European Union

The Bonn Climate Change Conference met for its final day on Thursday, 18 May. In the morning, the closing plenary for the forty-sixth session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 46) convened and suspended. The SBSTA gaveled to a close at 7:54pm. In the afternoon, the forty-sixth session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 46) convened. Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, incoming COP 23 President, Fiji, addressed the plenary, underscoring that “those who are most vulnerable must be heard” and stated that COP 23 will forge a coalition to uphold and advance the Paris Agreement. The SBI took several decisions and then suspended. The SBI gaveled to a close at 7:37pm. In the late afternoon, the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA 1-3) contact group met and continued to work into the evening. Saying "the clock is ticking," APA Co-Chair Sarah Baashan (Saudi Arabia) suspended APA 1-3 at 9:29pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided digital coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the Bonn Climate Change Conference - May 2017. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page High-Level Meetings with the Prime Minister of Fiji A roundtable discussion between the incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 Presidency and the COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Fiji, and incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 President UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa  A roundtable discussion is held with the Prime Minister of Fiji and the COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency Inia Seruiratu, Minister of Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, and High-Level Climate Champion, Fiji; and Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Fiji, and incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 President Nazhat Shameem Khan, Fiji, incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 Presidency; Aziz Mekouar, Morocco, COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency; and Hamza Tber, Morocco COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) Plenary View of the dais during the SBSTA closing plenary SBSTA Chair Carlos Fuller, Belize Victor Kabengele Wa Kadilu, the Democratic Republic of the Congo Jesus Guerra Bell, Cuba, speaking on behalf of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) Juan Carlos Arredondo Brun, Mexico, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) Abdullah K. Tawlah, Saudi Arabia Catherine Stewart, Canada Kay Harrison, New Zealand Marilyn Averill, Research and Independent NGOs (RINGOs) Côme Girschig, Youth NGOs (YOUNGOs) Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Indigenous Peoples Deborah Mugerwa Nalwanga, Women and Gender Eddy Pérez, Climate Action Network (CAN), speaking on behalf of Environmental NGOs (ENGOs) Rachel Kennerley, Friends of the Earth International, speaking on behalf of ENGOs Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) Closing Plenary Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Fiji, arrives at the plenary Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Fiji SBI Chair Tomasz Chruszczow, Poland View of the dais during the SBI plenary Bernarditas Muller, Philippines, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China Trigg Talley, US Oleg Shamanov, Russian Federation Mamadou Honadia, Burkino Faso Ghalia Benziouche, Algeria Mohamed Nasr, Egypt Delegates huddle to discuss a way forward with SBI conclusions Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) Closing Plenary The draft APA negotiating text is distributed to delegates Delegates from the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) SBSTA Chair Carlos Fuller, Belize, and Kishan Kumarsingh, Trinidad and Tobago APA Co-Chair Jo Tyndall, New Zealand Ian Fry, Ethiopia, speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Xolisa Ngwadla, South Africa, speaking on behalf of the African Group Henrik Eriksen, Norway Nicole Wilke, EU Amjad Abdulla, Maldives Reinaldo Salgado, Brazil Franz Perrez, Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the EIG Around the Venue Delegates from Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay Nazhat Shameem Khan, Fiji, incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 Presidency Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Fiji, and incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 President Horacio Peluffo, UNFCCC Secretariat; Aziz Mekouar, Morocco, COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency; and Hamza Tber, Morocco, COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency Delegates from South Sudan Delegates from Botswana Delegates from Sudan Delegates from The Gambia Chebet Maikut, Uganda Collin Beck, Solomon Islands Delegates speak informally The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) team covering the negotiations: Claudia Friedrich, Germany; Aaron Cosbey, Canada; Rishikesh Ram Bhandary, Nepal/US; Annelies Van Gaalen, South Africa; Jen Allan, Canada; Alice Bisiaux, France/Spain; Mari Luomi, Finland/UAE; Beate Antonich, Germany/US; and Kiara Worth, South Africa

The following side events were covered by ENBOTS on Thursday, 18 May 2017: Global Research and Development Cooperation in Climate Technologies: Opportunities and Challenges Climate Justice and Youth – An Inter-Generational Dialogue Implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions: Climate Finance for Water-Related Adaptation and Mitigation Action IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin on the Side (ENBOTS) Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage of selected side events at the Bonn Climate Change Conference, May 2017. Photos by IISD/ENB | Angeles Estrada Vigil For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Global Research and Development Cooperation in Climate Technologies: Opportunities and ChallengesPresented by the Joint Implementation Network, the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and the University of Nijmegen (RU) This side event explored the implications of global research and development (R&D) cooperation, including with emerging economies, on development and transfer of mitigation technologies. Heleen de Coninck, RU, moderated the event.  Presenting findings from research on “R&D offshoring” to emerging economies by Western multinational companies, Ulrich Elmer Hansen, UNEP DTU Partnership, noted national concerns in the EU and US concerning loss of long-term industrial leadership and “hollowing out” of the home-country knowledge base. At the firm level, he said benefits to R&D offshoring include lower R&D costs and productivity increases, while knowledge management of a globally spread network represents a key challenge. Noting that the literature in this area focuses on the national and regional levels, he stressed the need to examine what can be done at the international level, including within the UNFCCC. Sören Lindner, RU, presented on research on mapping of collaboration in research and innovation for climate change mitigation between the EU and developing countries. He highlighted that the real drivers and motivations behind initiatives may not be as clear-cut as expressed in project proposals, and emphasized that there is a focus on project “output” instead of more long-term “outcome and impact” considerations among project managers and sponsors. Among recommendations, he highlighted: making the objectives of both partners explicit; and finding and highlighting mutual benefits, and building a relationship based on commonalities among partners. Martina Lyons, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG R&I), European Commission, presented on the Commission’s technology cooperation with emerging economies. Noting the Commission’s strong involvement in the first stages of the innovation chain, she highlighted the Horizon 2020 programme as the biggest research, development and demonstration (RD&D) programme in the world with a seven-year budget of EUR 6 billion for energy research and innovation. She also drew attention to Mission Innovation, in which 22 countries and the EU are taking action to double their public clean energy R&D investment over five years.  Stressing “RD&D is where the UNFCCC can do the most,” Gabriel Blanco, National University of Central Buenos Aires (UNICEN), welcomed references to RD&D in the Paris Agreement and Decision 1/CP.21 (Adoption of the Paris Agreement). Among reasons why cooperative RD&D is the right way forward, he highlighted, inter alia, the potential for creation of new private enterprises and public-private joint ventures that may lead to the sharing of intellectual property rights (IPRs) and joint patents. Marieke Reijalt, European Hydrogen Association, highlighted that “the big difference” will be made in emerging economies when it comes to technology implementation, and said EU-funded technologies should be tested for viability in developing countries. She called for: “simplicity” from institutions when it comes to supporting R&D; and a mechanism to further spur industrial interest in technology transfer.  Juan Hoffmaister, Green Climate Fund (GCF), highlighted the Fund’s examination of how collaborative R&D fits into its business model, and said the Fund will present a proposal on this topic in October 2017. Among key challenges the Fund is facing in this regard, he highlighted how to separate the concept of collaborative R&D from the larger technology cycle, and how to ensure that such financing is bankable. In the ensuing discussion, participants considered, inter alia: the question of whether funding cycles are too short, given an undue focus on outputs over impacts; whether IPRs are an issue in RD&D; differences in motivations between developed and developing countries for participating in RD&D; challenges of making RD&D investments, given that “fruits are uncertain” and more long-term; and the role of culture in shaping outputs and impacts of projects. L-R: Ulrich Elmer Hansen, UNEP DTU Partnership; Heleen de Coninck, RU; Sören Lindner, RU; and Martina Lyons, DG R&I, European Commission Ulrich Elmer Hansen, UNEP DTU Partnership, highlighted that R&D is increasingly taking place on the global scale, with China, India and Brazil among key global actors.   Martina Lyons, DG R&I, European Commission, highlighted the Commission’s underlying principles for cooperation in RD&D are mutual benefit and common interest. Sören Lindner, RU, said projects need a “trust-building” phase, after which sustained collaboration on technology innovation can often begin. L-R: Gabriel Blanco, UNICEN; Heleen de Coninck, RU; Marieke Reijalt, European Hydrogen Association; and Juan Hoffmaister, GCF Heleen de Coninck, RU, noted that, to improve capabilities to implement Nationally Determined Contributions, long-term cooperation is more effective than one-off training. Gabriel Blanco, UNICEN, welcomed the Technology Mechanism’s support for the entire technology cycle. Contact: Wytze van der Gaast | wytze@jin.ngo  Sara Traerup | slmt@dtu.dk  Heleen de Coninck | h.deconinck@fnwi.ru.nl  More Information: http://carisma-project.eu/ http://unfccc.int/ttclear/support/technology-mechanism.html Climate Justice and Youth – An Inter-Generational DialoguePresented by the Plant-for-the-Planet and the Global Marshall Plan Foundation This side event discussed issues related to climate justice and youth, including ways to better engage non-party stakeholders in implementation of the Paris Agreement, and youth initiatives around the world, such as the ‘Trillion Tree Campaign’ by Plant-for-the-Planet. Thomas Bruhn, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), and Yugratna Srivastava, Plant-for-the-Planet, moderated the discussion.  The event was conducted in an interactive dialogue format, with the audience being given several opportunities to share views with each other and report back to the meeting.  On integrating a broad range of stakeholders in developing the Paris Agreement rulebook, participants highlighted, inter alia, the need to: capture scientific, political and local knowledge; create acceptance, legitimacy and relevance of non-state actor participation; fully integrate empowerment and social learning; and generate sensitivity to “what stakeholders on the ground actually need.” Miroslav Polzer, Secretary General, International Association for the Advancement of Innovative Approaches to Global Challenges (IAAI), called for stakeholders to facilitate social innovation to advance implementation of Article 12 of the Paris Agreement (climate education) and action on climate empowerment.  Gaston Meskens, Research and Independent Non-governmental Organizations (RINGOs), shared his views on observer participation in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), emphasizing that “the more pressure there is on parties to deliver, the less willing they are to give access to civil society to the negotiations.” He called for dialogue between delegates and civil society in the form of “compassionate confrontation,” which would be “inspiring and liberating for us all.” On facilitating dialogue among party delegates and civil society, Andreas Sieber, Climate Tracker, explained that his organization trains people online and offline in 22 languages to report on UNFCCC negotiations. Providing examples of writers’ impact on the negotiations, he stressed the importance of focusing on a single issue without losing sight of the “bigger picture.”  Following a brief informal exchange of views, participants underscored, inter alia: the importance of maximizing the impact of youth; and the inverse relationship between stakeholder participation and pressure exerted on party delegates, noting the differences between short-term and long-term pressure. Timothy Damon, Global Youth Development Institute (GYDI), highlighted the reference to “intergenerational equity” in the preamble of the Paris Agreement, and stressed the need to have civil society onboard for Article 12 (education and training) implementation. He outlined GYDI’s efforts in: bringing youth from the global South to participate in climate negotiations; and national and regional capacity building.  Berenice Danaé Espinoza Hernández, CLIC!, emphasized the need for non-party stakeholders to not only be included in the negotiation process, but also to continue work in their own countries. Highlighting the importance of regional cooperation, she cautioned against creating divisions between the global North and global South within the youth caucus.  In the ensuing discussion, participants considered, inter alia: the need for early climate education; the need for scholarships to increase representation of the global South financed through innovative fundraising; the innovative format of the side event and the need for co-productive settings that create a social learning space; and the implications of discussions on conflict of interest on observer participation. L-R: Yugratna Srivastava, Plant-for-the-Planet; Berenice Danaé Espinoza Hernández, Clic!; Timothy Damon, GYDI; Andreas Sieber, Climate Tracker; Gaston Meskens, RINGOs; and Miroslav Polzer, Secretary General, IAAI Yugratna Srivastava, Plant-for-the-Planet, highlighted Subsidiary Body for Implementation conclusions, underscoring the value of non-party stakeholders’ effective engagement and their contributions to the deliberations on substantive issues. Andreas Sieber, Climate Tracker (left), said it is important to give voice to, as well as “lay demands” on, youth. Gaston Meskens, RINGOs, noted that the “UNFCCC process is complex and slow, but it is the only one we have; without it, all the climate decisions would be taken in Davos.” Miroslav Polzer, Secretary General, IAAI, called for identifying how activities on education, communication and outreach could be documented and used to feed into Paris Agreement implementation. Timothy Damon, GYDI, highlighted the need to hear the “vibrant” voices of all stakeholders in the climate negotations to enable Paris Agreement implementation on the ground. Berenice Danaé Espinoza Hernández, Clic!, said “we’re all global youth and we’re together in this.” Elena Kosolapova, ENBOTS team, and Thomas Bruhn, IASD Contact: Yugratna Srivastava | yugratna@gmail.com  Frithjof Finkbeiner | frithjof.finkbeiner@globalmarshallplan.org  More Information: https://www.plant-for-the-planet.org/en/home#intro   http://www.globalmarshallplan.org/en Implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions: Climate Finance for Water-Related Adaptation and Mitigation ActionPresented by the World Water Council (WWC), the Global Water Partnership (GWP) and the International Water Association (IWA) In this side event, participants discussed climate change impacts on the water cycle, water security as a priority within Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and unrecognized mitigation opportunities in water systems.  Dani Gaillard-Picher, Director, WWC, moderated the event. Highlighting the ‘Climate is Water’ initiative, she said that “water is talked about everywhere” but still not given the “attention it deserves.” Gaillard-Picher stressed that water should be a priority in NDCs. Moulay Driss Hasnaoui, Morocco, underscored the importance of water security in countries “lagging behind” in the water, energy and agriculture sectors. Eva Promes, IWA, highlighted IWA’s Flood and Drought Portal, a technical tool which supports decision making at the regional and water basin levels.  Underscoring the multiple co-benefits of water investments, Alexander Linke, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), said that improving regulatory environments and knowledge management of water utilities will be key to implementing concrete projects.  Gareth Phillips, African Development Bank (AfDB), reminded participants that the long-term challenge in climate policy is to reach net zero emissions, and stressed the need to “systematically drive down” emission intensity across sectors. Noting that there is currently no financial reward for the private sector to invest in adaptation, he highlighted a proposed adaptation benefit mechanism as a potential solution.  Merylyn Hedger, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), underscored the centrality of water to the climate agenda. She called for a “scaling up” of adaptation and mitigation efforts using a “programmatic” rather than a project-based approach.  Noting that water insecurity is estimated to cost the world economy 45% of global GDP by 2050, Nicolas Delaunay, GWP, underscored that water security is key for adaptation planning and building the climate resilience of communities and ecosystems. He highlighted GWP’s Global Water, Climate and Development programme, which supports implementation of climate change commitments in 16 developing countries.   During the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: limitations to mitigation opportunities in Africa; sectoral policy approaches to address water challenges in climate policy; methodologies for calculating emission intensity for different services in the economy; and technologies that both generate electricity and are “water-wise.” In closing, Jean-Luc Redaud, French Water Partnership, echoed the importance of water as a priority action in NDCs and called for a continued strengthening of water governance. L-R: Danielle Gaillard-Picher, Director, WWC; Gareth Phillips, AfDB; Merylyn Hedger ODI; and Alexander Linke, GIZ Alexander Linke, GIZ, noted the importance of working with water utilities at the local level. Gareth Philips, AfDB, said the Bank can play a role in creating enabling environments for adaptation and mitigation projects. Moulay Driss Hasnaoui, Morocco, emphasized the importance of securing funding to support water security. Nicolas Delaunay, GWP, said that "within the next generation" more than 70% of the world’s population will live in vulnerable coastal and flood-prone areas. Eva Promes, IWA, highlighted IWA projects in Mexico, Thailand, Peru and Jordan. Merylyn Hedger, ODI, pointed to a “massive gap” between financing interests and bankable projects available for funding. Contact: Danielle Gaillard-Picher | d.gaillard@worldwatercouncil.org Susanne Skyllerstedt | Susanne.skyllerstedt@gmail.com Eva Promes | eva.promes@iwahq.org More Information: http://www.climateiswater.org/

The Bonn Climate Change Conference continued on Wednesday, 17 May. Throughout the day, informal consultations and contact groups met to discuss various issues under the forty-sixth sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 46) and Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 46), as well as the third part of the first session on the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA 1-3). The APA contact group met in the afternoon and evening. Throughout the day, mandated events convened. The Technical Expert Meeting on adaptation met all day, focusing on how national adaptation plans can enable linkages between national and subnational development planning processes and strategies. In the afternoon, the multi-stakeholder dialogue on the operationalization of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform continued discussions. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided digital coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the Bonn Climate Change Conference - May 2017. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI)/Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) Technical Expert Meeting (TEM): Adaptation Delegates gather for the second day of the Technical Expert Meeting on adaptation Akio Takemoto, Ministry of the Environment, Japan Musonda Mumba, UN Environment Beth Lavender, Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) Member Benjamin Karmorh, Environment Protection Agency, Liberia Sione Fulivai, Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications, Tonga Delegates ask questions through an online platform Delegates share ideas with their neighbors Delegates during the session Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) Contact Group View of the dais during the APA contact group APA Co-Chair Jo Tyndall, New Zealand APA Co-Chair Sarah Baashan, Saudi Arabia, and Co-Facilitator for agenda item 8 - other matters Nicolas Zambrano Sanchez, Ecuador, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 4 - adaptation communications Janine Felson, Belize, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 7 - committee to facilitate implementation and promote compliance Xolisa Ngwadla, South Africa, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 6 - global stocktake Xiang Gao, China, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 5 - transparency framework Sin Liang Cheah, Singapore, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 3 - mitigation María del Pilar Bueno, Argentina, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 8 - further matters, Adaptation Fund Delegates read the draft conclusions presented by the Co-Chairs Raed Albasseet, Saudi Arabia, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group Andrea Faulkner, Australia, speaking on behalf of the Umbrella Group Gebru Jember, Ethiopia, speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Ravi Prasad, India Franz Perrez, Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) Majid Shafie-Pour, Iran, speaking on behalf of the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDCs) Kim Carnahan, US Delegates from the EIG Delegates speak with APA Co-Chair Jo Tyndall, New Zealand Delegates from the LMDCs Delegates from the African Group Delegates from the LDCs Delegates from the Umbrella Group Delegates huddle to discuss a way forward for the APA Multi-stakeholder Dialogue on the Operationalization of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform Delegates gather for the second day of the multi-stakeholder dialogue on the operationalization of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform SBSTA Chair Carlos Fuller, Belize Grace Balawag, International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) Pamela Rocha, Ecuador Koko Warner, UNFCCC Secretariat Geert Fremout, EU Ella Havnevik Giske, Norway Julio Cordano, Chile Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNSRRIP) Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, IIPFCC Inka Saara Arttijeff, Sámi Parliament, Finland Sébastien Duyck, speaking on behalf of Environmental, Trade Union and Youth NGOs, Women and Gender, and Farmers UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa applauds the work done during the session Francois Paulette, IIPFCC (center), leads the group in a prayer to close the session Around the Venue UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa arrives at the venue Delegates huddle to discuss budget issues SBSTA Chair Carlos Fuller, Belize, speaks with delegates Delegates gather outside of Chamber Hall Horacio Peluffo, UNFCCC Secretariat Delegates from Austria and Luxembourg Delegates from Argentina and Saudi Arabia speak informally Delegates from Brazil Delegates between sessions Security staff at the World Conference Center Bonn

The following side events were covered by ENBOTS on Wednesday, 17 May 2017: Addressing Vulnerability in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Countries: Adaptation, Capacity, People South-South Initiatives to Support Monitoring, Reporting and Verification, and Transparency of Action and Support Raising Ambition in Climate and Development: Adaptation Benefit Mechanism and Sustainable Development Goals Impact Quantification Supporting Loss and Damage for the Most Vulnerable: Experiences from Africa and Elsewhere Human Mobility and Climate Change: Synergies between the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and Other Global Policy Processes Contribution of Forest Landscape Restoration to Nationally Determined Contributions IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin on the Side (ENBOTS) Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage of selected side events at the Bonn Climate Change Conference, May 2017. Photos by IISD/ENB | Angeles Estrada Vigil For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Addressing Vulnerability in Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Countries: Adaptation, Capacity, People Presented by the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group) and the African Union Commission (AUC) This side event centered on a dialogue and exchange of ideas among vulnerable ACP island states, least developed countries (LDCs), and landlocked and coastal countries. Viwanou Gnassounou, ACP Group Secretariat, moderated the event. Underscoring that “climate change is the single greatest threat to the security and livelihoods of our people,” Johnson Weru, Chair, ACP Subcommittee on Sustainable Development, highlighted close cooperation with the EU to undertake climate action and tackle other environmental problems. He noted the ACP is developing a dedicated programme to support small island developing States (SIDS) to address their unique vulnerabilities. Olushola Olayide, African Union (AU), underscored the vulnerability of the African continent. Among key initiatives the Union is engaged in, she highlighted: Climate for Development in Africa; the High-level Work Programme on Climate Change Action in Africa; the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative; the Africa Adaptation Initiative; and the initiative for the Adaptation of African Agriculture to climate change. Stressing that “the universality of the Paris Agreement is something we need to preserve and protect,” Elina Bardram, European Commission, highlighted the “special” nature of the ACP-EU partnership, highlighting the partnership’s potential to influence other global actors. She noted the EU is working through the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Partnership and the Global Climate Change Alliance to help partner governments meet their commitments. Deo Saran, Fiji, noted the incoming Presidency of the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 23) and the 13th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 13) aims to maintain the momentum and cohesiveness from the two previous COPs, in order to continue to build the international climate change agenda. He highlighted groundwork to ensure completion of the implementation guidelines of the Paris Agreement, and preparations for the 2018 facilitative dialogue as priorities for COP 23. Kamal Djemouai, African Group of Negotiations (AGN), said there is a “vulnerability gap” in the UNFCCC process. He emphasized six key concepts that are important in this context: vulnerabilities, in their “plural form”; special circumstances; capacities and capabilities; NDCs; differentiation; and means of implementation. Stressing that “it’s not a beauty contest” about who is the most vulnerable, Amjad Abdulla, Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), underlined that unity will be critical to ensure the voices of developing countries continue to be heard going forward. He said said loss and damage action should be further strengthened, and called for COP 23 to advance discussions on how the Adaptation Fund will serve the Paris Agreement. Gebru Jember Endalew, LDC Group, said COP 23 should provide the basis for a clear roadmap on the final outcome of the Paris Agreement rulebook. He identified the 2018 facilitative dialogue as a key step to increasing ambition, and said the Group supports a political declaration at the end of 2018 to guide review of NDCs.  In the ensuing discussion, participants highlighted: COP 23 as a “COP for action”; the need for COP 23 to focus on capacity building; efforts to create “a high ambition coalition for shipping”; and the need for “all countries of the international community” to work together to defend the Paris Agreement and climate science. L-R: Amjad Abdulla, AOSIS; Deo Saran, Fiji; Elina Bardram, European Commission; Johnson Weru, Chair, ACP Subcommittee on Sustainable Development; Olushola Olayide, AUC; Kamal Djemouai, AGN; and Viwanou Gnassounou, ACP Group Secretariat Gebru Jember Endalew, LDC Group (center), highlighted the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Initiative for Sustainable Development as crucial for reducing LDCs’ vulnerability. Elina Bardram, European Commission, highlighted transparency and the 2018 facilitative dialogue as key issues to be addressed at COP 23. Viwanou Gnassounou, ACP Group Secretariat, moderated the event. Deo Saran, Fiji, stressed the need to “give confidence to the world that we are progressing at the right speed.”  Kamal Djemouai, AGN, underlined that “the more divided developing countries are, the more vulnerable they are to climate change impacts and their consequences.” Amjad Abdulla, AOSIS, stressed: “We will all only go far if we stay united.” A participant during the side event Contact: Pendo Maro | pendomaro@acp.int  Olushola Olayide | OlusholaO@africa-union.org  More Information: http://www.acp.int/content/bonn-climate-change-conference-vulnerability-africa-caribbean-pacific-countries-adaptation-c https://www.au.int/ South-South Initiatives to Support Monitoring, Reporting and Verification, and Transparency of Action and SupportPresented by the Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) This side event showcased South-South cooperation success stories on: technical and financial support; strengthening in-country and regional institutional capacity for monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV), and transparency of action and support in developing countries; and sharing methods, tools and data. William Agyemang-Bonsu, UNFCCC Secretariat, moderated the discussion.  Toby Hedger, UNFCCC Secretariat, presented the UNFCCC Climate Action and Support Transparency Training (UNFCCC-CASTT) programme, an initiative for national readiness for implementation of the Paris Agreement developed jointly with the Greenhouse Gas Inventory & Research Center of Korea (GIR). She explained that the programme’s objective is to promote effective and universal participation of countries in MRV and the transparency framework under the Paris Agreement through targeted, professional and comprehensive capacity building, as well as to contribute to implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (quality education). She said the programme offers packages for policymakers, policy implementers, and technicians and development experts.  Jae Jung, GIR, elaborated on the Center’s collaboration with the UNFCCC-CASTT to provide a professional training programme on greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories for national experts from developing countries. He said the UNFCCC-GIR-CASTT programme has offered lectures and hands-on exercises to government officials and researchers from developing countries on GHG compilation and mitigation modeling since 2011, with 228 trainees from 52 countries successfully completing the programme.  Damiano Borgogno, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Global Support Programme (GSP), stressed the need to ensure that supported initiatives are sustainable over time, and to avoid redundancy. Among GSP-supported initiatives, he highlighted the West African South-South Network on MRV and the Latin American Network on GHG Inventories. Agré Mathieu Richemond Assié, Côte d’Ivoire, elaborated on the West African South-South Network on MRV, highlighting its vision to have operational MRV systems in West African countries by 2020. Among the Network’s objectives, he noted: facilitating the exchange of knowledge in the energy, and agriculture, forestry and other land-use sectors; supporting capacity development activities; and creating awareness within national institutions responsible for data collection.  Diana Camila Rodríguez Vargas, Colombia, showcased the Latin American Network on GHG Inventories. She highlighted challenges faced by Latin American countries, including: development of GHG inventories; maintaining stable inventory systems over time; and adequate institutional arrangements. She said the purpose of the Network is to: maintain South-South cooperation on national GHG inventories among Latin American Spanish-speaking countries; facilitate knowledge exchange through a range of tools; and provide technical support on, inter alia, different models of institutional arrangements and strengthening capacity for using the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National GHG Inventories. Kirsten Orschulok, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), Germany, presented on the Partnership on Transparency in the Paris Agreement (PATPA), formerly the International Partnership on Mitigation and MRV, outlining the Partnership’s current activities to promote practical exchange and political dialogue between countries on enhanced transparency. She noted that the PATPA seeks to foster transparency, communication, networking and trust between countries by bringing together negotiators and implementers.  During the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: the role of adaptation in the Paris Agreement transparency framework; PATPA support on transparency of adaptation and support; and eligibility requirements for participation in UNFCCC-CASTT workshops. L-R: William Agyemang-Bonsu, UNFCCC Secretariat; Kirsten Orschulok, BMUB, Germany; Agré Mathieu Richemond Assié, Côte d’Ivoire; and Damiano Borgogno, UNDP GSP Jae Jung, GIR, said that the UNFCCC-GIR-CASTT programme on GHG inventories provides training on reporting and review under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, GHG inventory compilation and sectoral GHG MRV, among others. Damiano Borgogno, UNDP GSP (center), introduced the GSP-supported West African South-South Network on MRV and the Latin American Network on GHG Inventories. William Agyemang-Bonsu, UNFCCC Secretariat, noted that the UNFCCC-CASTT programme “allows us to move away from traditional workshops.” Among the main activities of the Latin American Network on GHG Inventories, Diana Camila Rodríguez Vargas, Colombia, highlighted establishment of formal arrangements to implement the Network, and identification of barriers and support needs. Kirsten Orschulok, BMUB, Germany, said PATPA’s formats include: partnership meetings on the margins of UN negotiations; capacity-building activities through peer-to-peer learning during technical workshops; and knowledge sharing. Contact: Marlan Pillay | Mpillay@unfccc.int More Information: http://unfccc.int/national_reports/non-annex_i_national_communications/unfccc_castt/items/10261.php https://www.transparency-partnership.net/ https://www.gir.go.kr/eng/ Raising Ambition in Climate and Development: Adaptation Benefit Mechanism and Sustainable Development Goals Impact QuantificationPresented by the Gold Standard Foundation (GSF) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) In this side event, panelists highlighted how sustainable development can catalyze greater climate ambition while helping developing countries meet their development objectives. Gareth Phillips, AfDB, moderated the panel.  Outlining a proposed adaptation benefit mechanism (ABM), Phillips underscored that, if created, the ABM will: use a credible and transparent process to provide a results-based mechanism; offer a price signal for adaptation benefits; and determine this price signal by verified costs defined by an approved methodology. He said that the ABM would likely be supported by: donors who wish to transfer climate funds for long-term adaptation in a “transparent, efficient and cost-effective manner”; and socially responsible corporate buyers who wish to demonstrate their global awareness to shareholders and stakeholders. Highlighting differences between the Clean Development Mechanism and the proposed ABM, Phillips stressed that: the ABM is simpler, as it is a “contract” and not an “uncapped environmental liability”; units are non-fungible and not designed for submission against an obligation; and the ABM will finance the most compelling adaptation needs. Noting a “preponderance of mitigation” among internationally-negotiated financing mechanisms, Axel Michaelowa, Perspectives Climate Change, said that the ABM could reduce this bias. He suggested that, to avoid potential “stumbling blocks,” the ABM should ensure that: the mechanism does not “crowd out” public finance; units provide an “open choice” for the private sector; and a sufficient number of methodologies allows for a “convergence” of similar approaches and metrics.  Chebet Maikut, Uganda, emphasized that current funding mechanisms are not sufficient to meet the needs of all developing countries. He called for fully capitalizing on current funding mechanisms and innovative approaches to mobilize additional resources. Maikut said that the ABM has the potential to “liberate” private sector financing.  Questioning why it has been an “uphill battle” to include sustainable development in climate negotiations, Marion Verles, GSF, underscored that public support for sustainable development can be the “driving force” for more ambitious climate action. Recalling the Kyoto Protocol and associated trading schemes, she emphasized that negative public perception linked to poor safeguard mechanisms and poor sustainable development objectives undermined the Protocol’s credibility. Verles said that the “elements are in place” for a paradigm shift that embeds sustainable development in climate policies.  Noting that the definition of sustainable development varies between countries, Sven Braden, Liechtenstein, stressed the importance of national prerogatives. He called for tools and forums to discuss potential contradictions within the Sustainable Development Goals. L-R: Marion Verles, GSF; Axel Michaelowa, Perspectives Climate Change; and Sven Braden, Liechtenstein Sven Braden, Liechtenstein, noted that his country was one of the first to link Certified Emission Reductions to labeling that ensures sustainable development. Chebet Maikut, Uganda, stressed the “moral responsibility” to finance adaptation needs of developing countries. Marion Verles, GSF, underscored that sustainable development can be the “key element to move the needle” on climate ambition. Gareth Phillips, AfDB, said that, in some parts of Africa, “adaptation is the new mitigation” as there is more potential for action in this area. Contact: Sarah Leugers | sarah.leugers@goldstandard.org Gareth Phillips | g.phillips@afdb.org More Information: https://www.afdb.org/en/topics-and-sectors/initiatives-partnerships/adaptation-benefit-mechanism-abm/ Supporting Loss and Damage for the Most Vulnerable: Experiences from Africa and Elsewhere Presented by CARE International, the ACT Alliance - Action by Churches, and Practical Action This side event, moderated by Sven Harmeling, CARE International, discussed key definitions and principles for financing loss and damage initiatives, including through climate risk insurance, and shared findings from the African Risk Capacity (ARC), a specialized agency of the African Union.  Idy Niang, Senegal, said that the challenge before the Executive Committee (ExCom) of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (WIM) in its work on a clearing house for risk transfer is to develop a sound international framework to ensure that insurance companies help vulnerable populations. He noted the R4 Rural Resilience Initiative (R4) in his country, highlighting food security among its benefits. Sabine Minninger, ACT Alliance, hoped that the upcoming Group of 20 Summit, taking place in Hamburg. Germany, from 7-8 July 2017, will take forward Germany’s InsuResilience initiative, which aims to provide climate risk insurance coverage to 400 million poor and vulnerable people by 2020. She cautioned against addressing climate change by “dealing with the symptoms,” such as loss and damage. Minninger also urged civil society to work on making climate risk insurance premiums affordable, noting that the poorest “should not pay at all.” Vitumbiko Chinoko, CARE International, presented on the ARC, highlighting experiences from Southern Africa. Among recommendations for the ARC, he identified the need for: capacity building on, and affordability of, climate risk insurance; enhanced participation and transparency through involving non-state actors; enabling environments; using participation of the poor as a criterion for approving applications for certificates of good standing; and a participatory monitoring and evaluation process for the whole facility that should include poor women farmers. Swenja Surminski, London School of Economics (LSE), emphasized the importance of keeping in mind the aims and objectives behind using insurance as a tool to address loss and damage. Highlighting advantages of insurance over post-disaster aid, she noted incentivizing and enhancing risk reduction through insurance, and sharing loss and damage beyond the at-risk community through solidarity funds as key challenges to designing and implementing insurance in the loss and damage context.  Reinhard Mechler, International Institute for Advanced System Analysis (IIASA), outlined the pro-poor principles of the Munich Climate Insurance Initiative (MCII), including comprehensive needs-based solutions, client value, affordability, accessibility, participation, sustainability and enabling environments. Among transformative measures for risk management, he highlighted: pooling and sharing risks in order to diversify them; innovative instruments involving public-private partnerships; livelihood transformation; and migration. Under “curative” options, he listed loss and damage mechanisms at the national level and a displacement coordination facility.   In the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: the role of the WIM ExCom and the clearing house for risk transfer in initiatives, such as InsuResilience; innovative sources of, and accounting for, loss and damage finance; utility of indirect insurance mechanisms for the poor; links between insurance initiatives and humanitarian networks; involvement of multilateral development banks in climate insurance; and challenges associated with covering insurance premiums for the poor. In closing, Colin McQuistan, Practical Action, said that the key objective of the event was to “keep loss and damage on the agenda,” noting that capacity building is vital. Sabine Minninger, ACT Alliance; Swenja Surminski, LSE; Sven Harmeling, CARE International; Reinhard Mechler, IIASA; and Vitumbiko Chinoko, CARE International Sven Harmeling, CARE International, questioned whether insurance mechanisms have the capacity to address the growing risks of loss and damage. Reinhard Mechler, IIASA, observed that “there is not a single market-based insurance mechanism; there is always an element of solidarity involved.” Sabine Minninger, ACT Alliance, underscored that “climate insurance is not an answer to climate justice.” Noting that women are the most vulnerable to climate change, Vitumbiko Chinoko, CARE International, highlighted his organization’s efforts to ensure that women are protected. Contact: Sven Harmeling | sharmeling@careclimatechange.org  Isaiah Toroitich | ikt@actalliance.org  Colin McQuistan | colin.mcquistan@practicalaction.org.uk  More Information: http://www.care-international.org/ http://actalliance.org/ https://practicalaction.org/  Human Mobility and Climate Change: Synergies between the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and Other Global Policy Processes Presented by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) This event discussed developments relevant to the Task Force on Climate Displacement under the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts, which was mandated by the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to develop recommendations to avert, minimize and address displacement. Atle Solberg, Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD), moderated the event. Michelle Yonetani, International Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), NRC, highlighted that displacement is more strongly recognized under the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) than under its predecessor, the Hyogo Framework for Action. Among key recommendations of the PDD to the 2017 Global Platform for DRR, she noted: preventing displacement and reducing displacement risk; addressing protection needs and promoting durable solutions to displacement; and strengthening the systematic collection and monitoring of displacement data to inform policy and planning. Marine Franck, UNHCR, introduced the 2016 New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, noting processes to adopt a global compact on migration and a global compact on refugees as key outcomes. She highlighted the UNHCR’s work includes Guidelines on Temporary Protection or Stay Arrangements, which can apply in the context of climate change and disasters, and a 10-Point Plan of Action on Refugee Protection and Mixed Migration. Dina Ionesco, International Organization for Migration (IOM), said the global compact on migration offers an opportunity to integrate climate change into key migration policy processes. She also said climate change offers an opportunity to “green” and modernize migration policy. Noting that the human rights and vulnerabilities of those affected by slow onset events are often overlooked, Benjamin Schachter, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), highlighted his organization’s efforts to address information gaps in this area. He underscored the importance of human rights policy coherence across different global policy processes.  Meredith Byrne, International Labour Organization (ILO), welcomed the integrated approach of the Task Force on Displacement, and noted that it provides opportunities to make linkages with the Sustainable Development Goals and is in a “unique position” to bring together experts from cross-cutting areas. Stressing that there are 150.3 million migrant workers with “enormous development potential,” she additionally highlighted ILO’s work on green jobs. In the discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: several opportunities for civil society to engage in the global compact on refugees, including through the UNHCR’s 2017 non-governmental organization consultations; the need to raise awareness of what human rights are, and how they can be asserted; how climate finance can exacerbate human rights violations and the need for a regulatory framework to ensure businesses respect human rights; the IOM’s Environmental Migration Portal; and the need to “shine light” on good practices. L-R: Michelle Yonetani, IDMC, NRC; Marine Franck, UNHCR; Atle Solberg, PDD; Dina Ionesco, IOM; and Benjamin Schachter, OHCHR Benjamin Schachter, OHCHR, underscored that climate change puts human rights at risk and drives migration. Michelle Yonetani, IDMC, NRC, said climate-related disasters cause an average of 21.5 million displacements each year. Marine Franck, UNHCR, highlighted efforts to ensure synergies between the global compact on refugees and the Task Force on Climate Displacement. Dina Ionesco, IOM, stressed migrants can be powerful agents of adaptation and mitigation policies. Contact: Lena Brenn | lena.brenn@nrc.no Erica Bower | bower@unhcr.org More Information: https://www.nrc.no/what-we-do/speaking-up-for-rights/climate-change/ http://www.unhcr.org/climate-change-and-disasters.html http://disasterdisplacement.org/ Contribution of Forest Landscape Restoration to Nationally Determined Contributions Presented by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the international Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) This side event concentrated on the contribution of forest landscape restoration (FLR) to the achievement of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Panelists shared views on the design and successful implementation of FLR policies and practices, and discussed how FLR contributes to reducing emissions and enhancing carbon stocks in forest landscapes.  Sandeep Sengupta, IUCN, moderated the event. He noted IUCN’s Bonn Challenge, which aims to secure pledges to restore up to 150 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2020, and 350 million hectares by 2050.  Nur Masripatin, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Indonesia, focused on the role of forest and land-use sectors in Indonesia’s NDC. She said that forestry is responsible for 17.2% of her country’s emissions reduction target of 29% of the business-as-usual scenario by 2030 reflected in its NDC.  Leticia Guimaraes, Ministry of Environment, Brazil, highlighted national instruments to support implementation of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+), and the national plan for recovery of native vegetation, including: the Brazilian forest code which requires land owners in the Amazon biome to maintain 80% of their land as forest; and the rural environmental registry, which enables the government to track implementation of the code. She said that her country’s NDC includes a target to reforest and recover 12 million hectares of land.  Florian Kraxner, IIASA, noted that global estimates of degraded area with potential to be restored vary from 1 billion to 6 billion hectares. Highlighting the RESTORE+ project, he said it aims to: identify degraded land; assess the implications of using different degraded land definitions; and assess the sectoral interaction of the food-land-energy nexus.  Ping Yowargana, IIASA, explained the limitations of remote sensing in identifying degraded land resources and described the potential of crowdsourcing to estimate land availability for reforestation. He detailed strategies for engaging grassroots actors in data collection and verification, including, inter alia: crowdsourcing of land cover analysis; in situ data validation using mobile applications; and visualization of land cover data sets and suitability maps.  Underscoring that FLR aims to regain ecological functionality across deforested and degraded forest landscapes, María del Carmen García-Espinosa, IUCN, said that it also promotes socioeconomic benefits by improving the wellbeing of forest-dependent communities. She highlighted IUCN’s Restoration Opportunity Assessment Methodology (ROAM) to identify and prioritize FLR opportunities at the national and subnational levels, noting that ROAM has been deployed in at least 26 jurisdictions or countries.  Ruth Irlen, Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), Germany, stressed that the Bonn Challenge is about “enabling informed decision making.” She identified as key to meeting the targets of the Bonn Challenge: development of sustainable restoration models that meet national needs; and innovation to combine “big data” with crowdsourcing and ground proofing of data.  During the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: the role of indigenous peoples in Brazil in protecting forests; developing the national REDD+ project strategy and implementing reforestation projects; resilience of community conservation and restoration initiatives; and restoration of palm oil plantation land in Indonesia.  L-R: Sandeep Sengupta, IUCN; María del Carmen García-Espinosa, IUCN; Leticia Guimaraes, Ministry of Environment, Brazil; Ruth Irlen, BMUB, Germany; Nur Masripatin, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Indonesia; Florian Kraxner, IIASA; and Ping Yowargana, IIASA Ping Yowargana, IIASA, highlighted strategies for “citizen-empowered scientific assessment” of land-use degradation and restoration. Sandeep Sengupta, IUCN, moderated the event. Nur Masripatin, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Indonesia, said that the forest area in her country has decreased since 1990 but the rate of net forest loss has been cut by 50%. Leticia Guimaraes, Ministry of Environment, Brazil, highlighted her country’s recent commitment to the Bonn Challenge. Contact: Sandeep Sengupta | Sandeep.sengupta@iucn.org Susan Riley | riley@iiasa.ac.at More Information: http://www.bonnchallenge.org/content/challenge Around the Venue

The following side events were covered by ENBOTS on Tuesday, 16 May 2017: Open Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on the Operationalization of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform Achieving the Paris Agreement through Climate Action in the Land Sector? Strengthening Leadership on Low-Carbon Transport to Deliver Long-Term Climate Goals Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency: Initial Results and Future Expectations IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin on the Side (ENBOTS) Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage of selected side events at the Bonn Climate Change Conference, May 2017. Photos by IISD/ENB | Angeles Estrada Vigil For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Open Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on the Operationalization of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples PlatformPresented by the Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) This open multi-stakeholder dialogue convened as part of the process to develop the local communities and indigenous peoples platform (LCIP platform), established by Decision 1/CP.21 (Adoption of the Paris Agreement). Carlos Fuller, Chair of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), and Grace Balawag, International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC), co-chaired the discussion. During the opening session, Fuller said the establishment of the LCIP platform during COP 21 confirmed that parties recognize the need to strengthen knowledge, technologies, practices and efforts of LCIPs to address and respond to climate change. He applauded the opportunity provided during the dialogue to exchange experiences and share best practices on mitigation and adaptation in a holistic and integrated manner, and emphasized that the dialogue will contribute to articulating clear functions and the structure of the new platform. Balawag welcomed the opportunity for knowledge and experience exchange between all stakeholders, and urged a rich conversation that will provide the basis for a “robust new structure” in order to benefit all LCIPs across the globe. In a keynote address, Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC, said LCIPs are the stakeholders who best understand the impacts of climate change, as they are “fighting on the frontlines.” Noting that neither the Paris Agreement nor the LCIP platform can succeed without LCIP stakeholders submitting their views, she urged representatives to ensure their “voices are heard” during the dialogue. During the second session, the panel discussion was moderated by Stephen Leonard, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), during which participants discussed existing experiences with the involvement of LCIPs and with the use of traditional knowledge (TK). Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, IIPFCC, provided examples of indigenous peoples’ participation in UN bodies, including in: the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues; the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and the Working Group on Article 8(j) (TK) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).  Douglas Nakashima, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), said that UNESCO envisions a platform that brings together elements of scientific and indigenous peoples’ knowledge to co-produce “best available knowledge.” He shared examples of UNESCO’s approaches for incorporating indigenous knowledge into its procedures. Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, UN Development Programme (UNDP), shared UNDP’s 25 years of experience collaborating with indigenous peoples through the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP). She stressed that 15% of the GEF’s small grants support indigenous peoples. During the third session of the dialogue, the UNFCCC Secretariat presented on submissions received on the purpose, content and structure of the LCIP platform, concentrating on three possible interconnected functions: providing a space for exchange of experiences and sharing of best practices; building capacities of LCIPs to effectively engage in the UNFCCC and other relevant processes, including supporting implementation of the Paris Agreement; and facilitating the integration of diverse knowledge systems, practices and innovations, and the engagement of LCIPs in relevant climate change-related actions, programmes and policies.  LCIP representatives, on behalf of the IIPFCC, inter alia: urged parties to promote and recognize the sustainable practices of indigenous peoples, and encouraged the establishment of “creative links” within the UNFCCC; called for ensuring LCIPs’ full and effective participation; called attention to the need for adequate funding to support LCIPs; emphasized the importance of capacity building to enable indigenous peoples to make a contribution at the international level; stressed that indigenous youth and women require “special measures and targeted attention” to ensure effective transmission of intergenerational knowledge; and called for knowledge exchange in a context-based manner.  Many countries and other entities provided inputs as well. The CBD said that the success of the Working Group on Article 8(j) lies in the nomination of an indigenous co-chair. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said the platform should strengthen the connection of LCIPs with the UNFCCC for a meaningful and informed partnership. UNESCO called for knowledge exchanges between LCIPs and scientists that are more holistic and take into account social and cultural components. The UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNSRRIP) emphasized the “inextricable link” between respect for the rights of indigenous peoples and their capacities to contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation, as well as disaster preparedness and management. Emphasizing linkages between the platform and the Sustainable Development Goals, she stressed the need to look at traditional resource management systems to deal with knowledge exchange in a holistic and integrated manner. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) stressed the need to build LCIPs’ capacities to participate in climate policies and actions at the national and international levels. Women and Gender said the platform could serve to preserve TK. The EU underscored the importance of building on relevant experiences within the UNFCCC and learning from experiences in other international contexts. New Zealand expressed support for the LCIP platform’s aim to give indigenous peoples an active role in helping shape climate action. Ecuador looked forward to the platform’s operationalization, highlighting LCIPs’ “special relationship” with Mother Earth. Canada called for: indigenous peoples to be self-represented in the platform; enhancing interconnectedness among TK and other knowledge systems; and acknowledging losses already experienced by indigenous peoples.    Antigua and Barbuda highlighted her country’s legislation mandating LCIPs’ representation in domestic and international processes. Emphasizing the importance of TK systems for global action on mitigation and adaptation, Norway noted that “the best results come when indigenous peoples have been included and are taking the lead.” Costa Rica called for a coordination mechanism to share knowledge and information on climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts. Australia said information presented during the dialogue should feed into the platform. Bolivia called for: the establishment of a participatory mechanism on indigenous peoples; meaningful intercultural knowledge exchange among indigenous peoples of the world; and horizontal inter-scientific dialogue among indigenous peoples and established scientific systems. Peru said nationally determined approaches to implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) could be shared through the platform. L-R: Grace Balawag, IIPFCC; Carlos Fuller, SBSTA Chair; Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC; Koko Warner, UNFCCC; Laurence Pollier, UNFCCC; and Kapupu Diwa Mutimanwa, Ligue Nationale des Associations Pygmées du Congo (LINAPYCO) Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC, said the “age of implementation” has begun after reaching the Paris Agreement. Grace Balawag, IIPFCC (left), said she hoped this meeting will be remembered for “laying the foundation” of the COP’s new agenda item. Participants during the open multi-stakeholder dialogue Participants attending the open multi-stakeholder dialogue. Panelists Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, IIPFCC, and Douglas Nakashima, UNESCO Kapupu Diwa Mutimanwa, LINAPYCO, opened the dialogue with a prayer on behalf of all LCIPs. Carlos Fuller, SBSTA Chair, emphasized that the dialogue is “a discussion and not a negotiation.” Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, IIPFCC, emphasized that indigenous peoples protect more than 80% of the world’s biodiversity. A representative from Burkina Faso participates in the LCIP platform dialogue. Stephen Leonard, CIFOR, stressed that the importance of indigenous peoples in climate change adaptation and mitigation “cannot be overstated.” Estebancio Castro Diaz, IIPFCC, stressed the need to link the LCIP platform to climate financing programmes. L-R: Stephen Leonard, CIFOR; Douglas Nakashima, UNESCO; and Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, UNDP Victoria Tauli Corpuz, UNSRRIP, underscored that “more work needs to be done” to consider indigenous knowledge in NDCs. Geert Fremout, EU, welcomed the LPIC platform as a “timely operationalization.” Thanking Canada for taking climate action, Francois Paulette, IIPFCC, said that "what is happening to our world is a crisis, and time is not on our side." Ruth Spencer, National Coordinator, GEF SGP, Antigua and Barbuda Anne Barre, Women in Europe for a Common Future Pamela Rocha, Ecuador Contact: Rojina Manandhar | rmanandhar@unfccc.int Koko Warner | kwarner@unfccc.int More Information: http://unfccc.int/meetings/unfccc_calendar/items/10151.php Achieving the Paris Agreement through Climate Action in the Land Sector? Presented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Food Programme This side event was the third of three events of the ‘Rome Series’ on ‘the Paris Agreement and the Agricultural Sectors: Feeding the World in a Changing Climate.’ This session focused on the role of agriculture and food security in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in terms of both mitigation and adaptation. It was moderated by Martin Frick, FAO. Highlighting that “a big chunk” of NDCs features agriculture, Lucy Ng'ang'a, Kenya, noted the potential of climate-smart agriculture in enhancing productivity, reducing emissions, improving resilience and providing additional co-benefits. She emphasized the need for technology, capacity building and resources to implement such approaches. Rita Mishaan, Guatemala, underscored that developing countries face challenges in the design, implementation and review of NDCs. She said her country is working on its low-emission development strategy, which will support the design of methodologies to ensure the necessary indicators are reflected in reporting. Walter Oyhantçabal, Uruguay, highlighted that mitigation in agriculture is distinct from other sectors given strong links to food security. Reporting back on a thematic working group meeting held in Rome two weeks previously as part of the NDC Partnership’s work on agriculture, he noted agreement to develop terms of reference for the work of the group in a country-led, participatory manner. Romeo Bertolini, NDC Partnership, highlighted that the Partnership was developed following adoption of the Paris Agreement by developed and developing countries and multilateral institutions in recognition of the need to integrate climate change into development, and fiscal and budgetary processes. He noted the Partnership’s efforts to “connect the dots” between countries to ensure continuous exchange on NDC implementation, including with regard to agriculture. In the ensuing discussion, participants raised, inter alia: the need for developed countries to take the lead in mitigation while developing countries focus on adaptation; humankind’s “dangerous dependence” on a “very narrow genetic base”; concerns that interventions in the land-use sector will lead to increased marginalization of indigenous peoples and local communities; prospects for protecting forests while improving productivity of agricultural systems; and the need to consider agriculture in the 2018 facilitative dialogue. Martin Frick, FAO, highlighted that the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement “all come together in the land sector.” Rita Mishaan, Guatemala, said that UN agencies, in addition to UNFCCC parties, need to work together on climate action. Walter Oyhantçabal, Uruguay, noted the challenge of finding an indicator that reflects progress in adaptation. Romeo Bertolini, NDC Partnership, stressed the need to ensure that “the momentum of Paris” is maintained and climate change work is not detached from other national activities. L-R: Walter Oyhantçabal, Uruguay; Lucy Ng'ang'a, Kenya; Martin Frick, FAO; Rita Mishaan, Guatemala; and Romeo Bertolini, NDC Partnership Contact: Julia Wolf | julia.wolf@fao.org More Information: http://www.fao.org/climate-change/en/ http://www1.wfp.org/climate-action https://www.ifad.org/topic/overview/tags/climate_change Strengthening Leadership on Low-Carbon Transport to Deliver Long-Term Climate GoalsPresented by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) and the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) This side event, moderated by Ramón Cruz, ITDP, discussed ways to ensure better integration of the transport sector in the long-term national decarbonization strategies of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).  Cruz presented an ITDP report titled ‘Three Revolutions in Urban Transportation: How to achieve the full potential of vehicle electrification, automation and shared mobility in urban transportation systems around the world by 2050.’ He called for supportive policies to maximize the benefits of the three “revolutions” described in the report. Cornie Huizenga, Secretary General, Partnership on Sustainable Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT), outlined an actionable vision of transport decarbonization towards implementation of the Paris Agreement. Stressing the aim of reaching net zero emissions in the sector, he emphasized the need to strengthen leadership on low-carbon transport. Among the milestones required to take the transport sector to 1.5°C, Huizenga identified urban transformation, low-carbon energy supply strategy, model efficiency improvement and shortened supply chains.   Gregor Pawlowski, BlaBlaCar Germany, said his company is the world’s largest carpooling platform with over 40 million members worldwide. He pointed out that, with around 76% of travel in Europe done by car, the average occupancy rate per city-to-city ride is only 1.7. Noting that sharing a ride “always makes sense,” he indicated that the average occupancy rate among BlaBlaCar users is 2.8. Jean-François Gagné, International Energy Agency (IEA), highlighted “avoid, shift, improve” strategies for reducing emissions from transport. He observed that emissions from transport in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries have peaked but could be rapidly reduced and that, with the right policies, transport emissions in non-OECD countries could be brought back to current levels by 2050. Gagné highlighted the IEA’s Electric Vehicle Initiative, noting that setting ambitious targets can drive accelerated progress towards emission reductions.  Among challenges faced by her country’s transport sector, Pacifica Achieng Ogola, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Kenya, highlighted transport access, urban congestion, the growing urban population and the quality of roads. She informed participants that Kenya’s emission reduction target reflected in its NDC includes the transport sector.  Kathrine von Graevenitz, Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), highlighted that pricing carbon is instrumental to fostering low-carbon transport. Among available abatement options, she listed reduction of carbon content in fuel, fuel economy in cars and other vehicles, and changing driving behaviors and transport demand, all of which can be addressed though pricing carbon. Highlighting the role of voluntary approaches, she pointed out that “incentives matter,” and their effects can be long lasting.    Marcel Beukeboom, Climate Envoy, the Netherlands, cautioned against looking at sectors in isolation and highlighted the importance of bringing stakeholders to the table. He noted: the Netherlands’ goal of all new cars being electric by 2035; that all Dutch trains have run on wind energy since 2016; and the significance of replicating his country’s experience with bicycles.  In the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: second-hand electric vehicle use in Africa; fuel economy standards for second-hand cars; the role of policies in improving cost effectiveness of electric vehicles; obstacles to electrification of the car fleet; and the role of multi-stakeholder cooperation and public-private partnerships in transport sector decarbonization. L-R: Ramón Cruz, ITDP; Gregor Pawlowski, BlaBlaCar Germany; Marcel Beukeboom, Climate Envoy, the Netherlands; Kathrine von Graevenitz, ZEW; Cornie Huizenga, Secretary General, SLoCaT; and Jean-François Gagné, IEA Ramón Cruz, ITDP, noted that, compared to business as usual, the scenario involving automation, electrification and sharing produces “impressive global results.” L-R: Ramón Cruz, ITDP; Gregor Pawlowski, BlaBlaCar Germany; Marcel Beukeboom, Climate Envoy, the Netherlands; Kathrine von Graevenitz, ZEW; Cornie Huizenga, Secretary General, SLoCaT; and Jean-François Gagné, IEA Cornie Huizenga, Secretary General, SLoCaT, said the “time is right for a Transport Decarbonization Alliance.” Gregor Pawlowski, BlaBlaCar Germany, said that 12 million people travel using BlaBlaCar each quarter. Jean-François Gagné, IEA, indicated that electric vehicles could play a much larger role, and setting ambitious targets can drive accelerated progress. Marcel Beukeboom, Climate Envoy, the Netherlands, highlighted cooperation between the public and private sectors and civil society in the Netherlands. Ramón Cruz, ITDP, noted that, compared to business as usual, the scenario involving automation, electrification and sharing produces “impressive global results.” Pacifica Achieng Ogola, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Kenya, said that her country’s NDC includes climate proofing roads, enhancing transport systems and building roads’ resilience. Contact: Ramón Cruz (Moderator) | ramon.cruz@itdp.org  Kathrine von Graevenitz | vongraevenitz@zew.de More Information: https://www.itdp.org/ http://www.zew.de/en/ Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency: Initial Results and Future Expectations Presented by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UN Environment This side event focused on analyzing initial results of, and expectations for, the Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) Global Coordination Platform, an initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and jointly implemented by UNDP and UN Environment. Damiano Borgogno, UNDP, moderated the event. Suzanne Lekoyiet, UN Environment, said that UN Environment has supported countries in meeting their reporting requirements under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). She said that the CBIT will support developing countries by: improving transparency over time; assembling teams of experts to meet enhanced monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) requirements under the Paris Agreement; providing tools, templates, technical assistance and training; and providing a platform for networking and sharing information and knowledge. She noted that UN Environment has supported the preparation of three CBIT concept notes to date. Toby Hedger, UNFCCC Secretariat, said Article 13 of the Paris Agreement (transparency) includes three key elements: reporting; technical expert review; and multilateral facilitative consideration. She noted that while modalities, procedures and guidelines for these elements are still being negotiated, many preparations can already occur. She highlighted the need to build capacity for institutional arrangements, tools and methodologies, and data and information. Dustin Schinn, GEF, said that, while the Paris Agreement “marked a turning point in the common fight against climate change,” action on the ground lags behind. Outlining CBIT access possibilities, he underscored that, in addition to providing national-level support, the CBIT provides regional and global support. He highlighted the CBIT’s Global Coordination Platform that supports knowledge exchange, peer-to-peer learning and exchange of practitioners. Shinn noted that US$38 million is currently available in the CBIT trust fund for new projects, with additional payments and pledges expected soon. Noting that only 36 Biennial Update Reports (BURs) were submitted during the first BUR cycle, and only five in the second, Damiano Borgogno, UNDP, highlighted the need to draw lessons from experiences with BURs and National Communications for integration into the Paris Agreement’s transparency framework. Mariana Kasprzyk, Uruguay, highlighted her country’s CBIT project, approved in March 2017, which consists of two components: strengthening national institutions for transparency; and providing tools, training and technical assistance for meeting the obligations under Article 13 of the Paris Agreement. Andrea Meza, Costa Rica, reflected on Costa Rica’s challenges in implementing climate policy and the “added value” of the CBIT. Highlighting her country’s national transparency framework, she reported that the CBIT has helped generate a “more integrated and sophisticated system” by supporting data-driven decision making and facilitating efficient institutional arrangements.  Miriam Hinostroza, UNEP DTU Partnership, introduced the CBIT Global Coordination Platform, noting “very high ambition” to create a space where countries can share information, experiences and lessons learned on transparency and MRV. Among elements the Platform could include, she highlighted: spaces to share initiatives and for donors to upload information on support being provided; a virtual library and helpdesk; and a virtual meeting place.  Kirsten Orschulok, Germany, stressed that countries need “data, facts and figures” to decide which policies and adaptation and mitigation plans are appropriate, and to adapt these policies over time. Suggesting possibilities for “South-South-North” exchange, she stressed that her country can learn how to improve its reporting and transparency systems from developing country partners.  During the ensuing discussion, participants raised, inter alia: the mission of the CBIT regarding engagement of non-governmental actors in implementation of the transparency framework; challenges of countries that applied to the CBIT; the GEF Gender Equality Action Plan and mandated stakeholder engagement; and the role of South-South cooperation in knowledge-sharing platforms. L-R: Damiano Borgogno, UNDP; Dustin Schinn, GEF; and Suzanne Lekoyiet, UN Environment Damiano Borgogno, UNDP, emphasized MRV and enhanced transparency should not only be put in place to meet international requirements, but “first and foremost for national benefits.” Toby Hedger, UNFCCC Secretariat, noted that developing countries already face challenges to timely reporting, and said support needs to continue to address these gaps and challenges. Suzanne Lekoyiet, UN Environment, stressed that, while much has been achieved under the CBIT, “urgent action” is still needed. Highlighting Costa Rica's platform for consultation, Andrea Meza, Costa Rica, noted her country's role in encouraging non-state actors to participate in climate policymaking. Andrea Meza, Costa Rica; Kirsten Orschulok, Germany; Miriam Hinostroza, UNEP DTU Partnership; and Mariana Kasprzyk, Uruguay Contact: Damiano Borgogno | damiano.borgogno@undp.org More Information: https://www.thegef.org/topics/capacity-building-initiative-transparency-cbit Around the Venue

On Tuesday, delegates to the eighteenth meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (ICP-18) continued their discussions under the theme of “effects of climate change on oceans, including environmental, social and economic implications.” In the morning, delegates heard six presentations on climate change impacts related to: Western boundary currents, highlighting the Agulhas Current; action on ocean acidification (OA); OA and ecosystem management; ocean productivity and oxygenation in the South Eastern Pacific; the role of coastal and marine ecosystems in climate mitigation; and the vulnerability of low-lying islands. Discussions focused on: the role of dynamic MPAs in protecting pelagic species in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJs); OA impacts in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf and impacts on calcium carbonate shell organisms; use of MPAs for seagrass sites and for reversing dead zones; the impact of climate-related migration of fish species in the tropics and sub-tropics; the impossibility of controlling Western boundary currents to direct heat transport; national actions; scientific data on OA; and various approaches on carbon sequestration. In the afternoon, five presentations on oceans and climate change focused on: forecasting and anticipating impacts on fisheries and aquaculture; sustaining global marine fisheries; OA and economic impacts; implications for food security in Sub-Saharan African fisheries (via webcast); and ecosystem effects in polar waters. Discussions focused on: effects of reduced sea ice on underwater productivity, and justifications for focusing on small scale fisheries. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report in English and French from the 18th Meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Dimitri Gutiérrez Aguilar, Institute of Marine Research, Peru Elizabeth Jewett, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), US Lisa Beal, University of Miami Katharina Fabricius, Australian Institute of Marine Science Co-Chair Kornelios Korneliou, Cyprus Carmen Mifsud, Malta Marlene Moses, Nauru, presenting on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Jennifer Howard, Conservation International presentation on clarifying the role of coastal and marine systems in climate mitigation. The presentation by Carlos Garcia Soto, Spanish Institute of Oceanography on forecasting and anticipating effects of climate change on fisheries and aquaculture. Jennifer Howard, Conservation International Co-Chair Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, Peru Andi Eka Sakya, Indonesia Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria From L-R: Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; Maria Fossheim, Institute of Marine Research, Norway; Nathalie Hilmi, Monaco Scientific Center; Co-Chair Kornelios Korneliou, Cyprus; Co-Chair Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, Peru; Dmitry Gonchar, UNDOALOS; William Cheung, University of British Columbia, Canada; and Carlos Garcia Soto, Spanish Institute of Oceanography William Cheung, University of British Columbia, Canada Nathalie Hilmi, Monaco Scientific Center Hassan Moustahfid, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Carlos Garcia Soto, Spanish Institute of Oceanography Barbara Boechat, Brazil Ko Barrett, US Luke Daunivalu, Fiji Sesselja Sigurðardóttir, Iceland Maria Fossheim, Institute of Marine Research, Norway Essam Yassin Mohammed, International Institute for Environment and Development, talked about the impacts of climate change on fisheries (via webcast) Nadia Deckert, France, with Cyrille Barnerias, Global Environment Facility (GEF) Francisco Armando Arias Isaza, Institute of Marine Research, Colombia, and Keith Lennon, Canada Participants networking during the lunch break Isaías Medina Mejías, Venezuela, with Eglantine Cujo, EU Around the Venue The Japanese Peace Bell Reclining Figure: Hand, Henry Moore Single Form, Barbara Hepworth