Least Developed Countries

Highlights for Sunday, 2 December 2018 Ovais Sarmad, UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa, and Frank Bainimarama, COP 23/CMP 13/CMA 1-2 President, sit on the dais as the Katowice Climate Change Conference begins The Katowice Climate Change Conference opened on Sunday, 2 December, a day earlier than originally scheduled. Parties used this extra day to launch work under all of the bodies meeting at the conference: The 24th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 24) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); The 14th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 14); The 3rd part of the first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the parties for the Paris Agreement (CMA 1-3); 49th session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 49); 49th session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 49); and The 7th part of the first session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA 1-7). There were several reminders throughout the day of the urgency of the work to complete the details that will operationalize the Paris Agreement, which is due by the close of this meeting. As COP 24 President Michał Kurtyka explained, the work will be “multi-layered,” involving technical discussions and, when needed, discussions elevated to heads of delegations to unlock progress.For more details on the day’s events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB). IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily reports, daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis from the Katowice Climate Change Conference – December 2018. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Morning Plenary UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa, Frank Bainimarama, COP 23/CMP 13/CMA 1-2 President, and Michał Kurtyka, COP 24/CMP 14/CMA 1-3 President, arrive in plenary View of the dais during the morning plenary The COP Presidency is handed over to Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President Frank Bainimarama, COP 23 President Delegates during plenary Amjad Abdulla, Maldives Andrew Neustaetter, US Patrick Suckling, Australia Mohamed Nasr, Gabon, speaking on behalf of the African Group Opening Plenaries for SBI, SBSTA, and APA SBI Chair Emmanuel Dlamini, eSwatini, convenes the SBI opening plenary SBI Chair Emmanuel Dlamini, eSwatini Thiago de Araujo Mendes, Brazil SBSTA Chair Paul Watkinson, France, convenes the SBSTA opening plenary Elena Manaenkova, Deputy Secretary-General, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Jane Hupe, International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Delegates from Saudi Arabia in negotiation with SBSTA Chair Paul Watkinson, France, during the plenary APA Co-Chair Sarah Baashan, Saudi Arabia, convenes the APA opening plenary APA Contact Group APA Co-Chair Jo Tyndall, New Zealand, convenes the APA Contact Group APA family photo SBI, SBSTA, and APA Joint Plenary View of the joint plenary Vladimir Uskov, COP Vice-President Wael Aboulmagd, Egypt, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China Gebru Jember Endalew, Ethiopia, speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Yoo Yeonchul, Republic of Korea, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) Carolina Díaz Acosta, Colombia, speaking on behalf of the Independent Association of Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC) Ayman Shasly, Saudi Arabia, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group Helmut Hojesky, EU Ravi Prasad, India, speaking on behalf of Brazil, South Africa, India, and China (BASIC) Majid Shafiepour, Iran, speaking on behalf of the Like-minded Developing Countries (LMDCs) Ruth Kaviok, Indigenous Peoples Zhenglin Liu and Maria Auma, Youth NGOs (YOUNGOs) Informal Consultations throughout the Day Delegates consult informally throughout the day Around the Venue Delegates gather on the first day of COP 24 Helen Plume, New Zealand, speaks with a delegate Kishan Kumarsingh, Trinidad and Tobago, speaks with SBSTA Chair Paul Watkinson, France Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa, and Alex Saier, UNFCCC Secretariat, during a press conference Delegates from Monaco 'Sustaina Claus' speaks with a delegate Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President Members of the EIG wear pieces of green to show their commitment to creating a green future Frank Bainimarama, COP 23/CMP 13/CMA 1-2 President, takes photographs with UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa UN Security at the start of plenary SBSTA Chair Paul Watkinson, France; Wanna Tanunchaiwatana, SBSTA Coordinator; SBI Chair Emmanuel Dlamini, eSwatini; Katia Simeonova, SBI Coordinator; APA Co-Chairs Jo Tyndall, New Zealand, and Sarah Baashan, Saudi Arabia; and Sergey Kononov, APA Coordinator Mehmet Emin Birpınar, Turkey Delegates speak informally Helmut Hojesky, Austria, speaks with a delegate Delegates between sessions

L-R: Jean D'Cunha, UN Women; Kirsi Madi, Director, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR); Amjad Mohamed-Saleem, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC); Adalah Atteereh, Minister of Environment, Palestine; Iman Rafei, Deputy Governor, Zgharta District, Lebanon; and Richard Asaba Bagonza, Kampala International University, Uganda The Africa-Arab Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) continued on Friday, 12 October in Tunis, Tunisia. IISD/RS covered a selection of sessions on: gender inclusive DRR; partnership for DRR; and DDR in a fragile and conflict context. The session on gender inclusive DRR underscored: the gender dimensions of climate change and how gender focused research can highlight the magnitude of risks faced by men and women; boys and girls; youth; people with disabilities; and other disadvantaged groups. During the session on partnership for DRR, participants considered the role of scientific evidence-based assessments for strengthening intergovernmental processes around DRR and how enhancing participatory, self-led meaningful engagement is key to successful partnerships. A special session on DRR in a fragile and conflict context addressed the global trend of increased vulnerability to disaster and how empowering women has led to environmental and social gains, reinforcing the need to empower local leadership in the absence of state leadership.In the afternoon, an Africa-Arab High-Level Session focused on enhancing coherence among DRR, climate change and SDGs for inclusive, resilient and sustainable development in Africa and Arab regions. Participants compared progress on integrating the Sendai Framework with the post-2015 processes such as the SDGs, and Paris Agreement within the Africa and Arab States, and identified common areas of interest for the two regions for future collaboration.Arab States and Africa plenary sessions provided participants an opportunity to reflect and comment on the draft Tunis declaration for the sixth high-level meeting on DRR. In the evening, participants attended a reception hosted by the Government of Tunisia. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, is provided daily coverage and a summary report from the Africa-Arab Platform on DRR. Photos by IISD/ENB | Natalia Mroz For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Working Session 5: Gender Inclusive DRR Kirsi Madi, Director, UNISDR Adalah Atteereh, Minister of Environment, Palestine Amjad Mohamed-Saleem, IFRC Richard Asaba Bagonza, Kampala International University, Uganda Iman Rafei, Deputy Governor, Zgharta District, Lebanon Jean D'Cunha, UN Women, addresses the room Working Session 6: Partnership for DRR L-R: Chadi Abdallah, National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS); Ibrahim Adam El Dukheri, Director-General, Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD); Dominique Kuitsouc, Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), African Union; Quamrul Chowdhury, Lead Climate Negotiator, LDC States; Reda Shmait, UN Major Group for Children and Youth (UN-MGCY); and Ailsa Holloway, Director, Periperi U Secretariat Ibrahim Adam El Dukheri, Director-General, AOAD Reda Shmait, UN-MGCY Quamrul Chowdhury, Lead Climate Negotiator, LDCs Ailsa Holloway, Periperi U Chadi Abdallah, CNRS Dominique Kuitsouc, ECCAS Disaster Risk Reduction in a Fragile and Conflict Context: National and Local Perspectives L-R: Nina Stuurman, International Organization for Migration (IOM); Katie Peters, ODI; Hamza Said Hamza, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Somalia; Abdessalam Ould Ahmed, FAO; and Banak Dei Wal, Director General of Disaster Management, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, South Sudan Abdessalam Ould Ahmed, FAO Nina Stuurman, IOM, and Katie Peters, ODI Banak Dei Wal, Director General of Disaster Management, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, South Sudan Hamza Said Hamza, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Somalia A participant intervenes during the discussion session A participant engages in discussions with panelists Africa-Arab Official Statements Damene Darota, Deputy Commissioner, Ethiopia Soltan Saad Al-Moraikhi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Qatar Africa-Arab High-Level Session: Enhancing Coherence Among DRR, Climate Change and SDGs for Inclusive, Resilient and Sustainable Development in Africa and Arab Regions L-R: Jill De Villiers, Executive Producer, CNBC Africa; Khangeziwe Mabuza, Principal Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office, eSwatini; Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG), UNISDR; Adalah Atteereh, Minister of Environment, Palestine; Sheikh Saleh Habimana, Ambassador of Rwanda to Tunisia; and Nada Al-Agizy, Director, Sustainable Development and International Cooperation, League of Arab States Khangeziwe Mabuza, Principal Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office, eSwatini L-R: Jill De Villiers, CNBC Africa, and Khangeziwe Mabuza, Principal Secretary, Prime Minister Office, eSwatini Mami Mizutori, UNISDR Nada Al-Agizy, Director, Sustainable Development and International Cooperation, League of Arab States Sheikh Saleh Habimana, Ambassador of Rwanda to Tunisia Panelists pose for a photograph Tunis Declaration Draft Discussions A view of the room during consideration of the draft Tunis declaration by the Arab States Habib Ben Moussa, Ministry of Local Affairs and Environment, Tunisia and Amjad Abbashar, Chief, UNISDR Regional Office for Africa co-chaired the African drafting committee Around the Venue    

  L-R: IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore, in discussion with Ma Xinmin, China On Wednesday, 12 September, during the first session of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on an international legally binding instrument (ILBI) under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), the informal working group on marine genetic resources (MGRs) continued to exchange views on: •    scope, including digital sequence information; •    access; •    benefit-sharing, including modalities and beneficiaries; and •    intellectual property rights. For extensive details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, provided daily reports and daily web coverage from BBNJ IGC 1. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report from the meeting.   Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page L-R: IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore; Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; and Charlotte Salpin, UNDOALOS Sora Lokita, Indonesia Ana Villatta, El Salvador Angel Horna, Peru Amavaz Ghobadi Largroudi, Iran Thembile Joyini, South Africa Sibylle Vermont, Switzerland Juliette Babb-Riley, Barbados, on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Konrad Marciniak, EU Hiroko Muraki Gottlieb, International Council of Environmental Law Mohammed Atlassi, Morocco Mehdi Remaoun, Algeria, on behalf of the African Group Khurshed Alam, Bangladesh, on behalf of the Least Developed Countries L-R: Miguel de Serpa Soares, Secretary-General of the IGC, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel; MGRs Informal Working Group Facilitator Janine Coye-Felson, Belize; and Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS Miguel de Serpa Soares, Secretary-General of the IGC, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel MGRs Informal Working Group Facilitator Janine Coye-Felson, Belize Yolannie Cerrato, Honduras Renato Leonardi, Brazil Yagya Raj Poudyal, Nepal Carlos Mata, Uruguay View of the Informal Working Group on MGRs in session Tetsuya Yoshimoto, Japan Alain Tellier, Canada Pablo Arrocha Olabuenaga, Mexico Demosthenes Escoto, the Philippines L-R: IGC President Rena Lee, Singapore; Rose Kautoke, Tonga; and Kristina Gjerde, IUCN L-R: Emad Morcos Mattar, Egypt, in conversation with Lisa Speer, Natural Resources Defense Council L-R: Andreas Papaconstantinou, EU, in conversation with Evan Bloom, US