (Sharks MOU) continued its deliberations on Tuesday, 11 December, at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. Key takeaways from the second day included: agreement to list five species of sharks in Annex 1 of the MOU: the dusky shark (Carcharhinus obscurus); the guitarfish (Rhinobatos rhinobatos); the bottlenose wedgefish/whitespotted wedgefish (Rhynchobatus australiae); the oceanic whitetip shark (Carcharhinus longimanus); and the smooth hammerhead shark (Sphyrna zygaena); different perspectives among Signatories regarding proposed listings of the blue shark (Prionace glauca) and the angelshark (Squatina squatina), with a working group formed to further address the issue; agreement on a provision regarding lookalike species, which notes that if differentiation from an Annex 1 listed species is difficult and confusion is likely, species or species groups may be listed as lookalike species; and considerable time debating the pros and cons of using the term “invoice” in regard to indicative contributions, but no disagreement about the challenges associated with the 40% shortfall in contributions actually received. MOS3 further addressed, without reaching agreement: suggestions for better differentiating between the geographical extent of migrations; and a matrix to clearly determine whether a species meets the criteria and to prioritize species for listing based on their level of depletion and extent of its migratory nature. In the afternoon, Signatories considered three scenarios for the proposed budget for the triennium 2019-2021, which included: a zero/nominal increase; a 10.4% increase to address suggested increased staffing and interpretation costs; and a 14.4% increase that would support additional engagement with regional fisheries management organizations. Decisions were deferred, pending discussions on other items likely to affect the budget. Two side events took place during the day. At lunchtime, Manta Trust organized an event called, “A Conservation Roadmap for Manta and Devil Rays Globally.” In the evening, Sri Lanka and Senegal organized an event called, “Sharks and Rays Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Global Implementation Action and a Preview of Proposals for COP18.” IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided a summary and analysis report from Sharks MOS3. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. John Carlson, Chair, Sharks MOU Advisory Committee Carlos Targino, Brazil Djibril Diouck and Mamadou Diallo, Senegal Maria Satoa, Samoa Tiffany Bock, New Zealand Sarika Singh, South Africa Lawrence Chlebeck, Humane Society International Australia Prasad Tharaka, Sri Lanka Melanie Virtue, CMS Secretariat Jim Ellis and John Carlson, Vice Chair and Chair, Sharks MOU Advisory Committee Rumaitha Alshehhi, United Arab Emirates Lesley Gidding-Reeve, Australia Alejandra Goyenechea, Defenders of Wildlife Djibril Diouck, Senegal Cheri McCarty, US Jamie Rendell, UK Anke Adams, Germany Asterios Tsioumanis, IISD Reporting Services Céline van Klaveren-Impagliazzo, Monaco Rebecca Carter, Manta Trust From L-R: Matthias Schaber, Germany; Jim Ellis, Vice-Chair, Sharks MOU Advisory Committee; and Ralf Sonntag, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Arthur Tuda, Kenya Isabel Ender, Manta Trust Florina Costica, EU, with Tidiani Couma, Monaco Around the venue  

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

  Highlights for Monday, 10 December 2018 Oceanographic Museum of Monaco The Third Meeting of Signatories (MOS3) to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks (Sharks MOU) began Monday, 10 December, at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. Delegates heard opening remarks from Melanie Virtue, CMS Secretariat; Chair Robert Calcagno, CEO, the Oceanographic Institute, Monaco; and Isabelle Rosabrunetto, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Relations and Cooperation, Monaco. They underscored that scientific data are alarming; threats that sharks face are “globalized and complex,” and sharks’ conservation will greatly benefit from further international cooperation. In the morning, delegates also heard reports of: the Sharks MOU Secretariat; signatories and cooperating partners; the Advisory Committee; and the Intersessional Working Group. They also considered an analysis of national reports and decided to establish a working group to further improve the online reporting tool. An informal group met in the afternoon to develop the working group’s terms of reference. In the afternoon, delegates heard introductory remarks and exchanged initial opinions on: proposals for the amendment of the Advisory Committee’s terms of reference; criteria for the inclusion of species in Annex 1 of the MOU; the new format for listing proposals as agreed at the 12th Conference of the Parties of the CMS; and budgetary and administrative matters.A keynote speech by Pierre Frolla, Monegasque free diver and world record holder, Ecole Bleu, focused on sharing diving experiences and on the power of images to effectively communicate messages related to ocean conservation, especially with youth.A welcoming reception, hosted by the Principality of Monaco and attended by Prince Albert II of Monaco, took place in the evening. Key takeaways from the first day included: establishment of a working group to improve the online reporting tool, increasing flexibility and enabling signatories to better report on conservation efforts and relevant activities; recognition from analysis of national reports that legislative gaps exist in many countries, as well as high levels of incidental by-catch of CMS Appendix I species; the considerable need to scale-up budgetary contributions to match ambitions and allocated tasks; and the importance of using visual messages to increase public engagement, especially with children. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided a summary and analysis report from Sharks MOS3. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. From L-R: Isabelle Rosabrunetto, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Relations and Cooperation, Monaco; Chair Robert Calcagno, CEO, Oceanographic Museum of Monaco; and Melanie Virtue, CMS Secretariat Melanie Virtue, CMS Secretariat   Chair Robert Calcagno, CEO, Oceanographic Museum of Monaco Isabelle Rosabrunetto, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Relations and Cooperation, Monaco Angela Martini, EU Ocho Modeste Abel Adou, Côte d'Ivoire Soule Hamidou, Comoros Julia Lawson, Shark Advocates International Oliver Schall, Germany Angela Martini and Katarzyna Janiak, EU Beatriz Ladines Villamar, Ecuador Vice-Chair David Hogan, US Mohammed Mobarak Alshamlan, and Zuhair Al Mubarak, Saudi Arabia Sarika Singh, South Africa, and Mohamud Hassan Ali, Somalia Participants conferring during a coffee break John Carlson, Chair, CMS Advisory Committee Andrea Pauly, CMS Secretariat Ralf Sonntag, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), and Pierre Gilles, Oceanographic Museum of Monaco Daniel Kachelriess, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)   right: 0; padding: 10px 4px; font-size: 14px; color: #232323; line-height: 1.4; border-bottom: 1px solid #494949; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 10px; margin-top: -3px;">Pierre Frolla, free diver and world record holder, focused on the power of images to effectively communicate messages related to ocean conservation. Reception hosted by the Principality of Monaco Prince Albert II of Monaco Around the venue