Spain

As the first week of COP 25 draws to a close, members of the G-77/China huddle during an informal consultation to try reach agreement. The Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference concluded its first week in a flurry of discussions over the various issues due for completion before the subsidiary bodies close on Monday. Success was mixed. The subsidiary bodies will have “clean,” or agreed, decisions to consider for national adaptation plans and the Poznan strategic programme on technology transfer. After protracted negotiations, delegates agreed to a decision on research and systematic observation, which addresses global cooperation on climate monitoring and data. Negotiations continued well into the night on loss and damage, another technology item, transparency, and the review of the long-term global goal. Delegates were unable to find agreement on several issues, including common time frames and agriculture. In many cases, parties hoped that discussions among heads of delegation could resolve the issues by bringing together the few parties that remain in disagreement. The imminent arrival of ministers adds some pressure, as negotiators expressed a reluctance to bring all these unagreed texts to the political level. Delegates working on Article 6 (market and non-market mechanisms) waited throughout the day for the next iteration of the texts. Discussions on these were scheduled to start late in the evening, but were eventually postponed until Monday, 9 December. Many expect this issue to go to ministers. Uncertainty remains about what elements could be decided on at COP 25, and which ones would require additional time to create more detailed guidance on certain methodologies. The COP Presidency held an open dialogue between parties and observer organizations. COP 25 President Carolina Schmidt emphasized the need to bring together all actors to catalyze more ambitious commitments and action. Observers used the opportunity to discuss the broader picture, and multiple crises the world faces. Trade Union NGOs warned of “social tipping points” that, when crossed, undermine peoples’ support for climate policy. Environmental NGOs pointed out the looming environmental tipping points. Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations called for real, not “token,” engagement with traditional knowledge in the search for solutions. Also seeking wider inclusion, Youth NGOs called for making science available to all and supporting the participation of observers from developing countries. In the context of three workshops on energy, transport, and human settlements, the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action also underscored the important role of science. Several of the speakers discussed how to foster credible, science-based solutions that are effective and profitable. The intersection of those interests, particularly in the energy sector, were stressed as key to unlocking climate ambition by all. For more details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

Greta Thunberg, Swedish youth activist, arrives at COP 25. The Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference continued with a palpable sense of increased pressure and, perhaps, frustration. With only one further negotiation day left for the subsidiary bodies to finish their technical work before concluding on Monday, delegates worked overtime on a wide range of issues. In many rooms, discussions moved into “informal informals” intended for parties to have frank discussions and hopefully work through disagreements. These included agriculture, Article 6 (market and non-market mechanisms), gender, and the Adaptation Fund, among several others. Negotiators asked for more time on other issues, notably loss and damage and the review of the long-term global goal. Many expect Article 6 negotiations to run into the second week in order to allow ministers to make key political decisions that can guide the technical deliberations. A unique meeting was held to discuss the global goal on adaptation in response to calls from the African Group to put the global goal on the agenda. Many developing countries stressed the importance of adaptation and held firm that the global goal on adaptation was equally important to the global temperature goals. Developed countries noted the ongoing work on adaptation elsewhere on the agenda, and the potential of that work to make progress toward the global goal. The COP Presidency drew attention to the temperature goal, holding an informal meeting with ministers to discuss the ambition of nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Chile highlighted the Climate Ambition Alliance, a group of 70 countries, with businesses and cities, committing to work toward net zero emissions. The UK announced they would submit an enhanced NDC early next year, and the EU spoke about its Green Deal. Several developing countries spoke to their efforts to raise ambition, but also their need for support and imperative to adapt to the disproportionate effects they are experiencing. The Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action held four events, on water, industry, oceans and coastal zones, and land use. Throughout the events, speakers shared insights and provoked ideas on how partnerships among countries and other actors - businesses, cities, and other organizations - can help achieve a below 1.5°C world. Many stressed that “science is not negotiable” and should inform all climate action. For more details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

Young and Future Generations Day took place at COP 25, showcasing and celebrating youth climate action around the globe. As the Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference continued, several of the key issues received increased attention. Discussions on loss and damage continued throughout much of the day, with progress emerging, but some deep divisions among parties, particularly on finance, remaining. Delegates addressing loss and damage, and those discussing Article 6 (market and non-market mechanisms) worked into the night. Transparency issues were discussed in several contexts, all aimed at transitioning toward the Paris Agreement’s national reporting system. Countries discussed how to revise the terms of reference for the Consultative Group of Experts, a body that supports developing countries in their national reporting, in light of the Paris Agreement’s reporting obligations. Other negotiations focused on the tables and forms that countries will use to prepare their national reports in the future system. While negotiations focused on transitioning toward the Paris Agreement’s institutional machinery, other events were highlighting a range of issues key to climate action. A special event on unpacking the new scientific knowledge and key findings in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate showcased findings related to, among others, hazards in high mountain regions that affect water availability and quality, recreational activities, and tourism. In the Arctic, the Special Report outlines the regions at risk from permafrost thaw by 2050, leading some communities to plan their relocation. The COP Presidency held a ministerial event on forests with the aim of encouraging countries to leverage forests to reduce emissions and build resilience through their nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Ministers from a range of countries, many from Latin America, and other global organizations spoke to forests’ role in climate action, and to supporting local communities and forest owners. Chile announced it would double its reforestation target in its forthcoming NDC and Pakistan and Armenia pledged to plant 10 billion and 10 million trees, respectively. The Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action discussed agri-food chains in a roundtable with businesses, farmers, and international organizations, among others. High-Level Champion for the Partnership, Gonzalo Muñoz outlined the challenge: to realize a hunger-free, prosperous, and climate-safe world by 2020. Closing the roundtable, UNFCCC Senior Director Martin Frick underscored the need to support farmers and farming, particularly family and small-scale farmers. For more details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

Gonzalo Muñoz, High-Level Champion, Chile, speaks during the launch of the 2019 Yearbook and the Climate Action Pathway. On Wednesday, delegates at the Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference looked up from their technical negotiations to take stock of climate action. The technical part of the stocktake on the implementation and ambition of climate action before 2020 launched in the afternoon. Parties reviewed the work of the UNFCCC related to mitigation efforts, and supporting enhancing implementation and ambition. Many found the event sobering, with civil society denouncing a “lost decade” of mitigation and climate financing efforts, and some parties noting that the needs of developing countries remain unmet. Appropriately timed, several events drew attention to the role of science. The Chilean Presidency hosted science ministers (and their equivalents) from around the world in a virtual meeting to discuss how they can contribute to the development of countries’ climate pledges. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) held an event to better understand the IPCC’s Special Report on Climate Change and Land. Opening the event, the UNFCCC Executive Secretary underscored that “the facts are telling us that we are impacting the support systems keeping us alive.” The Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action also reviewed climate action in the first of its series of events. The 2019 Yearbook of Global Climate Action reflects the state of action taken by non-party stakeholders – businesses, cities and regions, and civil society. The report shows that these actors, often in collaboration with countries, are increasingly delivering on initiatives that can help close the emissions gap. But, challenges remain to scale up the potential of non-state climate action. Technical negotiations continued, particularly for finance, loss and damage, and Article 6 (market and non-market mechanisms). Article 6 negotiators reviewed new texts in the morning, which some thought looked “promising.” The afternoon negotiations seemingly supported this optimism, as delegates worked constructively to move “forward ever, backward never.” For more details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

As discussions on finance began, members of civil society demonstrate in the corridors, calling for stronger financial mechanisms to effectively combat the climate crisis. The Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference continued on Tuesday. Delegates began detailed negotiations on a wide range of issues, from finance to transparency, adaptation to markets, and gender to response measures. Meanwhile, the COP Presidency began highlighting important themes for this “Blue COP.” Article 6 negotiations for market and non-market approaches featured prominently. Heads of delegation met in the morning to discuss expectations and a process for concluding these negotiations at this session. In the afternoon, detailed negotiations began, in a room filled beyond capacity, with parties focusing first on the non-market approaches and then turning to the market-related mechanisms. The Co-Facilitators will produce new versions of the draft texts by Wednesday, 4 December, to help parties advance their work. Several potentially thorny finance issues were raised, including taking stock of progress toward the goal of USD 100 billion per year by 2020, and steps toward setting a new quantified goal from 2025. Discussions on the membership of the Adaptation Fund Board proved difficult, with little common ground found in the initial negotiating session. During this meeting, there is much work remaining for finance issues, including providing guidance to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Global Environment Facility (GEF). The Chilean Presidency brought attention to key cross-cutting issues. In an informal dialogue on the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform (LCIPP), several speakers highlighted the role of traditional knowledge and the need to include a range of perspectives in supporting climate action throughout the work of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Presidency also launched the Platform for Science-Based Ocean Solutions. As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC) highlighted, the ocean is already experiencing significant effects that will be increasingly dangerous without urgent action. The Platform will help create a community of practice to share lessons, encourage concrete policies, and facilitate access to resources and solutions for the ocean. Practical advice emerged from the workshop on the Koronivia joint work on agriculture on ways to improve nutrient use and manure management. Congratulating participants on reaching the halfway point of the joint work, Stella Gama, Malawi, stressed that “action is urgent,” and that “we need to change gears” to ensure food security for all. For more details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

Teresa Ribera, Minister for the Ecological Transition, Spain; IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee; Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Spain; Carolina Schmidt, COP 25 President, Chile; UN Secretary-General António Guterres; and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa, welcome delegates to the offical opening of COP 25. The Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference opened under the glare of camera lenses and flashes: the fast-paced atmosphere inevitably created when Heads of State and Government arrive. Roughly 50 world leaders gathered to hear UN Secretary-General António Guterres somberly declare that the “point of no return is in sight.” As these dignitaries shared experiences on raising climate ambition in their countries, many emphasized that enhanced action is a moral imperative. Notably, several speakers spoke of a “climate crisis” and paid tribute to youth movements for holding decision makers accountable for increasing ambition. Another message that resonated across statements was the need to support the most vulnerable, with the Dominican Republic emphasizing the importance of public services, especially regarding education and health, and Luxembourg announcing national plans to make public transportation free for all. The EU highlighted its plan to become the first climate neutral continent by 2050. COP 25 President Carolina Schmidt, Chile, underscored the need to reinvigorate multilateralism and ensure that negotiations spur the just and inclusive transition which is urgently needed to address the reality of vulnerable communities around the world. Throughout the day, delegates met in plenary to launch the work of all five UNFCCC bodies. Much of the morning involved discussions on the agendas of the Conference of the Parties (COP) and Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA). Various parties and groups had proposed several new agenda items. Some of the items to be taken forward include: Privileges and immunities to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) will be considered with other GCF-related issues on the COP agenda; The special needs and circumstances of African and Latin American countries will not be on the CMA agenda, but the special circumstances of Africa will be discussed informally; and The report of the Adaptation Committee will be added to the CMA agenda, and parties will discuss the global goal on adaptation in an informal meeting. Some delegates worried if the disagreements over the agendas, and the means to resolve some of them, had eroded trust among negotiators. Others disagreed and looked forward to a more “normal” pace of work tomorrow. For more details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

On Thursday morning, participants to the Before the Blue COP workshop met to discuss challenges and opportunities in integrating the ocean in NDCs. Manuel Barange, UN FAO, introduced a technical report by the FAO on the impacts of climate change on fisheries and aquaculture as a sector-specific toolbox for countries to work on adaptation planning, including for National Adaptation Plans and NDCs. Responding to many participants’ enquiries, Dorothée Herr, IUCN, explained why discussions on blue carbon largely focus on greenhouse gas sequestration in vegetated coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, referring to, inter alia, the long-term carbon storage potential of these ecosystems. Sarah Cooley, Ocean Conservancy, discussed acidification impacts on marine ecosystems. She said carbon dioxide has a direct impact on acidification. Diego Kersting, Freie Univerität Berlin, highlighted consequences of climate change and ocean warming including: mass mortality of organisms such as corals and sponges, decrease of Atlantic algal forests, and increased vulnerability of other species. Beñat Sanz Antoñanzas, APPA Marina, presented on the role of marine renewable energy, and noted advantages, including: predictability and good integration with other renewable sources. Itziar Martín, Spain, emphasized that climate change effects that are relevant for the management of MPAs are already perceptible. Gemma Harper, UK, highlighted that her country is collaborating with the IUCN to explore ways to ensure that MPAs are “climate-smart,” including with regard to strengthened coastal defenses for climate adaptation. In the afternoon, participants addressed national perspectives on pathways for advancing the consideration of ocean and climate interlinkages. In the closing session, Rémi Parmentier, Because the Ocean Initiative, presented a preliminary list of take-aways from the workshop, including: NDCs offer opportunities to address ocean and climate interlinkages, but other vehicles such as National Adaptation Plans should also be considered; There is 'great appetite' for political initiatives to increase the momentum on the ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus; and Cooperation between the marine and climate communities should be fostered at international, regional, and national levels. In final remarks, Valvanera Ulargui, Spain, stressed the importance of supporting the Chilean COP 25 Presidency in making the “Blue COP” a success. It was noted that conversations will continue in the workshop series. The meeting closed at 4:56 pm.

The Before the Blue COP workshop opened on Wednesday 10 April, at the Royal Botanical Garden in Madrid, Spain. Teresa Ribera, Minister for Ecological Transition, Spain, welcomed participants and called for increasing public awareness on ocean and climate interlinkages. In a video message HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco reiterated his commitment to champion interlinkages between the ocean and climate agendas. Rémi Parmentier, Because the Ocean Initiative, and Loreley Picourt, Ocean and Climate Platform, moderated a roundtable featuring: Peter Thomson, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for the Ocean, Fiji; Manuel Barange, UN FAO; Anders Jessen, EU Commission; and Sébastien Treyer, CEO, Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI). In his concluding remarks, Thomson underscored that holding a blue COP is a “one and only opportunity,” stressing the need to grasp this opportunity. Via a video message, the President of the upcoming 25th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Carolina Schmidt, Chile, invited workshop participants to the “blue COP.” She underscored that an effective global response to climate change is not possible without a global response to ocean challenges. In the afternoon session, which took place at the Fundación Biodiversidad, participants outlined their expectations for the workshop, including: the need to identify milestones to foster interlinkages between the climate and ocean agendas; and exchanging knowledge with ocean and climate experts. Rémi Parmentier emphasized the workshop series’ objective to provide room for breaking down silos and exploring the design of ocean-enhanced NDCs, bearing in mind regional differences. Iñigo Losada, University of Cantabria, noted ocean acidification, deoxygenation, and sea level rise are key threats. Joanna Post, UNFCCC Secretariat, and Paul Watkinson, Chair of UNFCCC SBSTA, provided insights into how ocean issues are included in institutional arrangements under the UNFCCC. On regional perspectives, Susana Salvador, OSPAR Commission, delineated how the interlinkages between ocean and climate issues are considered in the North-East Atlantic. Gaetano Leone, UNEP-MAP-Barcelona Convention highlighted it is oftentimes more manageable to agree on political processes and mobilize higher levels of commitment at the regional rather than at the global level.