This year will be the third time the COP takes place in Poland — Dziękuję Ci [thank you]. ECO looks forward to more pierogi and sausages!
Sadly, food doesn’t make a good COP. COP24 is a chance for the Polish government to step up, help lead the transition, and strengthen global climate action. Poland can use this moment to revamp the country’s international reputation, rather than strengthening its shameful position as Europe’s number one climate laggard.
ECO welcomes Poland’s commitment to deliver on the Paris Rulebook, but wants to make it clear that only a robust, fleshed-out and balanced rulebook will be considered a successful outcome for COP24.
Alongside the Rulebook, ECO expects Poland to take its responsibility towards the Talanoa Dialogue seriously and make sure the political phase at COP24 leads to enhanced climate ambition. This includes a commitment that countries will ramp up their NDCs by 2020. This is as much a priority as progress on the rules.
ECO also encourages Poland to ratify the Doha amendment to the Kyoto Protocol and help it enter into force by COP24, given the importance of pre-2020 climate action and the honouring of deals made.
As you know, the COP presidency plays an important role in facilitating and enabling full and effective participation of civil society. ECO is sure that Poland can learn from the good and not so good practices and initiatives at past COPs.
Ending on a high note — ECO would like to commend Katowice for its efforts to move beyond coal and undergo a just transition to more sustainable energy sources and doing it despite the government’s consistent use of public money to keep this dirty business alive with subsidies.
And finally a quick note: We hope that we will have a place to stay close enough to the conference venue to at least manage to drop by every day. Logistics and effective participation are in fact turning out to be key elements for diplomatic success.
