ECO Newsletter

At these Subsidiary Bodies you could be forgiven for thinking that the issue of loss and damage was (you guessed it) living up to its name and lost irreversibly. The issue is discussed at a small, grossly underfunded body – and rarely, if ever, in an open negotiating session. The conspiracy theorists among you may indeed suspect that the aim all along was to keep it in a permanently damaged state.

Delegates: in 2013, you established the WIM with three functions: to enhance knowledge; to strengthen dialogue and coordination; and to enhance action and support, including finance. Yet after 3 years, vulnerable people and countries are no closer than they were in 2013 to receiving loss and damage finance.

Lucky for you, dear colleagues, ECO has been doing some thinking. Today, a side event on loss and damage finance, governance, and implementation options, promises to explore the key questions and options, and provide concrete next steps. There will be another event on the same topic next week.

ECO suggests that you attend and engage. After all, no one is going to accept the first ever Pacific COP without concrete progress on finance for loss and damage.

ECO was shocked to hear that observers were asked to leave the SBSTA informal consultations of Article 6. In the spirit of all that was achieved in Paris, being open, inclusive, and transparent is key.  Observers have insights, expertise, and different perspectives that can help move discussions forward in a constructive manner.

The 2020 pledges and the NDCs submitted in 2015 were a step forward for global climate action. But they still leave us with two unresolved problems: a huge emissions gap, and a huge gap in climate preparedness that is hitting vulnerable communities the hardest. Looking further into the future, with the Paris Agreement and Agenda 2030, Parties have recognized the enormous challenge the global community is facing: In the next three and half decades, we collectively have to improve the wellbeing of all people around the planet, while putting in place zero-carbon economies and societies that are more inclusive, and protect the vulnerable.

In Fijian culture, when problems cannot be resolved through traditional means, the community has an additional resort — they organize a “talanoa”, a relaxed gathering open to anyone. It is intended to be as inclusive as possible, so that new solutions can be forged. Likewise, ECO recalls that in Morocco, the word “marhaba”, meaning “welcome” and “come in”, reflects openness and willingness to discuss and take the next step together.

Recognizing the role of our High-Level Champions from Morocco and Fiji, ECO wants to say “marhaba” to all Parties and non-state and sub-national actors to our planetary talanoa: the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action.
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Transparency, covered by Article 13 of the Paris Agreement, is crucial to make sure the Paris Agreement works. Without strong transparency provisions, how will we even know if we are on track to reaching the Agreement’s objectives and if everyone is implementing what they pledged. Transparency is also really complicated. For anyone not aware of this, it became apparent in yesterday’s contact group. A big part of the discussion is still focused on the conceptual elements of Article 13. But delegates, you only have until 2018 to finalize strong modalities, procedures, and guidelines, so it is time to really get to work on these.

The objective is to build a common, robust, and inclusive framework to enhance clarity and effectiveness. Sure, the agreement must account for different national circumstances, allow for flexibility where needed and reflect equity. But it also has to be strong enough to make all countries accountable for doing what they pledged.

The modalities, procedures and guidelines need to be robust enough to ensure we get the necessary level of detail on individual Parties’ actions and the support they are providing or receiving. Delegates should also make sure we get information on how countries are implementing their commitments in a way that respects overarching principles reflected in the Agreement, including the integrity of ecosystems, human rights, food security, just transition, indigenous peoples’ rights, gender equality, and intergenerational equality.
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As every avid ECO reader will know, ECO hates gaps. For years, ECO has called on delegates to do all they can to close the adaptation gap, plug the finance gap and reduce the ambition gap as fast as possible. But this time around, there is an in-session workshop to support the development of a GAP – and ECO is all in favor.

That is because this GAP refers to the gender action plan and the UNFCCC urgently needs one. Women’s rights should be central to every aspect of the UNFCCC negotiations – but they still are not.

While there will be no formal negotiation session on the gender agenda item at Bonn, there will be a 2-day workshop starting today, open to all Parties, UN organizations, observers and other stakeholders. The objective is to make progress on a gender action plan, mandated under the COP22 extension of the Lima Work Programme on Gender. The outcome will inform negotiations towards a decision at COP23.

Join the workshop and show support for women’s rights today from 10.00 to 13.00 hrs and tomorrow from 15.00 to 18.00 hrs in Room Santiago de Chile.

Take the following quiz to test your knowledge of the incoming Fijian Presidency and the Fiji Islands.

1.  How many islands make up the Fiji archipelago?

            A. 110              B.330            C.660

       2. Fiji’s NDC has a target of XX% electricity from renewables by 2030

            A. 60%             B. 80%         C. 100%

       3.When will the Fiji Government formally assume the COP23 Presidency?

            A. June 2017        B. November 2017        C. May 201

4.Which of these climate change impacts threaten the Fijian economy the most?

           A. High temperatures leading to coral bleaching which in turn affects the tourism industry

           B. Temperature rise leading to more frequent and severe cyclones, which devastate                 infrastructure and agriculture

           C. Rising sea level and coastal erosion

       5.Who is the Executive Director of the COP23 Secretariat?

           A. John Connor, Australian

           B. Waisale Serevi, Fijian

           C. Nicole Wilke, German

Answers: 1) B 2) C 3) B 4) B 5) A

When countries submitted their INDCs, which later became their NDCs, ECO was very pleased to see that nearly all developing countries included adaptation components. This was because it provides a more complete picture on the significant and yet unmet needs that many vulnerable countries face to advance adaptation. ECO encourages Parties to move constructively forward on the adaptation communication discussion here in Bonn. This could finally lift the political attention given to adaptation to the level of attention given to mitigation.

Overall, ECO would like to see the following elements being addressed in adaptation communications:

• National sustainable development circumstances;
• Impacts, risks and vulnerabilities, at different temperatures including 1.5 and 2°C;
• Current trajectories and worst case temperature scenarios;
• Legal, institutional and policy frameworks;
• Decision-making processes and application of adaptation principles (based on Art. 7.5);
• Costs of adaptation and support needs;
• Monitoring and evaluation of adaptation.

ECO feels that the purposes of different instruments, to be used for adaptation communications, can be clearer: NDCs are key to outlining forward-looking objectives and targets for action that are related to the overall NDC submission and the Global Stocktake; National communications focus on providing information on adaptation actions and policies already undertaken; National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) can, as a primarily national planning tool, provide a roadmap towards achieving the objectives outlined in the NDCs.
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After a satisfying feast at last night’s reception – thank you! – ECO feels truly grateful for food security. But don’t be fooled by the reception. In the real world, a free lunch takes hard negotiations.

The Paris Agreement has set us some key challenges when it comes to issues of land, food, and agriculture. As the climate clock continues to count down, and after the awkward lack of progress on agriculture in Marrakesh, we hope that Parties have come to Bonn keen to find common ground and build momentum.

We all know that it is challenging to find a way forward because agriculture is more than a sector in which to reduce emissions. It is the basis of food security, a source of livelihood for over three billion people, a contributor to nutrition and health, and a foundation of identity. A sector this complex must be approached carefully.

It’s therefore time for SBSTA to set up a work programme on agriculture and food security, to discuss these issues in depth, and make important recommendations as the APA process writes the Paris rulebook.

Parties must consider a number of key challenges. How can we safeguard food security and human rights in the face of climate change?
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