It’s no mystery: scale it up!

Workstream 2 is great: without it, no long term goal matters, however it’s expressed. 2020 is simply too late unless parties take bold actions in the next 5 years. ECO was thrilled to see all of yesterday devoted to the 2015 technical examination process.

It is high time to move beyond identifying promising options and admiring great examples to the question of how we can scale up, replicate and implement. We need an effective mechanism to harness opportunities for additional ambition in the 2015-20 period. Here are a few simple suggestions:

• Focus the next TEMs of the solutions that have garnered the most support so far and those offering the largest potential benefits (deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency at scale as well as on those that cut fossil fuel subsidies);
• Move beyond identifying options and examples, instead focus on implementation: how can existing barriers be overcome and and needs addressed?;
• Get specific about how existing institutions such as the TEC, the CTCN and the GCF should support best practices identified in Workstream 2;
• Create new partnerships and recognise existing initiatives that bring together pioneers and deliver significant additional mitigation results.

There also need to be criteria to distinguish meaningful initiatives from the greenwash. To ensure initiatives really help close the emissions gap; quantify their contributions, and allow for regular follow-up. Thursday’s session on Workstream 2 gives delegates another opportunity to focus on on such outcomes as well as well as opportunities for countries can increase their current targets.

Avoiding further action until the post-2020 period is not an option. Why so many parties seem convinced it might be remains a mystery.