Organization Economic Cooperation and Development

The First Meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering SAICM and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020 entered its second day of discussions today in Brasilia, Brazil. The morning session opened with summaries of key points by the moderators of the two informal dialogues held the previous day on the themes “Looking ahead – SAICM and sound management of chemicals and waste in the light of future developments” and “Challenges and opportunities for sustainable chemistry to contribute to sustainable development.” The plenary throughout the rest of the day focused on in-depth discussions of agenda item 5, “Beyond 2020,” in terms of: vision and scope; the voluntary, multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral approach currently used by SAICM; responding to new and emerging issues; and financing implementation of the sound management of chemicals and waste. Before and after the plenary, focus groups were held to provide input from regional groups to the consultant preparing the independent evaluation of SAICM. During the lunch hour two more informal dialogues were held on the themes “Engaging partners to deliver the vision beyond 2020” and “Responding to a changing world: Addressing urgent and emerging issues.” IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage from the 1st Meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering SAICM and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has produced a summary and analysis report of the meeting, which is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Plenary A view of the room during plenary Achim Halpaap (left), UN Environment, and Fernando J. Gómez, World Economic Forum, report on Tuesday’s informal dialogues Co-Chair David Morin, Health Canada, and Brenda Koekkoek, SAICM Secretariat Jorge Peydro Aznar, EU Jutta Emig, Germany Alison Kennedy and Suzanne Leppinen, Canada Sofia Tingstorp, Sweden Heidar Ali Balouji, Iran Rikke Holmberg, Denmark Vinicius Trindade, Brazil Felix Wertli, Switzerland Jianhong Meng, China Iftikhar-ul-Hassan Shah Gilani, Pakistan Richard Fuller, Pure Earth Maria Neira, World Health Organization (WHO), addressed delegates via a video message Rowena Watson, US María Florencia Grimalt, Argentina Francis Kihumba, Kenya Juan Gómez, Colombia Sverre Thomas Jahre, Norway Somang Yang, CropLife Vladimir Lenev, Russian Federation Meriel Watts, PAN Asia Pacific Rachid Wahabi, Morocco Gilbert Kuepouo, Research and Education Centre for Development, Cameroon David Azoulay, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) Carolyn Vickers, WHO Michael Musenga, Children’s Environmental Health Foundation (CEHF), Zambia Junichi Matsumoto, Japan Odile Frank, NGO Forum for Health Rinchen Wangdi, Bhutan Griffins Ochieng’, Centre for Environment Justice and Development (CEJAD), Kenya Pirkko Kivelä, Finland Tadesse Amera, Pesticide Action Nexus Association (PAN-Ethiopia) Vassilios Karavezyris, Germany Jorge Ocaña, UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Petronella Shoko, Zimbabwe Marie-Pierre Meganck, France Bob Diederich, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Informal Dialogue 3: Engaging Partners to Deliver the Vision Beyond 2020 Felix Dodds, Tellus Institute, moderated the informal dialogue Informal Dialogue 4: Responding to a Changing World: Addressing Urgent and Emerging Issues L-R: Moderator Carolyn Vickers, WHO; María Esquivel García, Ministry of Health, Panama; Richard Fuller, Pure Earth; Thais Araújo Cavendish, Ministry of Health, Brazil; Lady Virginia Traldi, Environment Company of the State of São Paulo (CETESB), Brazil; and Alan Kaufmann, Toy Industry Association Around the Venue Delegates consult informally Delegates networking

The First Meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering SAICM and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020 opened on Tuesday, 7 February 2017, in Brasilia, Brazil. Opening remarks were provided by Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat, Naoko Ishii (by video), CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil, and Gertrud Sahler (Germany), President, Fifth International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5). The meeting then elected Leticia Reis Carvalho, Environment Ministry, Brazil, and David Morin, Health Canada, as co-chairs of the intersessional process. It also approved the provisional agenda after agreeing to amend it to provide for a separate discussion on means of implementation (MOI). Felix Dodds, Tellus Institute, provided a keynote speech on “Setting the Scene for Beyond 2020” discussing the 2030 Development Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the opportunities for linkages with the post-2020 process for chemicals and waste. Robert Nurick, consultant, discussed the interim independent evaluation report of the Strategic Approach for 2006-2015 and the process for producing the final report to be presented in 2018. The Secretariat also presented its update on SAICM progress for 2014-2016. During lunch, parallel informal dialogues were held on “Looking ahead – SAICM and sound management of chemicals and waste in the light of future developments” and “Challenges and opportunities for sustainable chemistry to contribute to sustainable development.” After lunch a high level segment was held, with keynotes provided by: Sarney Filho, Environment Minister, Brazil; Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment; Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary, German Federal Ministry for the Environment; and Amb. Carvalho. This was followed by a panel discussion including these speakers as well as Fernando Musa, CEO, Braskem, Marco Mensink, Director General, CEFIC, Jeffer Castelo Branco, Coordinator, Association for Combatting Persistent Organic Pollutants, and Erika Yamada, Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In the late afternoon plenary reconvened to begin discussion on “Beyond 2020,” focusing initially on reactions to the scope and vision outlined in the “Thought starter” prepared by the Bureau of the International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM). In the evening, delegates attended a reception hosted by the Government of Brazil. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage from the 1st Meeting of the Intersessional Process for Considering SAICM and the Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste Beyond 2020. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has produced a summary and analysis report of the meeting, which is available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Opening Session (L-R): Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil; Gertrud Sahler, Director General, German Federal Ministry of Environment, and President, Fifth International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM5); Marcelo Cruz, Executive Secretary, Environment Ministry, Brazil; and Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, GEF, addressed delegates via a video message Gertrud Sahler, Director General, German Federal Ministry of Environment, and ICCM5 President Marcelo Cruz, Executive Secretary, Environment Ministry, Brazil Brenda Koekkoek, SAICM Secretariat, shakes hands with Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil (L-R): Gertrud Sahler, Director General, German Federal Ministry of Environment, and ICCM5 President; Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil; Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat; and Marcelo Cruz, Executive Secretary, Environment Ministry, Brazil, at the end of the opening session (L-R): Jacob Duer, Principal Coordinator, SAICM Secretariat; Co-Chair Leticia Reis Carvalho, Environment Ministry, Brazil; Co-Chair David Morin, Health Canada; and Brenda Koekkoek, SAICM Secretariat Co-Chair Leticia Reis Carvalho, Environment Ministry, Brazil Co-Chair David Morin, Health Canada Felix Dodds, Tellus Institute Robert Nurick, consultant Brenda Koekkoek, SAICM Secretariat Jorge Ocaña, UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Reginald Hernaus, EU Iftikhar-ul-Hassan Shah Gilani, Pakistan Noluzuko (Zukie) Gwayi, South Africa Mohammad Hematyar, Iran David Azoulay, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) Oluday O. Dada, Expert for Africa Region Francis Kihumba, Kenya Felix Wertli, Switzerland Karissa Taylor Kovner, US María Florencia Grimalt, Argentina Achim Halpaap, UN Environment Jorge Peydro Aznar, EU Informal Dialogue 1: Looking Ahead – SAICM and Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste in the Light of Future Developments Panel speakers of the informal dialogue during Marco Mensink’s address Christabel Mibenge, Ministry of Health, Health Promotion, Environment and Social Determinants, Zambia Marco Mensink, Director General, European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC), and Bob Diederich, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Sabaa Khan, University of Eastern Finland Olga Speranskaya, International POPs Elimination Network Participants during the discussion A view of the room during the informal dialogue Informal Dialogue 2: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Chemistry to Contribute to Sustainable Development Panel speakers of the informal dialogue Marina Mattar, Brazilian Chemical Industry Association Qian Cheng, Greenpeace East Asia Jutta Emig, Ministry of Environment, Germany Noluzuko Gwayi, Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa Moderator Achim Halpaap, UN Environment Participants during the discussion A view of the room during the informal dialogue High Level Panel: A Holistic Approach to Addressing Sustainable Development The dais during the high level panel Johanna Lissinger-Peitz, Senior Adviser, Climate Change Chief Negotiator, Government of Sweden Sarney Filho, Minister of Environment, Brazil Ricardo Barros, Minister of Health, Brazil Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany Amb. José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, Under Secretary-General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil Marco Mensink, Director General, CEFIC Fernando Musa, CEO, Braskem Jeffer Castelo Branco, Coordinator, Association for Combating Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Erika Yamada, Independent Expert on the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Reception Hosted by the Government of Brazil

The following event was covered by IISD Reporting Services on Saturday, 10 December 2016: Signature and Launch of the Yucatan Peninsula Agreement on Sustainability for 2030 (ASPY) Biodiversity-Related Development Finance: Towards Better Tracking IISD Reporting Services, through its ENBOTS Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage of selected side-events from the UN Biodiversity Conference. Photos by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Signature and Launch of the Yucatan Peninsula Agreement on Sustainability for 2030 (ASPY) Presented by the Nature Conservancy (TNC), the Mexican REDD+ Programme, and the Latin American Conservation Council (LACC) At this event, moderated by Antonio Godoy, State of Quintana Roo, the state governments of Campeche, Quintana Roo and Yucatán in Mexico, together with civil society organizations (CSOs) and over 50 companies committed to green growth and conservation of the Yucatán Peninsula by signing the ASPY. Aurelio Ramos, Director, TNC Latin America, noted the need to increase food production by 2050 due to population increase, stressing that Latin America is central to addressing this challenge. He underscored the need for private-public partnerships to meet the joint challenges of development and conservation, lauding the partnerships represented within the ASPY. He highlighted that the ASPY aims to, inter alia: achieve zero deforestation by 2030; restore two million hectares of degraded lands; and promote Mayan biocultural landscapes on over five million hectares of land. Rafael Alejandro Moreno Cárdenas, Governor of Campeche, said that the signing represented a step forward in the preservation of the YucatánPeninsula and in biodiversity mainstreaming. Calling the Agreement the “start of the green wave” of Mexico, he stressed that the ASPY will address not only forestry, but also marine and coastal, as well as terrestrial, biodiversity. He highlighted the region’s biocultural heritage, as well as the numerous protected areas, stating that Campeche has the largest mangrove area in the country. Rolando Zapata Bello, Governor of Yucatán, underscored that the region’s natural wealth is a “treasure,” pointing to the threats posed by climate change. He highlighted that the ASPY is an important strategy for the region and will be essential in achieving zero deforestation, and addressing sustainable consumption and production. He drew attention to Mexico’s commitment to the Paris Agreement and the Cancún Declaration on Mainstreaming Biodiversity, stressing that the Yucatán Peninsula will be central to achieving both these agreements. In a keynote address, Carlos Manuel Joaquín González, Governor of Quintana Roo, noted that the signing of the ASPY will drive green growth in the Yucatán Peninsula, and announced that this is the first regional agreement on conservation and sustainable growth in Mexico. He stressed that the ASPY is an opportunity to elaborate new green development strategies, and called for the coordination of efforts in order to meet the strategic goals set out in the Agreement, including on agriculture, forestry, fisheries, coastal zone management, ecosystem conservation, water, sustainable markets and sustainable tourism. He welcomed private sector partnerships to attain long-term sustainability represented in the ASPY, expressing confidence that other entrepreneurs and private sector actors will also join the Agreement. The Governors then signed the ASPY, which consists of two interlinked agreements: the collaboration Agreement between the three states; and the Private Sector Declaration. The dais during the event Aurelio Ramos, Director, TNC Latin America, pointed to the ASPY as a tool to attract resources from the global community and the private sector in order to promote green growth in the Yucatán Peninsula. Rafael Alejandro Moreno Cárdenas, Governor of Campeche, stressed that “we need to leave a better world for our children,” underlining the need for the youth to be involved in the green growth agenda. Rolando Zapata Bello, Governor of Yucatan, welcomed the ASPY, highlighting that it will make the region attractive to new investments that promote sustainable growth. Carlos Manuel Joaquín González, Governor of Quintana Roo, promised that he would “restore one coral for each vote,” and called for private investment in green development. (L-R): Rolando Zapata Bello, Governor of Yucatan, Carlos Manuel Joaquín González, Governor of Quintana Roo, and Rafael Alejandro Moreno Cárdenas, Governor of Campeche, sign the ASPY. Contact: Nadia Peimbert (Coordinator) | npeimbert@tnc.org More Information: http://www.nature.org/ggc http://ccpy.gob.mx/agenda-regional/aspy2030.php Biodiversity-Related Development Finance: Towards Better Tracking Presented by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) This workshop, moderated by Gabriela Blatter, Federal Office of Environment, Switzerland, engaged participants in discussing current methods of tracking biodiversity-related financing. Markus Lehmann, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat, highlighted the challenges faced by parties in meeting the financial mobilization targets, noting that mainstreaming biodiversity into all sectors makes financial reporting difficult, and pointed to the additional challenge on reporting private assistance. In the first session, on approaches to tracking biodiversity-related development finance, Galina Alova, OECD, presented the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) Creditor Reporting System (CRS) used to monitor development finance targeting the three Rio Conventions. She described the Rio Markers, which are used to capture data to track financing of Rio Conventions’-related activities and goals. She reported bilateral biodiversity-related official development assistance (ODA) of US$8.7 billion in 2014-2015, with the top five contributors being Germany, the US, Japan, France and the EU. In a brief discussion, participants noted difficulties in ensuring data consistency due to the qualitative nature of the Rio Marker. Luis Antonio Sánchez Perales, Ministry of Environment, Peru, spoke about his country’s approach to tracking biodiversity-related expenditure, stressing that “we must know how much goes to salaries and how much goes to trees and birds.” He presented an online platform where data on both public and private expenditure for biodiversity-related finance can be tracked, noting that an average of US$500 million was spent between 2010 and 2014 on waste management, waste water treatment and in situ conservation of potato breeds. Bart Missinne, European Commission (EC), highlighted that the EU’s strategy for “biodiversity-proof” development cooperation must ensure that biodiversity is considered in: strategic environmental assessments, to identify and prevent undesired side effects of development projects on biodiversity, and through mitigation measures from development projects; and sector-wide planning, such as for health and infrastructure projects. He demonstrated how the EU has doubled total biodiversity-related ODA to developing countries by 116% against a baseline of average spending from 2006-2010. Ferdinand Mwapopi, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia, discussed his country’s experience in tracking national biodiversity expenditure. He cited the use of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) approach for public-private expenditure reviews for biodiversity and costing biodiversity-related projects. He reported progress in disaggregating expenditure data based on sources and activities, noting that biodiversity expenditure was highest in 2010, receiving 2.4% of total government expenditure, and lauded the substantial increase in Germany’s contribution since 2015. Blatter, on behalf of Eva Mayerhofer, European Investment Bank, spoke on the development of a joint methodology to track biodiversity-related multilateral development finance for multilateral development banks (MDBs). She reported reduced biodiversity-related funding and called on MDB member countries to channel more funding towards biodiversity. She noted that the OECD tracking methodology follows a process-related approach to assess the biodiversity relevance of funding, adding that tracking positive impacts of funding on ecosystem management is preferable to tracking financial flows. In the second session on how the DAC CRS can be used to track biodiversity-related ODA, Guillaume Simon, OECD, presented a biodiversity-related development finance database of the OECD using three examples of project reporting to illustrate information on, inter alia, donor commitments, project descriptions, timelines and geographic specification. He noted the database uses the Rio Markers to specify whether principal objectives of the project are biodiversity-related. He also said the data could be exported and that a data visualization tool, which illustrates project details, can be accessed at: http://stats.oecd.org Armida Andres, Biodiversity Management Bureau, the Philippines, discussed her country’s experience, noting concerns on the use of the Rio Markers since most projects do not fall directly in the categories proposed. She recommended feedback mechanisms between donor recipient countries and the CRS to refine these categories and to include differentiation of project implementation at national, subnational and local levels. She noted that tracking biodiversity expenditure is contributing to reporting to National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs). She underscored her country’s preference for its own public expenditure review processes, saying the EU markers were “oversimplified.” Matthias Krause, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany, reported on a BMZ report ‘Committed to Biodiversity,’ which tracks Germany’s international cooperation in support of the CBD. He said bilateral funding is channeled through BMZ and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB). He noted that the report focuses on international biodiversity finance, which promotes sustainable production and consumption patterns and ensures biodiversity and ecosystem services are taken into account in economic and political decision-making processes. In a lively two-part discussion, participants discussed, inter alia: the complexities of reporting particularly against the backdrop of mainstreaming biodiversity; the need to ensure that ODA actually benefits biodiversity; the importance of sharing information to avoid overlaps and improve transparency; the role of BIOFIN in reporting; the need to use biodiversity-relevant coefficients to mainstream biodiversity at the national level; and the need to consider biodiversity finance related to private lands. They also spoke about, inter alia: how to account for the difference between what is reflected in project proposals and what is implemented on the ground; how to practically track financing in the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets; and the danger of basing the ability to achieve all the Targets on Aichi Biodiversity Target 20 (resource mobilization). They also highlighted: the extent of biodiversity-related projects on the database; the importance of assisting recipient countries in using the OECD reporting database; the potential to bridge the gap between the use of datasets in reporting biodiversity-related financing and transparently communicating how this reporting aligns with national commitments for the Rio Conventions; and the use of “commitments” versus “disbursements” in reporting national efforts for biodiversity conservation. Moderator Gabriela Blatter, Federal Office of Environment, Switzerland Markus Lehmann, CBD Secretariat, welcomed country perspectives on biodiversity-related financial reporting. Galina Alova, OECD, said Africa accounted for the highest share of bilateral biodiversity-related ODA commitments in 2014-15, amounting to 31%. Luis Antonio Sánchez Perales, Ministry of Environment, Peru, noted that “it is not how much we spend on biodiversity, but what we do with the funding.” Bart Missinne, EC, described how the EU uses performance indicators to track and report on biodiversity investment. Grégoire Dubois, EC, during ensuing discussions. Matti Nummelin, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finland Ferdinand Mwapopi, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia, said Namibia has been tracking biodiversity-related funding since 2006. Guillaume Simon, OECD Development Co-operation Directorate, described the content of an online database to track biodiversity-related development finance. Matthias Krause, BMZ, said that since 2012, projects that include the Rio Markers are considered in a country’s biodiversity-related bilateral financing. Contact: Galina Alova (Coordinator) | Galina.Alova@oecd.org Nicolina Lamhauge (Coordinator) | Nicolina.Lamhauge@oecd.org More Information: http://oe.cd/RioMarkers

The following side events were covered by ENBOTS on Friday, 11 November 2016: Reshaping Development Pathways Towards Climate Resilience The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Update – 2016 Progress in Supporting Low-Emission and Climate-Resilient Development Pathways Mapping and Understanding Mountains to Achieve the 2030 Agenda Enhancing Transparency of Mitigation and Finance: Lessons from Experience Climate Change and Energy Transition in the Mediterranean Region: Opportunities Through Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Cooperation Improving Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): Ecovillage Development, Energy Access and Zero-Carbon Societies in Africa, Asia and the European Union (EU) IISD Reporting Services, through its ENBOTS Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage from the Marrakech Climate Change Conference - November 2016. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis and Liz Rubin For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Reshaping Development Pathways Towards Climate ResiliencePresented by the UN Secretary General’s Climate Resilience Initiative: Anticipate, Absorb, Reshape (A2R), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Moderating the session, Maarten van Aalst, A2R, introduced the Initiative, noting that it came out of the commitment to involve a wider range of stakeholders in resilience to climate change. He drew attention to aspects of resilience embedded in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as in the humanitarian sector, and recognized the importance of anticipating the effects of climate change and acting on them in a timely manner. Observing that the Gulf region is already experiencing ecological challenges due to climate changes as well as socio-economic challenges due to dependence on fossil fuels, Khalid Abuleif, Chief Negotiator, Saudi Arabia, welcomed the Paris Agreement as a means to reshape the future of the region. He said that the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) in the region focus on climate resilience, and highlighted efforts to increase resilience in water management in Saudi Arabia. Mulugeta Mengist Ayalew, Director, Climate Change Affairs, Ethiopia, outlined national efforts to increase resilience, saying that they recognize the need to invest in: rural and urban social schemes; agricultural resilience; transport; and resilient energy mixes. Jay Koh, Global Adaptation and Resilience Investment Working Group, said that the private sector has the expertise, capability and finance to engage in resilience and climate adaptation issues, but requires: standards and data using harmonized approaches; coordinated activity to draw private sector finance; and increased blended finance. Highlighting the growing global population and the need to increase food production, John Roome, World Bank, stressed the fundamental need to rethink agriculture, infrastructure and resilient social protection. He also spoke about the need for resilient cities, which he said will only be achieved through systemic changes in design decisions made now. Lisa Dale, Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, described the Center’s partnership with the A2R Initiative, noting the gaps in climate resilience data and spoke of the challenges in reshaping development pathways. She highlighted the difficulties in understanding national resilience budgeting, as resilience is integrated into planning processes, stressing that the most important adaptation work occurs at the sub-national and local levels. In the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: Saudi Arabia’s support for vulnerable countries, including Small Island Developing States (SIDS) through South-South cooperation; the importance of ramping up resilience at the same speed as mitigation; Ethiopia’s efforts in integrating early warning systems into resilience measures; and the need to integrate evidence from the ground into policies to create incremental change. From L-R: Jay Koh, Global Adaptation and Resilience Investment Working Group; Mulugeta Mengist Ayalew, Director, Climate Change Affairs, Ethiopia; and Khalid Abuleif, Chief Negotiator, Saudi Arabia Maarten van Aalst, A2R, described A2R as a facilitative platform on resilience. Khalid Abuleif, Chief Negotiator, Saudi Arabia, noted that, in order to strengthen resilience, any new sector will be subject to heavy regulations and evaluated on parameters such as energy intensity, use of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, use of natural gas and increasing the standards of flaring. Lisa Dale, Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, noted that for most countries the challenge of reshaping development pathways is usually a capacity challenge. To increase resilience in Ethiopia, Mulugeta Mengist Ayalew, Director, Climate Change Affairs, Ethiopia, said a significant amount of resources are required, and that while they are trying to primarily rely on domestic resources, international support will be needed. Jay Koh, Global Adaptation and Resilience Investment Working Group, stated that the private sector has two messages for the climate sector: “we are here, and we want your engagement." Contacts: Maarten van Aalst (Moderator) | vanaalst@climatecentre.org More Information: reeep.org/events/cop22-side-event-ndc-driven-sme-climate-finance-pathways-developing-countries The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Update – 2016 Progress in Supporting Low-Emission and Climate-Resilient Development PathwaysPresented by the GCF This side event, moderated by Clifford Polycarp, GCF, presented the progress towards supporting developing countries in project financing, as well as initiatives to build on complementarity and coherence with other multilateral funds. Underscoring the GCF’s core principles, Zaheer Fakir, GCF Co-Chair, emphasized its role in empowering countries, unlocking their potential and promoting domestic institutional capacities. He stressed the slogan “business unusual,” underscoring direct access and institutional behavioral change. Noting that US$1 billion worth of projects have already been approved, Ewen McDonald, GCF Co-Chair, stressed that GCF’s portfolio is balanced with 27% of the projects focusing on mitigation, 28% on adaptation and 45% being of a cross-cutting nature. Underscoring the aspirational goal of utilizing US$2.5 billion for funding projects this year, he urged for an increase in the volume and quality of proposals. Javier Manzanares, GCF Executive Director ad interim, focused, among others, on: the Readiness Programme support; design and implementation of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs); and harnessing innovation and technology. He further highlighted the need to maximize the engagement of the private sector, build institutional capabilities and strong relationships with all stakeholders, and invest in transformational actions in a country-driven manner. Ousseynou Nakoulima, GCF, provided an overview of the state of play, noting that more than 90 country programmes have been funded, and giving information on their geographical distribution. He described structured dialogues as the way to facilitate discussions between countries and entities, and underscored the diverse network of GCF partners as key actors to deliver the programmes’ objectives. Jiwoo Choi, GCF, discussed the GCF portfolio by region, instrument and adaptation or mitigation window. She provided numerous examples of programmes, highlighting the Sustainable Energy Financing Facilities (SEFFs) launched by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Universal Green Energy Access Programme (UGEAP) and the Sustainable Landscapes programme in Eastern Madagascar. Benedict Libanda, Environment Investment Fund, Namibia, discussed a community-based resource management programme in Namibia, noting that even relatively small projects may be effective in improving the livelihoods of local people, building capacities and institutions. Amal-Lee Amin, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), focused on the programme for sustainable energy alternatives for the Eastern Caribbean Countries (ECCs), providing details of the different stages of project development, and noting that geothermal energy, combined with solar energy and hydroelectric power, present significant potential to displace the use of oil in the region. Hakima El Haité, Minister Delegate in Charge of Environment of the Ministry of Energy, Mining, Water and Environment, Morocco, highlighted water, food security and energy as the priority sectors for Africa, and underscored the need for effective project implementation. In the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: funding towards direct-access projects; ways to enhance transparency and effectiveness, and improve access to civil society organizations; collaboration with other institutions and neighboring countries; ways to engage less bureaucratic and more effective institutions; and ways to promote country ownership of projects. From L-R: Jiwoo Choi, GCF; Ousseynou Nakoulima, GCF; Ewen McDonald, GCF Co-Chair; Zaheer Fakir, GCF Co-Chair; and Javier Manzanares, GCF Executive Director ad interim Javier Manzanares, GCF Executive Director ad interim, stressed the need to maximize the private sector’s engagement and build institutional capacities. Hakima El Haité, Minister Delegate in Charge of Environment of the Ministry of Energy, Mining, Water and Environment, Morocco, underscored that the application process should be simple, so that developing countries can easily access GCF funds in order to finance their adaptation projects. Zaheer Fakir, GCF Co-Chair, stressed that business-as-usual is not working, arguing for a “business unusual” pathway. Lifting the GCF ambition regarding funding projects, Ewen McDonald, GCF Co-Chair, called for numerous, quality proposals. Contacts: Clifford Polycarp | cpolycarp@gcfund.org More Information: www.greenclimate.fund Mapping and Understanding Mountains to Achieve the 2030 Agenda Presented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) and OIKOS The session, moderated by Simon Rietbergen, FAO, focused on mountain frameworks in the context of climate change. He stressed that food security in mountain areas has decreased over the last decade. Andrew Taber, Executive Director, Mountain Institute, said that mountains have an important economic role in tourism, mining and forestry, provide 60-80% of global freshwater, and shelter a quarter of global terrestrial biodiversity and forests. He noted mountains are recognized in 48 Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and three targets under two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Stressing that even though 40% of people vulnerable to food insecurity live in mountains and that mountains are not mentioned in SDG 2 (zero hunger), he recommended specifically assessing the role of mountains across all the SDGs. Tilman Hertz, International Climate Initiative, underscored the importance of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA). He said EbA is a no-regrets measure that delivers many benefits, and is mentioned in 100 NDCs. He described EbA approaches in Chile to reduce avalanches, and in Nepal to reduce erosion rates near roads. He noted that eco-safe roads become cost effective in 12 years due to reduced maintenance costs. Eric Chavez Betancourt, President, OIKOS, presented on the case of vicuñas in Peru for ecosystem conservation, poverty reduction, development, adaptation and mitigation. He highlighted how, brought back from the brink of extinction, vicuñas provide an opportunity for lifting one million people in Peru out of poverty. Additionally, he noted that protecting vicuñas’ natural habitats, grasslands and wetlands provides key ecosystem services, such as water provision and carbon fixation. He called for Reduced Emissions from Avoided Degradation (READ) to be considered alongside REDD+. Faya Ahmed, Guinea, noted climate change impacts in Guinea’s mountains, including disruptions in rainfall patterns and spread of diseases such as malaria. Ahmed stressed that those impacts are worsened by practices, such as unsustainable farming and forestry, and by the lack of local health services. Charles Nyandiga, Small Grants Programme of the UN Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility (UNDP/GEF), underscored the central role of local communities in mountain conservation and adaptation strategies. He described examples of traditional crop usage to reverse agriculture degradation, agroforestry practices to reduce flooding and landslides, water management strategies to reduce water scarcity and ecosystem degradation, and ridge-to-reef strategies in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). He stressed that adopting improved energy cooking systems can significantly reduce pressure on mountain ecosystems. In the discussion, participants considered the importance of both EbA and community-based approaches. From L-R: Charles Nyandiga, UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme; Eric Chavez Betancourt, President, OIKOS; Simon Rietbergen, FAO; Andrew Taber, Executive Director, Mountain Institute; and Tilman Hertz, International Climate Initiative Eric Chavez Betancourt, President, OIKOS, noted that traditional activities, such as rounding up vicuñas, help to maintain the cultural identity of communities. Faya Ahmed, Guinea, presented on the impacts of climate change in Mont Gangan, Guinea. Andrew Taber, as Chair of the Mountain Partnership, noted that the Mountain Partnership includes 57 governments and more than 280 organizations. Tilman Hertz, International Climate Initiative, said the Initiative had funded 500 projects for a total of €1.7 billion. Contacts: Simon Rietbergen (Moderator) | simon.rietbergen@fao.org More Information: www.mountainpartnership.org/ Enhancing Transparency of Mitigation and Finance: Lessons from ExperiencePresented by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Introduced by Jacob Werksman, DG-CLIMA, European Commission (EC), the event was moderated by Jane Ellis, OECD, and focused on enhancing the transparency of climate mitigation and finance. Gregory Briner, OECD, compared the diversity of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Olympic disciplines, noting that there is not a single metric to measure the performance of all athletes. He underscored that often information is missing from NDCs, such as models and assumptions for business-as-usual (BAU) scenarios, or gross domestic product (GDP) and population projections in energy intensity goals. Sara Moarif, International Energy Agency (IEA), emphasized the importance of guidelines both for reporting and for reviewing. She said review and analysis should be objective, technical and focus on what is most useful to parties. She noted that, while review and analysis are resource-intensive, the benefits are very high. Jane Ellis, OECD, underscored the gaps in information regarding climate change finance, particularly private finance mobilized by public finance. She emphasized the need to ensure comparability of climate finance accounting methodologies, and noted that collective reporting of climate finance mobilized could improve the comprehensiveness and comparability of data. Cristina Urrutia, Peru, highlighted the country’s Inforcarbon tool, which provides reporting guidelines and emission factors for the different sectors in the country. She noted the tool has improved access and retention of information by the government. She noted the technical review process has increased the sense of relevance. Noting the lack of capacity in African countries, Alpha Kaloga, African Group, said the transparency framework should be fit for purpose. He highlighted the lack of information sharing within the recipient countries, and suggested that donors share information on climate finance with a national focal point. Yamil Bonduki, UN Development Programme (UNDP), said that transparency of NDCs has to be considered from the beginning of the process, rather than as an afterthought. He underscored the importance of understanding flows by sector at the national and international levels. Noting UNDP research on climate finance allocation over the years, he underlined the need for more understanding on how it affects the private sector. Bonduki said having a more transparent system for finance will attract international support, as donors are reassured the resources create the intended impact. In the ensuing discussion, participants discussed the role of multilateral institutions in incentivizing private investment, the need for annual data for modelers, capacity building at the sectoral level, domestic tracking of climate finance, and the role of civil society in tracking finance. From L-R: Jane Ellis, OECD; Sara Moarif, IEA; Gregory Briner, OECD; Cristina Urrutia, Peru; Alpha Kaloga, African Group; and Yamil Bonduki, UNDP Jacob Werksman, DG-CLIMA, EC, underscored the importance of transparency in mitigation and climate finance reporting. Gregory Briner, OECD, highlighted the importance of modalities, procedures and guidelines for transparency. Alpha Kaloga, African Group, supported the idea of a gatekeeper to centralize information on climate finance at the national level. Jane Ellis, OECD, noted that the Paris Agreement has an inconsistency on climate finance reporting provisions. Contacts: Jane Ellis (Coordinator) | jane.ellis@oecd.org More Information: www.oecd.org/env/cc/cop22-programme-side-events.htm Climate Change and Energy Transition in the Mediterranean Region: Opportunities Through Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) CooperationPresented by Observatoire Méditerranéen de l'Energie (OME) and Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya (UPC) This event, moderated by Houda Allal, General Director, OME, analyzed the Mediterranean basin countries’ NDCs and provided recommendations for achieving a low-carbon energy transition. Bruno Lescoeur, Chairman, OME, and Josep Xercavins, UPC, provided opening remarks. Lescoeur underscored the need for a low-carbon energy transition, stating that, without a drastic change in energy policy, energy emissions will continue to increase. Anne-France Didier, Director, Plan Bleu, provided an overview of the Barcelona Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean, noting the recently adopted strategies to address sustainable development and climate change under the Convention. On the Mediterranean NDCs, Xercavins said there is a large gap between the aggregate effect of the current NDCs and the level of compromises required to achieve the 2°C goal under the Paris Agreement. Olga Alcaraz, UPC, said that it is necessary to translate NDCs’ modelling to the country level to understand fully the levels of ambition. Lisa Guarrera, OME, presented on whether the NDC scenarios are setting us on the desired climate path. She said that, while it is clear that the North Mediterranean has embarked on a clear energy transition pathway in its NDCs, the South Mediterranean could be more ambitious. François Gréaume, French Environment and Energy Management Agency, highlighted key aspects of a successful energy transition, including: development of local capacities; programme implementation in priority sectors like energy, transport and agriculture; and engaging all actors in the energy transition. Amine Homman, ENGIE, then moderated a roundtable discussion. Mohamed El Amrani, Fédération de l’Energie, Morocco, said that Morocco is committed to achieving its NDC, having allocated over US$70 million to transitioning to clean energy. Abdelali Dakkina, National Agency for Energy Efficiency, Morocco, drew attention to the huge energy efficiency potential, which could take Morocco halfway to achieving its emissions reduction goal. Silvia Pariente-David, Center for Mediterranean Integration, noted that none of the NDCs from the Mediterranean reflect the need for better market integration to reduce emissions. She stressed the huge potential for renewables and called on the region to transition directly to natural gas. Amado Gil, Gas Natural Fenosa (GNF), stressed the role of natural gas in energy efficiency. In the discussion, participants considered the need to balance between energy supply and demand in the region, and the commitment of gas companies to changing the fossil fuel narrative. From L-R: Josep Xercavins, UPC; Bruno Lescoeur, Chairman, OME; and Houda Allal, General Director, OME. Josep Xercavins, UPC, underscored the need for references in order to assess if a country is on track for the 2°C global goal and that, with equity and justice, it is possible to translate the global goal reference to the Mediterranean region. Bruno Lescoeur, Chairman, OME, underlined the urgent need to profile and rethink how energy is produced, used and transformed in order to address climate change in the context of NDCs. Houda Allal, General Director, OME, said less energy consumption is not necessarily a reduction in energy use but an avoidance of emissions. Contacts: Houda Allal (Moderator) | houda.allal@ome.org Josep Xercavins | josep.xercavins@upc.edu More Information: www.ome.org/ www.upc.edu/ Improving Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): Ecovillage Development, Energy Access and Zero-Carbon Societies in Africa, Asia and the European Union (EU)Presented by the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN), the International Network for Sustainable Energy (INFORSE) and the Nordic Folkecenter for Renewable Energy (NFVE) This side event, co-moderated by Kosha Anja Joubert, Executive Director, GEN, Gunnar Boye Olesen, INFORSE, and Preben Maegaard, Executive Director, NFVE, focused on ways through which local solutions may lead to ambitious NDCs, provide energy access and improve livelihoods. Highlighting intentional, traditional and urban ecovillages, and noting that GEN reaches out to 100,000 communities worldwide, Joubert urged considering new concepts of wealth, celebrating human culture and rebuilding solidarity in local communities. Tim Clarke, European Network for Community-Led Initiatives on Climate Change and Sustainability (ECOLISE), underscored social inclusion, local ownership, employment generation, and access to untapped resources and indigenous knowledge. Focusing on children, Linda Kabaira, GEN-Africa, Zimbabwe, presented on efforts to build resilience in a changing climate by greening schools. Highlighting that his country has negative net carbon emissions, Chencho Norbu, National Environment Commission Secretariat (NECS), Bhutan, presented national policies pursuing, inter alia, organic farming. Kavita Shriya Myles, INFORSE South Asia, discussed a pro-poor approach to universal clean energy access and a compassionate approach to improving livelihoods. Describing ecovillage development (EVD) as a climate solution, Dumindu Herath, Integrated Development Association (IDEA), Sri Lanka, underscored national initiatives, including the development of 10,000 climate-smart villages. Shovana Maharjan, Centre for Rural Technology (CRT), Nepal, discussed EVD contribution to achieving national and international goals and targets, highlighting capacity building and awareness-raising campaigns. Mohammad Mahmodul Hasan, Grameen Shakti, Bangladesh, addressed existing mitigation solutions at the national level, including the solar home electricity programme for off-grid villages, improved cooking stoves, biogas plants and organic farming. Underscoring the transboundary, cross-sectional and cross-cutting nature of climate change, Santosh Patnaik, Climate Action Network (CAN) South Asia, urged for regional cooperation to overcome climate vulnerabilities. Maegaard stressed that, by 2030, 58% of all new electricity generation capacity will be based on renewables. Stressing that the science behind the Paris Agreement clearly recognizes the need for net Zero-Carbon emissions, Paul Allen, Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT), UK, identified food, transport, buildings and energy as the four key sectors, and underscored that by "breaking existing climate silence", people forge a collective identity. Highlighting community power for the transition to 100% renewable energy, Leire Gorroño Albizu, NFVE, presented the case study of Hvide Sande in Denmark, where the installation of three community-owned wind turbines led to economic stability and development, job creation and self-sufficiency. During discussions, participants addressed, among others: emissions related to meat consumption; reduction in beef consumption and potential effects for communities that are based on animal husbandry; ways to overcome water scarcity problems; inclusiveness under mitigation; and ways to connect the regional, national and international levels. From L-R: Chencho Norbu, NECS, Bhutan; Tim Clarke, ECOLISE; Kosha Anja Joubert, Executive Director, GEN; and Linda Kabaira, GEN-Africa, Zimbabwe Highlighting food sovereignty, Linda Kabaira, GEN-Africa, Zimbabwe, cried on behalf of the children: “we are not too young to be involved.” Calling for rebuilding solidarity and sharing, Kosha Anja Joubert, Executive Director, GEN, stressed that there are no solutions at the national level; “we are in one boat.” From L-R: Shovana Maharjan, CRT, Nepal; Mohammad Mahmodul Hasan, Grameen Shakti, Bangladesh; Gunnar Boye Olesen, INFORSE; Kavita Myles, INFORSE South Asia; Dumindu Herath, IDEA, Sri Lanka; and Santosh Patnaik, CAN South Asia Mohammad Mahmodul Hasan, Grameen Shakti, Bangladesh, noted that a model for EVD will be submitted as a project proposal to the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Kavita Shriya Myles, INFORSE South Asia, highlighted gender mainstreaming income generation, capacity building and equitable access to resources. Contacts: Kosha Anja Joubert (Moderator) | kosha.joubert@ecovillage.org Gunnar Boye Olesen (Moderator) | olesen@ve.dk Preben Maegaard (Moderator) | pm@folkecenter.dk More Information: www.gen.ecovillage.org www.inforse.dk www.folkecenter.net