Small Island Developing States

The following events were covered by IISD Reporting Services on Tuesday, 4 December 2018: Shocks and Stressors: Water’s Essential Role in Addressing Climate Change and Disaster Risk Island Resilience Initiative (IRI) From Science to Policy: Achieving the SDGs in a 1.5°C Warmer World Science and Policy Must Come Together to Successfully Implement Countries’ NDCs Making climate action more transparent and ambitious: lessons learned from the NDCs Community Based Adaptation in Islands: Recycling Plastic to Mitigate Climate Change Photos by IISD/ENB | Natalia Mroz / Diego Noguera For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Shocks and Stressors: Water’s Essential Role in Addressing Climate Change and Disaster Risk Presented by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and the World Water Council L-R: John Matthews, Alliance for Global Water Adaptation (AGWA); Cees van de Guchte, Deltares; Anil Mishra, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); Kenzo Hiroki, UN High-Level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters; Karounga Keita, Wetlands International; Kevin Adams, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI); and Pasquale Cappizi, Arup This event focused on water as a mechanism for finding common ground within the disaster risk reduction (DRR) community. Moderated by John Matthews, Alliance for Global Water Adaptation (AGWA), it demonstrated how water can be a catalyst for action to confront new threats and existing long-term risks stemming from climate change. Cees van de Guchte, Deltares, highlighted the need for improving coherence between climate change adaptation and water-related DRR, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He called for enhanced participation of DRR communities in climate processes. Outlining UNESCO’s Global Risk Landscape Report 2018, Anil Mishra, UNESCO, emphasized the importance of increasing the understanding of the finance community on this topic and addressing trade-offs while enhancing synergies between climate mitigation options and the SDGs. He highlighted his work on identifying the needs and risks of local communities, including monitoring floods and droughts, through a participatory approach. Kenzo Hiroki, UN High-Level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters, highlighted that 95% of natural disasters are water related and that their impacts are felt disproportionately by low-income groups. He explained that while heavy rain often appears to be a local phenomenon, it is tied to global meteorological changes. He also suggested that DRR, water management and climate adaptation should not be treated as separate. Karounga Keita, Wetlands International, noted that the flood area of the Inner Niger Delta has decreased dramatically and, that concurrently, there has been steep growth in the population that depend on it for their livelihoods. He explained that this has led to increased water stress, with the region becoming the “epicentre of conflicts” in the region. Kevin Adams, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), stressed the evolving linkages between climate change adaptation and DRR, highlighting the work of the European Platform on Climate Adaptation and Risk Reduction (PLACARD), the Stockholm Climate and Security Hub, and the SEI Initiative on Transforming Development and Disaster Risk. He emphasized that water is the key mechanism to integrate the DRR agenda into the climate agenda. Pasquale Capizzi, Arup, outlined the importance of: reconciling shocks and stressors through improving understanding and communication; and engineering decision making and institutional settings by improving coherence between DRR, climate change and sectoral policies. During the discussion, participants reflected on the importance of considering the social and environmental costs of hydroelectric dams, and how pricing mechanisms may disadvantage the poor. Oclay Ünver, UN Water, provided closing remarks, emphasizing the need to think holistically, as neither the costs nor effects of water disasters are siloed. John Matthews, AGWA, moderated the event. Cees van de Guchte, Deltares, called for enhanced participation of DRR communities in climate processes. Anil Mishra, UNESCO, highlighted his work on identifying the needs and risks of local communities, including monitoring floods and droughts, through a participatory approach. Kenzo Hiroki, UN High-Level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water and Disasters, suggested that DRR, water management and climate adaptation should not be treated as separate. Karounga Keita, Wetlands International, noted that the Niger Delta is the “epicentre of conflicts” in the region. Kevin Adams, SEI, emphasized that water is the key mechanism to integrate DRR agenda into the climate agenda. Oclay Ünver, UN Water, addressed participants at the end of the event. Pasquale Capizzi, Arup, underscored the need to find an adequate planning scale for all local communities and to ensure finance for resilience projects. Participants listen to panelists CONTACT Ingrid Timboe (AGWA) | policy@alliance4water.org MORE INFORMATION http://www.globalwaterforum.org/ http://www.globalwaterforum.org/2018/12/02/mastering-disaster-in-a-changing-climate-reducing-disaster-risk-through-resilient-water-management/ Island Resilience Initiative (IRI) Presented by Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) This event, moderated by Mark Borg, Team Leader, PIDF, considered the work of the Global Island Partnership’s (GLISPA) Island Resilience Initiative (IRI). In her video message, Kate Brown, Executive Director, GLISPA, highlighted that the President of Palau launched the IRI, with Fiji and the Marshall Islands, to strengthen implementation of community-based adaptation efforts, which align with nationally-led sustainability commitments by building public-private partnerships. She drew attention to the importance of the public-private partnership to support and track resilience and sustainability goals through enhancing resilience projects to implement the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the New Urban Agenda and the Paris Agreement. Stewart Sarkozy-Banoczy, IRI, spoke about the work of the Initiative so far, noting, in particular, funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme. He stressed that the IRI has created a definition of island resilience which includes traditional knowledge and multisectoral efforts, and noted that the IRI distills the big goals on the global agenda into six pillars to promote resilience: community, environment, energy, equity, food and water. Underlining the importance of enhancing resilience at the community level, François Martel, Secretary General, PIDF, described PIDF’s multi-stakeholder board and regional strategic plan, which aims to deliver community-based programmes through an online dashboard, linking the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate action into a single focus. He also spoke on the Island Resilience Partnership, a USD 100 million investment, which he described as a public-private partnership designed to support island communities to move towards renewable energy solutions. Arno Boersma, Aruba Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development, spoke on the Centre’s Partnership with the IRI, noting that the Centre tries to help island nations to harness best practices from other programmes so as not to reinvent the wheel. He highlighted a number of the events the Centre has run to promote best practice in creating resilience, including on financing the resilience of island states and on promoting energy strategies for resilience. In the ensuing discussion, participants considered, inter alia: climate mitigation in SIDS; the Pacific Climate Treaty which focuses on mitigation, and loss and damage; the importance of promoting and implementing sustainable, circular economy solutions; how to communicate the impact of the IRI; and the importance of country ownership of the IRI to promote sustainability. Mark Borg, PIDF, moderated the event François Martel, PIDF, Secretary General, PIDF, said that, for island states, resilience relates to the community, because “when a community is resilient, it can endure anything.” Participants at the event CONTACT Mark Borg, PIDF | mark.borg@pidf.int MORE INFORMATION http://www.glispa.org/11-commitments/203-islandresilience From Science to Policy: Achieving the SDGs in a 1.5°C Warmer World Presented by Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), the German Committee Future Earth, the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) L-R: Daniela Jacob, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); Bettina Schmalzbauer, Executive Director, German Committee Future Earth; Ione Anderson, Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI); Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR); Thelma Krug, IPCC Vice-Chair; and Douglas Leys, Green Climate Fund (GCF) The event focused on the impacts of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, and the avoided risks on ecosystems and human wellbeing compared to a 2°C scenario. The discussions highlighted cooperative actions required to communicate, mitigate, adapt and reduce risks, and how to finance climate resilient development. Panelists also addressed the outcomes of the IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 ºC (SR15) and the upcoming UN Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR), set to be released in 2019. Ione Anderson, IAI, introduced the event, announcing that her organization is launching a communication competition to raise awareness on the SR15 and GSDR. Bettina Schmalzbauer, German Committee Future Earth Executive Director, moderated the event. Luis Alfonso de Alba, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the 2019 Climate Summit, said the Summit will elevate climate change to the highest level on the environment agenda, and will allow for accelerated climate action required to mitigate climate-related disasters. Thelma Krug, IPCC Vice-Chair, discussed the linkages between the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement, drawing from the SR15. She cited a chapter addressing sustainable development, poverty eradication and the reduction of inequalities, and emphasized that, if unchecked, current climate trajectories will increase the likelihood of not achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, GSDR, emphasized the linkages between climate action and sustainable development, saying the development models in the next decade will influence the way climate will evolve. He pointed to synergies in energy efficiency in the building sector that offer reduction of energy bills and pollution, and enhance human wellbeing. Daniela Jacob, IPCC, said the last five decades have seen the intensification of climate change impacts, observed through intensified extreme event,s such as floods and droughts. She said that in a 2ºC scenario, losses would be observed in all sectors, including the loss of agricultural land caused by salt intrusion due to sea-level rise. Douglas Leys, Green Climate Fund (GCF), said his institution has observed that transformative adaptation can be achieved. The Fund, he said, can help achieve 1.5°C goals by supporting country-driven paradigm shifts towards low emission and climate-resilient development pathways. Luis Alfonso de Alba, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the 2019 Climate Summit Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, GSDR, said we have no choice but to transform to sustainable development models. Thelma Krug, IPCC Vice-Chair, said net effects of mitigation or adaptation actions will depend on, among other things, the pace and magnitude of the actions and the composition of the mitigation portfolio Bettina Schmalzbauer, Executive Director, German Committee Future Earth, moderated the session. Douglas Leys, GCF, discussed ways in which new scientific knowledge on different mitigation pathways can guide GCF projects on the ground and contribute to policies for long-term sustainable decisions. Daniela Jacob, IPCC, said every increase in temperature counts, and affects all aspects of life. Ione Anderson, Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research Participants listen to panelists CONTACT Ione Anderson, Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) | ianderson@dir.iai.int MORE INFORMATION http://www.iai.int Science and Policy Must Come Together to Successfully Implement Countries’ NDCs Presented by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Cornell University, and Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) L-R: Timothy Thomas, IFPRI; Allison Chatrchyan, Cornell University; Catherine Mungai, CCAFS; Diana Haruyunyan, UNDP Armenia; J. Angelina Espinosa, Ministry of Agriculture, Chile; and Carolina Balian, Ministry of Agriculture, Uruguay This event explored the implementation of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) in the agriculture sector across scales, and posed questions about how agriculture and climate researchers can most effectively interact with policymakers. Timothy Thomas, IFPRI, presented the results of a seven-year study on the impacts of climate change on agriculture in Central America. He called attention to the negative impacts of climate change on crop production, stressing that impacts are not evenly distributed across regions, and that NDCs must therefore mirror the diversity of effects. Angelina Espinosa, Ministry of Agriculture, Chile, presented Chile’s NDCs on agricultural mitigation and adaptation. Stressing that, while actions are important, impact measurement and monitoring are key to generating resilience in agriculture. She cited Chile’s National Adaptation Plan, which is structured such that future resilience policy is iteratively informed by monitoring results. Carolina Balian, Ministry of Agriculture, Uruguay, highlighted her country’s livestock sector as both vulnerable to climate change and an important area for emission reductions. She noted that Uruguay is developing a sectoral adaptation plan for agriculture. Raising the persistent challenge of obtaining high-quality activity data, she nevertheless emphasized that mitigation, adaptation and agricultural productivity can be synergetic. Diana Harutyunyan, UN Development Programme (UNDP) Armenia, presented water management in Armenia as an example of the drivers of “evident and very hurtful” agricultural losses. Supporting proactive rather than reactive support schemes, she drew close links between food security and national security, and noted the important role of extension services in connecting policy and practitioners. Catherine Mungai, CCAFS, described her organization’s Policy Action for Climate Change Adaptation in East Africa (PACCA) project, which includes non-state actors and smaller-scale parties in discussions around climate change and agriculture. She also cited CCAFS’ Climate Smart Villages programme, which allows policymakers to observe climate-smart agricultural practices in action. Allison Chatrchyan, Cornell University, addressed the challenge of scaling up climate-smart agriculture when disparity exists between locally-specific adaptation requirements and global mitigation policies. She called for more policy support from research institutions, underlining that the challenge was not in developing support mechanisms, but in implementing them, adding that “we know what we need to do.” In the ensuing discussion, participants discussed, among others: financial instruments necessary for agricultural adaptation and resilience; the importance of support for and by research institutes in incorporating adaptation in NDCs; acknowledging the vulnerability of smallholder farmers, and the necessity of including them in decision-making processes; and the challenges of communicating science to agriculture policymakers. Timothy Thomas, IFPRI, stressed the importance of developing successful adaptation practices for farmers, saying that “resilience now can equate to resilience in the future.” Carolina Balian, Ministry of Agriculture, Uruguay. J. Angelina Espinosa, Ministry of Agriculture, Chile, noted that Chile’s NDC commitments for emission reductions in agriculture could become even more ambitious with international support. Diana Haruyunyan, UNDP Armenia, highlighted the role of extension services in connecting climate adaptation policy to practitioners in the agriculture sector, saying that “scientific knowledge must be nationally embedded.” Citing Nobel laureate and political economist Elinor Ostrom, Allison Chatrchyan, Cornell University, argued that nested scales of global to local policies are necessary to transform agriculture within a changing climate. Catherine Mungai, CCAFS Participants during the event CONTACT Allison Chatrchyan | amc256@cornell.edu MORE INFORMATION https://www.cgiar.org/ www.ifpri.org Making Climate Action More Transparent and Ambitious: Lessons Learned From the NDCs Presented by the German Development Institute (DIE) L-R: Angel Hsu, Yale University; Pieter Pauw, Frankfurt School of Finance and Management; Arunabha Ghosh, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW); Clara Brandi, German Development Institute (DIE); Saleemul Huq, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED); and Niklas Höhne, NewClimate Institute This event was grounded in the notion that current nationally determined contributions (NDCs) lack sufficient ambition and clarity for achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement. Moderated by Arunabha Ghosh, CEEW, the panelists shared preliminary findings for a special issue of Climate Policy, which aim to help improve future NDCs. Pieter Pauw, Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, stressed the importance of climate finance and support, noting that 134 NDCs are conditional upon receiving additional finance. He highlighted that the estimated cost of implementing existing NDCs exceeds the USD 100 billion per year of climate finance that has been pledged for 2020-2030. Angel Hsu, Yale University, articulated the importance of non-state actors to climate mitigation, pointing to research suggesting they can plug much of the ‘emissions gap’ between NDCs and pathways that will limit warming to 1.5 or 2ºC. She also noted that while few Annex 1 countries mention non-state actors in their NDCs, most non-Annex 1 countries do, especially in reference to adaptation. Making this reference, she suggested, is key to facilitating the link between state and non-state actors. Niklas Höhne, NewClimate Institute, shared research on lessons learned from the process of NDC preparation, saying that it has kick-started national mitigation policy processes. He also argued that political momentum for NDC development must be maintained, and highlighted translating high-level considerations to the sectoral level as the key challenge for creating the next NDCs. Saleemul Huq, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), pointed out that while including adaptation in NDCs was optional, most countries did. He argued that the ability to adapt is not necessarily tied to wealth and that rich communities and countries have much to learn from the poor, who are often forced to develop adaptive capacity due to having faced climate impacts with more regularity. Clara Brandi, DIE, presented on the relationship between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and NDCs, highlighting many overlaps between the two, while also drawing attention to room for improved policy coherence. Future NDCs, she suggested, could become more ambitious by taking into account national sustainable development strategies. In the discussion, participants considered the NDC financing gap, noting that while it may appear huge, there are reasons to believe it may decrease due to technology development. They also noted that the ‘global goal’ for adaptation has yet to be defined and that this should be a priority for adaptation researchers. Participants also raised the point that in examining NDCs, we should not lose sight of actual national climate policies, which are ultimately more important. Pieter Pauw, Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, posed the question of whether conditional NDCs are a foothold for equity or an “Achilles’ heel.” Angel Hsu, Yale University, highlighted the Talanoa Dialogue as key for incorporating the important mitigation contribution of non-state actors. Niklas Höhne, NewClimate Institute, said that assessing financial support needs and potential co-benefits were two of the key difficulties during NDC preparation. Arunabha Ghosh, CEEW, moderated the event. CONTACT Pieter Pauw, DIE | p.pauw@fs.de MORE INFORMATION www.die-gdi.de/en/ Community Based Adaptation in Islands: Recycling Plastic to Mitigate Climate Change Presented by Saint Kitts and Nevis, the Environmental Quality Protection Foundation (EQPF) and theTaiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy (TAISE) Family photo with panelists at the end of the event This event highlighted the vulnerability of island coastal areas and ecosystems to climate change, and examined island partnership schemes that build ecosystem resilience through a community awareness and livelihood sustainability-recycling programme. Cheryl Jeffers, Department of Environment, Saint Kitts and Nevis, moderated this event. She reported that plastic waste management is an emerging problem for her country, due to the high dependence on single-use plastic bags and bottles. She welcomed the support and collaboration provided to her country for recycling plastics. Tao-Sheng Lee, EQPF, shared experiences from the Taiwan Forestry Bureau in the rehabilitation and management of forests, which account for 60.7% of the country’s landmass. He said sustainable management of forests in collaboration with communities in Taiwan has ensured integrity of forest ecosystems, while preserving the rights of indigenous peoples. I-Chan Cheng, EQPF, noted the Foundation’s efforts to provide innovative education to schoolchildren on environmental issues and said that the focus on climate education came as a result of responding to Article 12 of the Paris Agreement. He stressed that they are trying to combine children’s rights and environmental sustainability using principles from the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). He noted that children are encouraged to share their opinion and get more involved in environmental education and urged more educators to join this endeavor. He also said that the CRC could link the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) together. Alex Shyy, International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF), said that ICDF has 84 ongoing projects in 38 countries and is cooperating with various partners. He stressed the difference between small island developing states (SIDS) and non-SIDS regarding production losses from natural disasters, with the Caribbean ranking third. He presented two case studies in Saint Kitts and Nevis, describing how Taiwanese meteorologists and agriculture specialists helped to enhance the country's capacity in adapting to climate change. Yuh-Ming Lee, Center for Corporate Sustainability, TAISE, outlined Taiwan’s low-technology adaptation measures to respond to floods, including through improvement of evacuation routes and early warning system, and to overcome overheating through cooling and preserving vegetation. He said that Taiwan’s “Four-in-One Recycling Programme” has contributed to hazard mitigation and climate change adaptation, involving government, manufacturers, consumers and licensed recycling enterprises. In the ensuing discussion, participants discussed the role of the private sector in Taiwan’s experience and opportunities for South-South cooperation. L-R: Alex Shyy, ICDF; Yuh-Ming Lee, TAISE; Eugene Chien, Chairman, TAISE; Cheryl Jeffers, Department of Environment, Saint Kitts and Nevis; Tao-Sheng Lee, EQPF; and I-Chan Cheng, EQPF Cheryl Jeffers, Department of Environment, Saint Kitts and Nevis, moderated this event. Tao-Sheng Lee, EQPF, said that people are a key to forest resource management in Taiwan. Eugene Chien, Chairman, TAISE, introduced the panel presentations. I-Chan Cheng, EQPF, stressed that writing and other forms of activity can be a powerful tool to improve creativity in the school environment on climate education. Yuh-Ming Lee, TAISE, highlighted Taiwan’s “per-bag trash fee” initiative as an effective policy tool to increase recycling volume. Alex Shyy, ICDF, noted that the impact of climate disasters in agriculture worldwide resulted in USD 93 billion of losses as a result of declines in crop and livestock production between 2005 and 2014. Hanan El-Amin Muddathir, Environmental Initiative for Sustainable Development (Envl), Sudan, asks a question to Alex Shyy CONTACT June Hughes (Saint Kitts and Nevis) | ccodoe@sisterisles.kn Szu Chi Kao (EQPF) | ted.eqpf@gmail.com Yuh-Ming Lee (TAISE) | yml@gm.ntpu.edu.tw MORE INFORMATION http://www.eqpf.org/en/Site/index.html http://taise.org.tw/en/ Around the Venue

Delegates negotiating compromise language on ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs) On Thursday, plenary elected the members of the compliance committees of the Cartagena and Nagoya Protocols, and elected Basile van Havre (Canada) and Francis Ogwal (Uganda) as Co-Chairs of the Working Group on the post-2020 framework. Following informal consultations on digital sequence information under the Nagoya Protocol, safeguards in biodiversity financing mechanisms, and ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs), plenary adopted the meeting’s reports and decisions, including the budget. Delegates heard regional statements, and followed a video presentation on the 2020 Conference, to be held in Beijing, China. CBD Executive Secretary Cristiana Paşca Palmer outlined the successes of the meeting, including, among others: committing to an inclusive and flexible preparatory process for the post-2020 framework; calling for a UN decade on ecosystem restoration; and committing to the final “two-year sprint towards the Aichi finish line.” She further emphasized the need to: “bend the curve” of biodiversity loss; move from a model of incremental change to transformational change; and recognize that saving cultural diversity goes hand-in-hand with saving biological diversity. UN Biodiversity Conference President Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt, emphasized the spirit of mutual respect that prevailed during the Conference. She stressed that “marvelous work was done willingly and lovingly,” inviting delegates and participants to take the message “one step higher to raise the bar and materialize all the decisions that have been agreed.” She gaveled the Conference to a close at 9:02 pm.   IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, has provided daily reports, daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis from the 2018 UN Biodiversity Conference. Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Dais durng plenary observed a moment of silence in memory of colleagues who passed away Conference participants observed a moment of silence Hayo Haanstra (the Netherlands), Chair of Working Group I Clarissa Nina (Brazil), Chair of Working Group II Monyrak Meng (Cambodia), Rapporteur Elena Makeyeva, Belarus Final day of the plenary session of the UN Biodiversity Conference Delegates from Mexico Helmut Gaugitsch, EU Rosemary Paterson, New Zealand Ga Youn Cho, Republic of Korea Norbert Bärlocher, Switzerland Ghanim Abdulla, Qatar Mitzi Gurgel Valente da Costa, Brazil Salomón Botero Bermudez, youngest meeting participant, with the Colombian delegation Christiane Paulus, Germany Ralph Sontag, Pew Charitable Trusts Win Naing Thaw, Myanmar Holly Kelley-Weil, UK L-R: Anwar Al-Hemiary and Abdulghani Al-Bokwali, Yemen Wendy Yap, Singapore Gurdial Singh, Malaysia Sarah Wyatt, The Global Environment Facility Ali Mansoor Abbas Abdulla, Bahrain Khaled Fouda Saddiq Mohammed, Governor of South Sinai, Egypt Cristiana Paşca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary Christine von Weizsäcker, ECOROPA, for the International Women's Biodiversity Network L-R: Christian Schwarzer, Mirna Ines Fernandez, and Sharath Kolan Reddy, Global Youth Biodiversity Network Humberto Delgado Rosa, EU Marci Gompers-Small, Suriname, for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Chengshou Bai, China Helena Brown, Antigua and Barbuda, for the Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC) Delegates from South Africa COP 14 President Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt, joined by her son Ali Hussein Shabana COP 14 President Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, Egypt, gaveled the meeting to a close at 9:02 pm Delegates from China Delegates from the EU Delegates from Austria Delegates from IUCN Delegates from UN Environment Programme Basile van Havre, Canada, with Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, CBD Secretariat COP 14 ENB team with (front row) Nicole Schabus, Elaine Limjoco, Lynn Finnegan, and Amanda Rude; (back row) Francis Dejon, Asheline Appleton, Merium Fouad, Elsa Tsioumani, and Asterios Tsioumanis