The sun is shining, the starting pistol has been fired, and the race for a draft negotiating text for Lima is on. With the negotiations as the racecourse, we have the Parties running towards the finish line, only there are four key hurdles that they all face: the convention, contributions, contact groups and elements.
The convention is a hurdle that will come up time and time again, but the exact shape and size that it will take remains unknown. For some Parties this is the key hurdle to clear, even though some may want to avoid it all together. For most though, this is an important hurdle that just needs more flexibility. It looks like we all might need a little more training and preparation for Parties on this one.
All Parties want the same thing on contributions – more progress on what the information requirements are. With a pause for breathe, and with a fleeting clap of encouragement from onlookers, the EU has set a good example by kick-starting their preparations already. They’ve still got a ways to go if they want to set a strong and steady pace though. We’ll be tuning in to today’s workshop to hear more on how this is progressing.
Contact groups have the support of many in the crowd but the call for the formal negotiations has been met with caution. Are the Parties ready for this yet? We’ll just have to wait and see how the co-chairs proceed with this leg of the race.
And last but not least, the elements of the 2015 agreement. A mega-hurdle in some ways with lots to contend – mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology, capacity building, means of implementation and transparency of support. But with a deep breath, remember that ‘open-ended’ consultations are not ‘endless’! And so the race continues.