European Union

The eighteenth meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (ICP-18) opened on 15 May 2017 at the UN Headquarters in New York, under the theme: “The effects of climate change on oceans.” In the morning, delegates heard opening remarks from: Co-Chairs Gustavo Meza-Cuadra and Kornelios Korneliou; Stephen Mathias, Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs; Thomas Gass, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), on behalf of Wu Hongbo, UN DESA; Shifaana Thowfeequ, Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS), on behalf of Acting Under-Secretary General Heidi Schroderus-Fox; Peter Thomson, President of the UN General Assembly; and Co-Chairs of the Ad Hoc Working Group of the Whole (AHWGW) Juliette Babb-Riley and Carolyn Schwalger. In the afternoon, Co-Chair Korneliou introduced the informal session, a discussion panel on “the effects of climate change on oceans, including environmental, social and economic implications.” Delegates heard presentations on: findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report and preparations for the Sixth Assessment; ecosystem services and climate change, including thermal adaptation; climate projections and predictions: challenges and possible solutions; the effects of climate change on the coasts of a highly vulnerable and Megadiverse Country: the case of Colombia; effects of climate change on the oceans (via webcast); and oceanic impacts on regional climate and the Argo Programme. 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 View of the dais Co-Chair Kornelios Korneliou, Cyprus Peter Thomson, President of the UN General Assembly Thomas Gass, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) Shifaana Thowfeequ, UN Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) Stephen Mathias, Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Co-Chair Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, Peru Juliette Babb-Riley, Co-Chair, Ad Hoc Working Group of the Whole (AHWGW) Margo Deiye, Nauru, on behalf of Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) Carmen Mifsud, Malta, speaking for the EU Carolyn Schwalger, Co-Chair, AHWGW Diedre Mills, Jamaica Isaías Medina Mejías, Venezuela Andi Eka Sakya, Indonesia Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Luis Oña Garcés, Ecuador, on behalf of the G-77/China Lucía Raffin, Argentina Tevita Suka Mangisi, Tonga Sesselja Sigurðardóttir, Iceland Kate Neilson, New Zealand Luke Daunivalu, Fiji Delegates from Indonesia Presentations View of the panel during the afternoon session Ko Barrett, Vice-Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Françoise Gaill, Committee for Marine and Coastal Research, France Fangli Qiao, Government Secretary General and Deputy Director General, First Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, China Philip Sutton, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, New Zealand Francisco Armando Arias Isaza, Institute of Marine Research, Colombia Elva Escobar Briones, National Autonomous University of Mexico, talked about the effects of climate change on the oceans (via webcast) Around the Venue Sphere Within a Sphere, by Arnaldo Pomodoro Non-Violence, by Fredrik Reuterswärd A view of Long Island City, Queens from the UN Headquarters

The Bonn Climate Change Conference continued on Saturday. Informal consultations met throughout the day to discuss issues under the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA), the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA). In the afternoon, the APA contact group met to facilitate interaction between parties and representatives of the Adaptation Committee, the LDC Expert Group (LEG), the Standing Committee on Finance (SCF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF). A joint informal plenary of the SBI, SBSTA and APA also convened in the afternoon. Among mandated events, the multilateral assessment met during the morning and the first meeting of the Paris Committee on Capacity-building met throughout the day. 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 Special Event with the UN Deputy Secretary-General View of the dais during the special event Salaheddine Mezouar, COP 22 / CMP 12 President UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa Nazhat Shameem Khan, Fiji, incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 Presidency UN Security during the event Hussein Alfa Nafo, Mali, speaking on behalf of the African Group Simone Borg, EU Walter Espinel, Ecuador, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China Gebru Jember, Ethiopia, speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Jorge Arturo Cabrera Hidalgo, Guatemala, speaking on behalf of the Independent Association for Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC) Patrick Suckling, Australia, speaking on behalf of the Umbrella Group Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) Multilateral Assessment Delegates gather for the second day of multilateral assessments Anna Broadhurst, New Zealand André Weidenhaupt, Luxembourg Trigg Talley, US Patrícia Soares Leite, Brazil Ana Danila, EU Jaivardhan Ramanlal Bhatt, India UN Deputy Secretay-General Meeting with Observers UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed holds a roundtable discussion with observers Wael Hmaidan, Climate Action Network (CAN) International UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed Informal Consultations and Contact Groups throughout the Day APA informal consultations on further matters except the Adaptation Fund SBI contact group on arrangements for intergovernmental meetings APA informal consultations on adaptation communications APA informal consultations on the global stocktake Civil Society Demonstration Members of civil society demonstrate in the hallways, calling on delegates to 'step up' to close the emissions gap Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) Contact Group View of the dais during the APA contact group APA Co-Chair Sarah Baashan, Saudi Arabia Georg Børsting, Co-Chair, Standing Committee on Finance (SCF) Clifford Mahlung, Co-Chair, Adaptation Committee Beth Lavender, Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) Member Ayman Shasly, Co-Chair, Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board Xolisa Ngwadla, South Africa Laura Juliana Arciniegas Rojas, Colombia, speaking on behalf of AILAC Kulthoum Motsumi, Botswana, speaking on behalf of the African Group Joint Informal Plenary of SBI, SBSTA and APA on the Paris Agreement Linkages View of the dais during the joint informal plenary SBI Chair Tomasz Chruszczow, Poland APA Co-Chair Jo Tyndall, New Zealand SBSTA Chair Carlos Fuller, Belize Liang Pei, China Ian Fry, Tuvalu Adão Soares Barbosa, Timor-Leste Around the Venue UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed arrives at the venue UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed with Salaheddine Mezouar, COP 22 / CMP 12 President and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa A meeting is held between the UN Deputy Secretary-General, the UNFCCC Executive Secretary 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 Hamza Tber, COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed with delegates from Africa Trigg Talley, US, speaks with delegates Delegates from Grenada Delegates from Germany, Norway, Poland and Australia meet between sessions Delegates speak informally Yorio Ito, Japan, and Zaheer Fakir, South Africa Delegates from Papua New Guinea

The Bonn Climate Change Conference continued on Friday. Informal consultations convened throughout the day to discuss issues under the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA), the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA). The COP 22 and COP 23 Presidencies met with observers to discuss the 2018 facilitative dialogue in the morning. A joint SBSTA/SBI contact group met on the scope of the next periodic review of the long-term goal under the Convention and of overall progress towards achieving it. Several mandated events convened, including: Technical Expert Meeting (TEM) on mitigation; Paris Committee on Capacity-building; and multilateral assessment. 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 Joint COP 22 Presidency and Incoming COP 23 Presidency Consultation with Observer Organizations on the 2018 Facilitative Dialogue COP 22 Presidency and incoming COP 23 Presidency consult observers on the 2018 Facilitative Dialogue Nazhat Shameem Khan, Fiji, incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 Presidency Aziz Mekouar, Morocco, COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency Yunus Arikan, Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) Naoyuki Yamagishi, Climate Action Network (CAN) International Anabella Rosemberg, Trade Union NGOs (TUNGOs) Jan Kowalzig, Oxfam International Technology Executive Committee (TEC) Special Event on Innovation Delegates gather for the TEC special event on innovation  Michael Rantil, Chair, TEC UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa and Ségolène Royal, Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy, France Panel speakers during the session Youba Sokona, Vice-Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Zitouni Ould-Dada, UN Environment  Bruce Campbell, CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security  Katharina Tomoff, Deutsch Post DHL Group Anders Wijkman, Club of Rome Participants ask questions during the interactive dialogue Joshua Romisher, Off-Grid Electric Tanzania Limited  Xiaomei Duan, Far East BRT Planning, China  Glenroy Brown, Jamaican Meteorological Service Masaaki Okabe, Asahi Glass Co., Japan Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) Multilateral Assessment Delegates during the SBI multilateral assessment Matthew Jones, Canada SBI Chair Tomasz Chruszczow, Poland SBI Vice Chair Chen Zhihua, China Xing Fan, China Adriano Santhiago de Oliveira, Brazil Helmut Hojesky, Austria Dylan Muggeridge, New Zealand Erik Adriansson, Sweden Ricardo Fernandez, EU Irina Yesserkepova, Kazakhstan Informal Consultations Throughout the Day APA informal consultations on further matters except the Adaptation Fund APA informal consultations on modalities, procedures and guidelines for the transparency framework APA informal consultations on the Adaptation Fund With rooms filled to capacity, delegates sit on the floor to listen to the discussions Technical Expert Meeting (TEM) Closing View of the dais during the TEM closing Inia Seruiratu, Minister of Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, and High-Level Climate Champion, Fiji María José Sanz Sanchez, Basque Centre for Climate Change Matthew Reddy, WBCSD Martin Frick, Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Stella Gama, TEC Nick Nuttall, UNFCCC Secretariat Federico Villatico Campbell, Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) William Agyemang-Bonsu, UNFCCC Secretariat Around the Venue Ségolène Royal, Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy, France, speaks with a delegate Aziz Mekouar, Morocco, COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency, speaks with Nazhat Shameem Khan, Fiji, incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 Presidency and James Cameron, Fiji Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, Leadership for Environment and Development, and Mairi Dupar, Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) Neoka Naidoo and Janet Kachinga, Climate Action Network (CAN) International Delegates from Kuwait A delegate reads the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) to keep track of negotiations Xolisa Ngwadla, South Africa, speaks with delegates Delegates speak informally

The Bonn Climate Change Conference continued on Thursday. Informal consultations met throughout the day to discuss issues under the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA), the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA). The APA contact group met during the afternoon to take stock of progress. Several mandated events also met, including: an in-session workshop to develop possible elements of the gender action plan under the UNFCCC; two Technical Expert Meetings (TEMs) on mitigation, focusing on attracting private sector investors and business solutions for ambitious mitigation actions in land use and building partnerships to accelerate implementation; and the first meeting of the Paris Committee on Capacity-building. 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 Technical Expert Meeting (TEM) on Mitigation: Private Sector Engagement Panel speakers for the TEM on mitigation, focused on attracting private sector investors and business solutions for ambitious mitigation actions in land use Katia Simeonova, UNFCCC Secretariat Matthew Reddy, World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Theo de Jager, World Farmers' Organization Conor Lennon, WBCSD Romano De Vivo, Syngenta Participants during the session First Meeting of the Paris Committee on Capacity-building (PCCB) Members of the PCCB Rita Mishaan, Guatemala Co-Chair Mohamed Nbou, Morocco Co-Chair Matti Nummelin, Finland Marzena Chodor, Poland Crispin d'Auvergne, Saint Lucia Mahawan Karuniasa, Indonesia Richard Mfumu Lungu, Zambia Renilde Ndayishimiye, Burundi Participants during the session Informal Consultations throughout the Day APA informal consultations on adaptation communications APA informal consultations on the global stocktake APA informal consultations on modalities, procedures and guidelines for the transparency framework APA informal consultation on further matters In-Session Workshop: Gender Action Plan under the UNFCCC On the second day of the in-session workshop focused on gender, participants broke out into small groups to discuss a variety of themes, including capacity building, gender-responsive implementation, gender balance and participation, and monitoring and reporting. Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) Contact Group Delegates gather for the APA contact group APA Co-Chair Sarah Baashan, Saudi Arabia APA Co-Chair Jo Tyndall, New Zealand, and Co-Facilitator for agenda item 8 - other matters Andrew Rakestraw, US, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 5 - transparency framework Beth Lavender, Canada, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 4 - adaptation communications Peter Horne, Australia, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 7 - committee to facilitate implementation and promote compliance Pieter Terpstra, the Netherlands, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 8 - further matters, Adaptation Fund Jacob Werksman, EU Ilze Prūse, Latvia, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 6 - global stocktake Gertraud Wollansky, Austria, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 3 - mitigation Walter Espinel, Ecuador, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China Raed Albasseet, Saudi Arabia, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group Majid Shafie-Pour, Iran, speaking on behalf of the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDCs) Dina Spörri, Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) APA family photo Civil Society Demonstration Members of civil society line the stairs calling for nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to go up, reminding delegates they must not 'back out' of their commitments Around the Venue Ian Fry, Tuvalu Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Marcela Main Sancha, UNFCCC Secretariat Members of civil society meet in the corridors Teresa Jane Hannaway, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the youngest delegate attending the meeting Jukka Uosukainen, Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), speaks with SBSTA Chair Carlos Fuller, Belize Delegates between sessions Delegates meet informally

The following side events were covered by ENBOTS on Thursday, 11 May 2017: Scaling Up Green Energy Finance: Swapping Fossil Fuel Subsidies for Sustainable Energy Solutions Re-discovering the Lost Magnificent Carbon Storage in Wetlands Integrating Human Rights into Climate Action after Paris Mitigation Action through Article 6 of the Paris Agreement Ensuring Integrity of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement – Challenges and Opportunities from a Civil Society Perspective Update on the Findings of the Health Impacts and Co-benefits of Climate Change 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 Scaling Up Green Energy Finance: Swapping Fossil Fuel Subsidies for Sustainable Energy SolutionsPresented by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), the Government of Denmark, the Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM) and the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform (FFFSR) This session, moderated by Karoliina Anttonen, Ministry of Environment, Finland, focused on how governments can scale up investments in green energy by “making the switch” from fossil fuel subsidies to sustainable energy subsidies. Highlighting the climate change mitigation, clean air and health benefits of fossil fuel subsidy reform, Hans Jakob Eriksen, Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate, Denmark, launched the report ‘Making the Switch from Fossil Fuel Subsidies to Sustainable Energy,’ funded by the NCM. He underlined that, in an “ideal world,” fossil fuel subsidies would be removed and reallocated to renewable energy and energy efficiency measures. He noted the feasibility of introducing reforms now, while oil prices are low. Laura Merrill, Global Subsidies Initiatives (GSI), IISD, described the report as a “primer” on fossil fuel subsidies, underlining the scope of such subsidies is US$425 billion annually. Highlighting these subsidies’ “regressive” nature, she stressed that much more effective interventions exist to target the poor. Kindy Syahrir, Ministry of Finance, Indonesia, noted that fossil fuel subsidies in his country currently represent just one tenth of what they used to be before reforms began in 2015. He underscored how the relevant funding is better spent on renewable energy, green infrastructure, health, education and other social programmes. Oras Tynkkynen, Sitra, outlined findings by the Finnish innovation fund that scaling up existing solutions in both the global North and South could dramatically cut global greenhouse gas emissions. He said that the necessary investments could be financed by diverting “a fraction” of fossil fuel subsidies and invited interested countries to get in touch to explore the potential of existing climate solutions in their national contexts.  Noting that public finance needs to be used very efficiently, Mikko Halonen, Gaia Consulting, noted efforts by Nordic countries to operationalize and mobilize climate finance by facilitating investments through de-risking and enhancing the bankability of climate projects. In the ensuing discussion, participants raised, inter alia: the relevance of fossil fuel subsidy reform in the redesign of countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs); the need for a “vocabulary shift” that does not only emphasize fossil fuel subsidy reform, but also a reallocation of funds to finance sustainable development objectives; and challenges in defining “subsidies,” and what constitutes an “inefficient” subsidy. Participants also highlighted: “rent-seeking” with regard to fossil fuel subsidy policies; “the elephant in the room” of political economy; the need for a carbon price; and the need to take into account political realities and alignments in order to achieve successful reform. (L-R): Oras Tynkkynen, Sitra; Mikko Halonen, Gaia Consulting; Hans Jakob Eriksen, Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate, Denmark; Laura Merrill, GSI, IISD; Kindy Syahrir, Ministry of Finance, Indonesia; and Karoliina Anttonen, Ministry of Environment, Finland Kindy Syahrir, Ministry of Finance, Indonesia, highlighted how his country’s national energy targets can be financed through reform of fossil fuel subsidies, which until recently took up 35% of Indonesia’s budget. Karoliina Anttonen, Ministry of Environment, Finland, moderated the event. Mikko Halonen, Gaia Consulting, underlined that in addition to “switching off” old approaches, new solutions need to be “switched on” to achieve a sustainable and equitable social transformation. Oras Tynkkynen, Sitra, highlighted that the equivalent of the combined emissions of France and the UK could be reduced if all countries used as much wind power as Denmark and Brazil, stressing the necessary investment in 2030 would cost just a month’s worth of direct fossil fuel subsidies. Hans Jakob Eriksen, Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate, Denmark, stressed, “we are looking at very big opportunities, both from a financial and a climate mitigation perspective.” Underscoring the challenges of financing the Sustainable Development Goals, Laura Merrill, IISD, urged fossil fuel subsidy reform and reallocation to help achieve these targets. Arturo Balderas, University of Toronto   Contact: Laura Merrill (Organizer) | lmerrill@iisd.org Hans Jakob Eriksen (Organizer) | hajae@efkm.dk  Anna Laitinen (Organizer) | anna.s.laitinen@ym.fi  More Information: www.iisd.org/gsi www.norden.org http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:norden:org:diva-4845greentoscale.net Re-Discovering the Magnificent Carbon Storage Potential of Wetlands and PeatlandsPresented by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (FSU Jena) This event focused on the carbon storage potential of tropical wetlands and peatlands, and highlighted tools for the identification and location of such areas to assist climate policy making. Daniel Murdiyarso, CIFOR, moderated the event.  Rosa Maria Roman-Cuesta, CIFOR and Wageningen University and Research (WUR), presented on an expert system model underpinning a new global wetlands map with high spatial detail and a multisource approach, including satellite, climatic and topographic data. She noted that while numerous efforts have been made in the past to assess the extent of global wetlands, estimates in modeled area simulations varied four-fold. Simon Lewis, Leeds University, shared findings from recent research, which suggests the Cuvette Centrale complex in the Congo Basin is the most extensive peatland complex in the tropics. While covering 5.4% of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo, he said this area stores as much carbon as all the vegetation in these two countries combined. Frank Martin Seifert, ESA, highlighted the European Union’s Copernicus Programme, which, among other activities in the areas of environment and civil security, is helping to monitor and map peatlands from space. Noting the Programme’s free and open access data policy, he highlighted how ESA’s work in this area will support the Global Peatlands Initiative (GPI) including by improving mapping of degraded and cultivated peatlands and deriving standardized methods and best practices used for the assessment of peatlands.  Stressing that “peatlands matter for the climate,” Dianna Kopansky, UN Environment, highlighted the work of the GPI, launched at the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which aims to ensure reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by increasing knowledge of peatlands. She highlighted that the initiative has started rapid response assessments, which use existing science to identify global hotspots and policy responses. Louis Verchot, International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), highlighted good scientific progress in this area over the last decade, but stressed the need for much more work to be done. Among ways the UNFCCC process could assist, he identified: improving reporting through national GHG inventories; facilitating financial flows specifically to peatland emission abatement; and facilitating information exchange and sharing of experience through technical expert meetings and in-session workshops. In the ensuing discussion, participants raised, among other issues: difficulties of doing before-after analyses; the importance of spreading knowledge about peatlands; the importance of enabling communities to meet their livelihood aspirations, and the challenge of identifying ways that peatlands can be used in a commercially responsible way; work being done on the “wise use of wetlands;” the need to additionally focus on the Arctic, highlands, and arid and semi-arid zones; difficulties in obtaining funding to allow scientists to do the necessary research on the ground; and the need for the GPI to reach out to environmental agreements beyond the UNFCCC. (L-R): Daniel Murdiyarso, CIFOR; Rosa Maria Roman-Cuesta, CIFOR and WUR; Simon Lewis, Leeds University; Dianna Kopansky, UN Environment; Louis Verchot, CIAT; and Frank Martin Seifert, ESA Rosa Maria Roman-Cuesta, CIFOR and WUR, highlighted findings of the new global wetlands map, which shows that “there is much more peat in the tropics than previously thought,” with South America being the largest host. Daniel Murdiyarso, CIFOR, moderated the event. Simon Lewis, Leeds University; Dianna Kopansky, UN Environment; Louis Verchot, CIAT; and Frank Martin Seifert, ESA Simon Lewis, Leeds University, underscored “pressures on the horizon,” as about 20% of peatland of the Cuvette Centrale complex is already covered in allocations for logging permits. Louis Verchot, CIAT, highlighted remaining challenges in terms of understanding subsidence dynamics, fire emissions, and temporal dynamics including year-to-year variability.   Contact: Levania Santoso | l.Santoso@cgiar.org  Frank Martin Seifert | frank.martin.seifert@esa.int  Martin Herold  | martin.herold@wur.nl  More Information: http://www.globalpeatlands.org/ http://www.cifor.org/global-wetlands/ http://www.cifor.org/peatlands Integrating Human Rights in Climate Action after ParisPresented by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) This side event explored the human rights issues raised in the context of climate change, focusing on opportunities for countries to follow through on their commitments to respect, promote and consider human rights when taking climate action. The panel was moderated by Benjamin Schachter, OHCHR.  Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), celebrated the Geneva Pledge on Human Rights in Climate Action and said the initiating countries’ vision was “exemplary.” Recognizing the injustice faced by the poorest and most vulnerable in the face of climate impacts, she declared the Pledge a “guiding light” for efforts to incorporate human rights into the design of climate action. Noting that the Geneva Pledge is a voluntary and non-binding initiative, Adriana Murillo Ruin, Costa Rica, highlighted the Pledge’s aim to promote knowledge exchange between the human rights and climate change communities. She drew attention to: the importance of participatory workshops in preparation of Costa Rica’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC); and the resulting references to human rights and gender equality in Costa Rica’s NDC.  Stefan Ruchti, Switzerland, regretted that the human rights and climate change communities appear to be operating in silos. He lauded the critical role of civil society in bridging gaps between the two groups.  Alan Miller, Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), outlined the role of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) in supporting the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He stressed NHRIs’ approach of “constructive challenge” towards UN Member States and their human rights obligations.  Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Co-Chair, Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus, called for the creation of formal mechanisms to link indigenous peoples’ knowledge to adaptation programmes.  Titi Soentoro, Aksi!, shared Aksi!’s documentation of women’s experiences with nine climate projects in Indonesia. She emphasized the importance of women’s rights to participation in and information about climate action projects.  Marcos Orellana, Human Rights Watch (HRW), provided specific examples from Kenya and Bangladesh of the linkages between climate change and human rights. He questioned how the reference to human rights in the preamble of the Paris Agreement would be implemented in the treaty’s rulebook.  Noting that Fiji was one of the first signatories to the Geneva Pledge, Nazhat Shameem Khan, Fiji, recognized the importance of “developing mutually reinforcing human rights and climate change policies.” She emphasized that the Fijian presidency will seek opportunities to ensure coherence with other multilateral agreements at COP 23.  During the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: pushbacks to the integration of human rights and climate change; ways to build countries’ confidence for the integration of human rights; the role of trade unions in expanding the space for human rights promotion; and the need for guidance from the UNFCCC for the incorporation of human rights considerations into climate action at the national level. Benjamin Schachter, OHCHR; Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC; Adrianna Murillo Ruin, Costa Rica; Stefan Ruchti, Swiss Confederation; Alan Miller, GANHRI; Titi Soentoro, Aksi!; and Marcos Orellana, HRW Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC, pointed to the Geneva Pledge as a “key moment for climate change, sustainable development and human rights.” Titi Soentoro, Aksi!, underscored that successful climate projects are “site-specific, problem-specific and solution-specific.” Marcos Orellana, HRW, said that the climate crisis requires a “holistic, integrative approach under the framework of human rights.” Adriana Murillo Ruin, Costa Rica, stressed that, despite challenges, “our political will is clear.” Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Co-Chair, Indigenous Peoples’ Caucus, emphasized that “we cannot talk about knowledge without talking about rights.” Nazhat Shameem Khan, Fiji, said that, for vulnerable countries, “the threat is already too real.” Alan Miller, GANHRI, said that NHRIs are “in gear” and “the road ahead is the one we want to travel.” Stefan Ruchti, Swiss Confederation, welcomed the guidance of the incoming COP 23 presidency on incorporation of human rights into climate action. Contact: Benjamin Schachter (Organizer) | bschachter@ohchr.org More Information: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20477&LangID=E Mitigation Action through Article 6 of the Paris AgreementPresented by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) This side event addressed possible options for decisions to be taken at the 24th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 24) with regard to transparency and the development of guidance on robust accounting. Yuji Mizuno, IGES, moderated the event.  Jean-Yves Caneill, ICTSD, presented on the outcomes of the Article 6 of the Paris Agreement roundtable discussions among parties held during the Bonn Climate Change Conference from 8-9 May 2017. He indicated that Article 6 rests on three pillars: internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs); a mechanism to contribute to the mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and support sustainable development (Article 6.4); and non-market approaches. Caneill stressed the need to ensure that mitigation is transparent, accounted for and cost-effective. Martin Hession, EU, indicated that the EU is an “enthusiastic proponent” of carbon markets based on a simple accounting system, with confidence that emission credits would not be undermined through double counting. He supported an Article 6.4 mechanism that would address all countries’ mitigation ambition and “fit in the new context” where everyone has a mitigation obligation, mitigation contributions are not expressed as economy-wide budgets, and emissions are reported. Kay Harrison, New Zealand, emphasized the need to develop a robust and inclusive accounting guidance, and described ITMOs as a “bottom-up opportunity,” urging parties to be true to the Paris Agreement and the accompanying decision. She underscored that “by working together we can generate more emissions reductions than if we stay at home and do it by ourselves.”  Noting the shift from the Kyoto Protocol’s top-down approach to a bottom-up one embedded in the Paris Agreement, Martin Lajoie, Canada, described carbon pricing as an effective tool to reduce GHG emissions. He reported on Canada’s consultations with stakeholders as a reflection of the bottom-up approach. Warning against double counting, Lajoie stressed the need for consistent measurements of mitigation outcomes that are being transferred.  Noting that Article 6 promotes cooperative approaches to achieving Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Juan Pedro Searle, Chile, identified the need for “the right infrastructure” to define sectoral responsibilities to implement his country’s NDC. He highlighted institutional arrangements for ITMOs and an Article 6.4 mechanism, and transition of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), as points of divergence.  Mandy Rambharos, South Africa, reported that her country has developed a carbon budget and is seeking to promulgate a carbon tax, noting that clarity on Article 6 could be helpful in this regard. She stressed the need to meet sustainable development criteria in the elaboration of Article 6. Kazuhisa Koakutsu, Japan, cautioned against the double claiming of credits, and highlighted reporting and the need for disclosure of information on emission unit transfers. Koakutsu reported on his country’s implementation of the Joint Crediting Mechanism as part of the bottom-up approach, and emphasized the need to ensure that Article 6 facilitates and promotes mitigation action on the ground. In the ensuing discussion, participants considered, inter alia, ways to: incentivize governments to engage in an Article 6.4 mechanism; and engage civil society in the development of country positions. (L-R): Kazuhisa Koakutsu, Japan; Mandy Rambharos, South Africa; Juan Pedro Searle, Chile; Martin Lajoie, Canada; Kay Harrison, New Zealand; and Martin Hession, EU Jean-Yves Caneill, ICTSD, said Article 6 is based on “many strong principles,” including transparency, environmental integrity and the need to avoid double counting.  Martin Hession, EU, said that, because the EU ETS has run for eight years, the EU is an “enthusiastic proponent” of carbon markets. Martin Lajoie, Canada, reported on Canada’s consultations with territories, indigenous communities, businesses and other stakeholders as a reflection of the bottom-up approach. Mandy Rambharos, South Africa, indicated that her country has developed a carbon budget and is seeking to promulgate a carbon tax. Kay Harrison, New Zealand, said that “by working together we can generate more emissions reductions than if we stay at home and do it by ourselves.” Juan Pedro Searle, Chile, said Article 6 promotes cooperative approaches to achieving NDCs. Yuji Mizuno, IGES, moderated the event. Contact: Kentaro Takahashi | k-takahashi@iges.or.jp  Ingrid Jegou | climatechange@ictsd.ch More Information: http://www.iges.or.jp/en/ http://www.ictsd.org/ Ensuring Integrity of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement – Challenges and Opportunities from a Civil Society PerspectivePresented by Carbon Market Watch, Nature Code and the German NGO Forum on Environment and Development In this side event, panelists reflected on crucial elements to ensure robust governance and social and environmental integrity of the mechanism to contribute to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and support sustainable development established under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which panelists referred to as the Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM). Aki Kachi, Carbon Market Watch, moderated the event.  Wolfgang Obergassel, Wuppertal Institute, presented an overview of parties’ views on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, focusing on: central oversight; environmental integrity; and sustainable development. He outlined challenges to ensuring the environmental integrity of individual transactions, and that use of Article 6 does not undermine climate ambition in future periods, distinguishing between these challenges as “static” and “dynamic.”  Drawing attention to differences in framing sustainable development in the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, Karen Holm Olsen, UN Environment Programme - Technical University of Denmark Partnership (UNEP-DTU), said that sustainable development is now seen as leverage for mitigation actions. She identified weaknesses in the SDM, including: the lack of mechanisms to assess and safeguard against negative impacts; and the lack of grievance mechanisms. She concluded that harmonization of sustainable development assessment mechanisms is advisable.  Stephanie La Hoz Theuer, Independent Consultant, addressed the problem of “hot air” and environmental integrity within Article 6. Presenting recent findings that “hot air” could potentially comprise 2.2 to 3.5Gt, or 22% to 66%, of all ambition in 2030, she outlined possible solutions inside and outside of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) system. La Hoz Theuer’s suggested solutions inside the UNFCCC included: the development of high-level principles that ensure the quality of units transferred internationally; and limits to the number of internationally mitigated transfer outcomes (ITMO). Her suggested solutions outside the UNFCCC included: carbon clubs; green investment schemes; and political commitments.  Juliane Voigt, Carbon Market Watch, focused on three essential building blocks for a robust SDM: design of a tool for results-based finance and not for offsetting; ensuring the SDM avoids undermining ambition; and robust governance that ensures effective public and local stakeholder participation.  Andrei Marcu, Panama, emphasized that parties subscribed in Paris to two main principles regarding Article 6: the “ethos” of a bottom-up agreement that provides options to parties; and a “unitary” agreement in which Article 6 must be considered in conjunction with other articles.  Noting that parties are still in “an early phase,” MJ Mace, Saint Lucia, stressed that her country is beginning the process of “sorting out issues” relating to Article 6. She recalled the challenges addressing “hot air” in the Kyoto Protocol, and underscored that the principles established in the Paris Agreement must guide development of the rule set. Sven Braden, Liechtenstein, described Article 6.2 on ITMOs as an “open flank” that presents risks to ensuring sustainable development. He suggested that in bringing sustainable development into the relationship between seller and buyer, the buyer should incorporate “certain standards in relation to social and environmental responsibility.” Juliane Voigt, Carbon Market Watch; Stephanie La Hoz Theuer, Independent Consultant; Wolfgang Obergassel, Wuppertal Institut; Karen Holm Olsen, UNEP-DTU; Andrei Marcu, Panama; and MJ Mace, Saint Lucia Wolfgang Obergassel, Wuppertal Institute, observed a “rather limited view of environmental integrity so far” in Article 6. Stephanie La Hoz Theuer, Independent Consultant, observed that environmental integrity is “not defined anywhere in the UNFCCC.” MJ Mace, Saint Lucia, described discussions of “hot air” as an “interesting political exercise but also a political quagmire.” Sven Braden, Liechtenstein, said that “we do not want to see windmills on coral reefs.” Andrei Marcu, Panama, said that the “CDM was never an offsetting tool.” Juliane Voigt, Carbon Market Watch, stressed that Article 6 must “be read in conjunction with other provisions of the Paris Agreement.” Contact: Marijana Todorovic (Organizer) | todorovic@forumue.de Aki Kachi (Moderator) | akikatchi@carbonmarketwatch.org More Information: http://carbonmarketwatch.org/policy-brief-building-blocks-for-a-robust-sustainable-development-mechanism/ Update on the Findings of the Health Impacts and Co-benefits of Climate ChangePresented by the World Health Organization (WHO) This side event, moderated by James Creswick, WHO, presented an overview and examples of concrete initiatives through which the public health community is supporting actions to implement the Paris Agreement.  Elizabet Paunovic, Head of the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health, delivered opening remarks, noting that the regional office for Europe deals with environmental risks to human health, including climate change. Marina Maiero, WHO, presented on progress made by the public health community under the ‘Health Action Agenda’ approved at the Second Global Conference on Health and Climate held in Paris from 7-8 July 2016, and outlined the WHO’s commitments under the action agenda, including: building climate resilience into health systems; ensuring health co-benefits of climate change mitigation measures; ensuring economic and financial support for health and climate action; raising awareness and mobilizing the health community; and measuring national progress on climate change and human health. She highlighted references to the right to health in the preamble of the Paris Agreement and to health co-benefits in Decision 1/CP.21 (Adoption of the Paris Agreement) under enhanced action prior to 2020. Maiero also emphasized that human health is reflected primarily in developing countries’ NDCs.  Gerardo Sánchez, WHO, discussed modeling the health effects of the proposed NDCs, including through impact pathway analysis, to understand how greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions turn into GHG concentrations that are then translated into health impacts. He highlighted the principle that some actions that contribute to reducing GHGs have the potential to benefit health significantly and vice versa, noting: reducing emissions of air pollutants through changes in energy production; increasing access to reproductive health; decreasing meat consumption; and increasing active transport and green space. He emphasized that the healthiest mitigation pathways will help achieve health benefits and cost savings.  Benjamin Schachter, Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR), outlined OHCHR analytical studies on: the relationship between climate change and the right to health; and the relationship between climate change and the full enjoyment of the rights of the child. He emphasized the holistic character of the right-to-health approach. Line Damsgaard, International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA), Sofia Lindegren, World Medical Association (WMA), and Andreas Sieber, Climate Tracker, focused on ways to engage the health community, civil society and youth in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Damsgaard highlighted IFMSA’s capacity-building activities at the international, regional and national levels. Lindegren outlined WMA’s latest actions on climate and health, including the WMA 2016 statement on divestment of fossil fuels. Sieber, Climate Tracker, presented on Climate Tracker’s mission to train youth to report on climate negotiations, lamenting that the climate community “does not reach out to enough diverse geographies.” During the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: Italian projects promoting inclusion of climate change material in high school curricula; consideration of mental health in assessments of health co-benefits of mitigation; WHO collaboration with Kazakhstan to incorporate climate change into medical curricula; and WHO “heat-health action plans” that support health services’ planning. (L-R): Benjamin Schachter, OHCHR; James Creswick, WHO; Elizabet Paunovic, Head of the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health; Gerardo Sánchez, WHO; and Marina Maiero, WHO Benjamin Schachter, OHCHR, addressed the interconnections among the right to health and climate change. Elizabet Paunovic, Head of the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health, delivered opening remarks. Gerardo Sánchez, WHO, discussed modelling the health effects of the proposed NDCs. James Creswick, WHO, moderated the event. (L-R): Andreas Sieber, Climate Tracker; James Creswick, WHO; Line Damsgaard, IFMSA; and Sofia Lindegren, WMA Contact: Marina Maiero | maierom@who.int More Information: http://www.who.int/en/