Capacity Building: Negotiations

Capacity-building: Negotiations

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Last update: 15 September 2016

Marrakech Climate Change Conference - November 2016

During SBI 45, which will take place in Bab Ighli, Marrakech, Morocco from 7 to 14 November 2016, Parties will engage in discussions on the following topics with a view to recommending draft decisions for consideration and adoption:

the annual focus area or theme for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building for 2017, and on which representatives of the bodies established under the Convention and of the operating entities of the Financial Mechanism should be invited to the first meeting of the Paris Committee on Capacity-building. Views submitted by Parties in this regard are available in the submissions portal at http://www.unfccc.int/5900
third comprehensive review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building under the Convention and under the Kyoto Protocol in developing countries. Parties will continue their consideration of this matter on the basis of the text contained in document FCCC/SBI/2016/L.21

The summary report of the 5th meeting of the Durban Forum on capacity-building is available for Parties' consideration during the negotiations under SB 45.

COP 22, which will take place from 7 to 18 November 2016, will consider the draft decision on the terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building, contained in document FCCC/SBI/2016/8/Add.1, recommended by the SBI for its consideration and adoption.

Call for submissions prior to COP 22

Submissions deadline: 29 August 2016

The SBI invited Parties to submit their views on

the annual focus area or theme for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building for 2017, and
on which representatives of the bodies established under the Convention and of the operating entities of the Financial Mechanism should be invited to the first meeting of the Paris Committee on Capacity-building (see document FCCC/SBI/2016/L.24).

Parties should submit their views via the submissions portal at http://www.unfccc.int/5900

Submitted views will be considered at SBI 45 (November 2016), so that the SBI can make a recommendation on this matter for consideration and adoption at COP 22.

Bonn Climate Change Conference - May 2016

The forty-forth session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) engaged Parties in negotiations on the following topics, as per the mandates contained in decisions 1/CP21, 14/CP.21 and 9/CMP.11:

The terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building
The third comprehensive review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in developing countries under the Convention/under the Kyoto Protocol; more>>

Summary of results

On the terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building: Parties started and concluded their consideration of this matter at this session. The draft decision on the terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building, contained in document FCCC/SBI/2016/L.24/Add.1, will be recommended for consideration and adoption by the COP at its twenty-second session (November 2016).

In the draft conclusions proposed by the Chair related to the terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building, the SBI invited Parties:

to consider their nominations to the Paris Committee on Capacity-building, as outlined in contained in document FCCC/SBI/2016/L.24/Add.1, with a view to the work of the Paris Committee on Capacity-building commencing at SBI 46 (May 2017)
to submit by 29 August 2016 their views on the annual focus area or theme for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building for 2017, and on which representatives of the bodies established under the Convention and of the operating entities of the Financial Mechanism should be invited to the first meeting of the Paris Committee on Capacity-building, with a view to the SBI making a recommendation on this matter for consideration and adoption at COP 22.

The draft conclusions proposed by the Chair related to the terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building are contained in document FCCC/SBI/2016/L.24.

On the third comprehensive review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building under the Convention in developing countries: Parties started the discussions on the third comprehensive review, and agreed to continue their consideration of this matter at SBI 45 (November 2016) on the basis of the text contained in the annex of the draft conclusions (FCCC/SBI/2016/L.21), with a view to recommending a draft decision for consideration and adoption by the COP at its twenty-second session and by the CMP ant its eleventh session.

Documents prepared for this session:

Third comprehensive review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in developing countries. Technical paper by the secretariat. FCCC/TP/2016/1
Information and views on capacity-building matters. Submissions from Parties. FCCC/SBI/2016/MISC/1

SBI 44 will also host the 5th meeting of the Durban Forum on capacity-building. Background documents prepared for the 5th meeting are available on the dedicated page.

Capacity Building at COP21/CMP11
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Paris Climate Change Conference - November 2015

Capacity-building is featuring in paragraphs 71 - 83 of Decision 1/CP21 and in Article 11 of the Paris Agreement, annexed to decision 1/CP21.

More details on the negotiations on capacity-building held in subsidiary bodies are provided below.

Negotiations on capacity-building under the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI)

At SBI 43, Parties could not conclude the discussions on capacity-building on item 11. (a) Capacity-building under the Convention and (b) Capacity-building under the Kyoto Protocol. The SBI forwarded the draft decision texts contained in documents FCCC/SBI/2015/L.33 and FCCC/SBI/2015/L.34 to the COP and CMP, respectively, for their consideration.

COP 21 and CMP 11 agreed on, and adopted the following decisions: 14/CP.21 Capacity-building under the Convention and 9/CMP.11 Capacity-building under the Kyoto Protocol, respectively.

Negotiations were initially focused on the draft texts contained in the annexes of documents FCCC/SBI/2015/L.15 and FCCC/SBI/2015/L.16. The SBI had also considered two reports: the summary report on the 4th meeting of the Durban Forum, and the report on the workshop on potential ways to enhance capacity-building activities which took place on 17 October 2015.

Negotiations on capacity-building under the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP)

At ADP2-12, negotiations on capacity-building on item 3. (a) Matters related to paragraphs 2 to 6 of decision 1/CP.17 (Workstream 1) focused on Article 8 and Article 8bis (Capacity-building and Climate change education, training and public awareness, respectively), and on relevant paragraphs of the draft Decision.

Bonn Climate Change Conference - October 2015

At the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP2-11), negotiations on capacity-building on item 3. (a) Matters related to paragraphs 2 to 6 of decision 1/CP.17 (Workstream 1) were co-facilitated by Mr. Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Mr. Artur Runge-Metzger (European Union).

Negotiations during this session were based on a pdf-icon non-paper prepared by the Co-Chairs, (85 kB) with the assistance of the co-facilitators and the support of the secretariat. This non-paper, which contained the basis of negotiation for the draft Paris climate package on workstreams 1 and 2, was based on the Geneva negotiating text and views and positions expressed by Parties on the Co-Chairs’ tool presented at the tenth part of the session.

The work on capacity-building concentrated mainly on the draft agreement section of the non-paper. The result of Parties 'efforts was a streamlined text with clean options on Article 8 (Capacity-building) and Article 8 bis (Climate change education, training and public awareness). Because of time restrictions, Parties could not advance on the draft decision section of the non-paper. Inputs received by Parties during this session are contained here.

Here is Parties' work on the pdf-icon draft Agreement and the draft decision (102 kB) on capacity-building at the October 2015 Conference.

At the margins of the ADP 2.11, a workshop on potential ways to enhance capacity-building activities took place on 17 October 2015. More information on this workshop is available here.

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Bonn Climate Change Conference - August 2015

At the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP2-10), negotiations on capacity-building on item 3. (a) Matters related to paragraphs 2 to 6 of decision 1/CP.17 (Workstream 1) were co-facilitated by Mr. Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Mr. Artur Runge-Metzger (European Union).

During this session Parties considered the pdf-icon Co-Chairs Tool (1490 kB) , a fully streamlined, consolidated and concise version of the Geneva negotiating text prepared by the ADP Co-Chairs with the support of the secretariat and the Co-Facilitators. The purpose of this tool was to put the various paragraphs of the Geneva negotiating text into three parts, with clear options. Relevant capacity-building sections of the above mentioned tool are available below.

pdf-icon Part One (80 kB) , entitled “Draft Agreement”, contained provisions that are appropriate for inclusion in an agreement. Part Two (116 kB) of the tool, entitled “Draft decision”, featured provisions that are appropriate for inclusion in a decision. Remaining provisions were allocated in pdf-icon Part Three (153 kB) of the tool, entitled “Provisions whose placement requires further clarity among Parties in relation to the draft agreement or draft decision”. The Co-Chairs Tool contain also a section on the work programme for the interim period pending the entry into force of the agreement (7 kB) .

Party outputs of the facilitated meetings on capacity-building were captured in a pdf-icon working document (137 kB) .

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Bonn Climate Change Conference - June 2015

At the forty-second session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), informal consultations on capacity-building under the Convention (agenda sub-item 9(a)) and capacity-building under the Kyoto Protocol (agenda sub-item 9(b)) were co-facilitated by Mr. Bubu Jallow (The Gambia) and Mr. Kunihiko Shimada (Japan). During this session Parties considered the issue of capacity-building for developing countries and discussed the terms of reference for the third comprehensive review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in developing countries. As they could not conclude their consideration of these two areas, they agreed they will continue the discussions at SBI 43 (November–December 2015) on the basis of the draft texts contained in the annexes of documents FCCC/SBI/2015/L.15 and FCCC/SBI/2015/L.16.

The SBI requested the secretariat to organize a workshop back-to-back with a session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, with a view to further discussing potential ways to enhance capacity-building activities as expressed by Parties during this session.

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At the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP2-9), negotiations on capacity-building on item 3. (a) Matters related to paragraphs 2 to 6 of decision 1/CP.17 (Workstream 1) were co-facilitated by Mr. Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Mr. Artur Runge-Metzger (European Union).

During the June session Parties had the first opportunity to begin negotiating on the basis of the Geneva negotiating text (FCCC/ADP/2015/1). Party inputs to the negotiations as well as the outputs of the facilitated meetings on capacity-building were captured in two non-papers: a pdf-icon working document (171 kB) and a streamlined and consolidated text (163 kB) .

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Geneva Climate Change Conference - February 2015

During the eighth part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 2.8), Parties are meeting to continue their work to advance the draft text of a new climate change agreement. The capacity-building elements for a draft negotiating text contained in the annex to decision 1/CP.20 have been considered by the contact group, whose work is captured in the texts below.

pdf-icon Section I. Capacity-Building - 11/02.2015_REV@2030

Section I. Capacity-Building - 10/02/2015@1445

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Lima Climate Change Conference - December 2014

At the forty-first session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), informal consultations on capacity-building under the Convention (agenda sub-item 13(a)) and capacity-building under the Kyoto Protocol (agenda sub-item 13(b)) were co-facilitated by Mr. Bubu Jallow (The Gambia) and Ms. Ulrika Raab (Sweden).

During these consultations, Parties welcomed the Summary report of the 3rd meeting of the Durban Forum and discussed the need to establish new institutional arrangements for capacity-building. Parties could not conclude on the latter issue, and decided to continue consideration of the matter at the next SBI session in June 2015, with a view to recommending a draft decision for consideration and adoption by the Conference of the Parties at its twenty-first session (November–December 2015) and a draft decision for consideration and adoption by the Conference of the Parties serving as meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol at its eleventh session.

Conclusions adopted by the SBI in Lima are contained in documents FCCC/SBI/2014/L.40 (Capacity-building under the Convention) and FCCC/SBI/2014/L.41 (Capacity-building under the Kyoto Protocol).

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Bonn Climate Change Conference - June 2014

During the June session 2014, capacity-building was covered in three different arenas:

the 40th session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), where Parties resumed discussions suspended in Warsaw (SBI 39) on capacity-building related matters under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol
a new session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action and
the 3rd meeting of the Durban Forum on capacity-building

Subsidiary Body for Implementation
Parties continued, but did not conclude, their consideration of capacity-building for developing countries under the Convention and under the Kyoto Protocol. They agreed to continue working on this matter at SBI 41 (Lima, December 2014) on the basis of the draft decision texts contained in the annexes to documents FCCC/SBI/2014/L.13 and FCCC/SBI/2014/L.14, with a view to recommending draft decisions for consideration and adoption at COP 20 / CMP 10.

Bonn Climate Change Conference - March 2014

Parties continued discussing issues regarding capacity-building, including on transparency requirements, during the fourth part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 2-4) which were held from 10 to 14 March 2014 in Bonn, Germany

Warsaw Climate Change Conference - November 2013

During the 39th session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), Parties considered the summary report on the 2nd meeting of the Durban Forum and matters related to the capacity-building for developing countries under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol. As they did not conclude their discussions, Parties decided to continue negotiating capacity-building matters at the next SBI session (SBI 40, June 2014). The basis for these discussions will be the draft decision texts contained in the annexes of draft conclusions, one under the Convention and the second under the Kyoto Protocol. The objective will be to recommend, draft decisions for consideration and adoption by the Conference of the Parties at its twentieth session, and by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol at its tenth session (December 2014).

Capacity-building was discussed during the third part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 2-3). Parties emphasized the importance of capacity-building, including the need to explore institutional arrangements, enhance country ownership, focus on development priorities and facilitate the implementation of transparency requirements. Such discussions are captured in the note by the Co-Chairs, ‘Reflections on progress made at the third part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action and on its work in 2014’, available here

Bonn Climate Change Conference - June 2013

The Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) opened on 3 June and closed on Friday, 14 June, without governments formally adopting an agenda for the body’s work at this two-week session. The 2nd meeting of the Durban Forum on Capacity Building took place on 4 and 6 June, co-facilitated by Helen Plume (New Zealand) and Kishan Kumarsingh (Trinidad and Tobago). More information on this meeting is available here.

Doha Climate Change Conference - November/December 2012

Under the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) Parties concluded the third review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in countries with economies in transition. This resulted in the adoption of decisions on the implementation of the framework in these countries under the Convention (decision 21/CP.18) and under the Kyoto Protocol (decision 11/CMP.8).

The review found that significant progress has been made in building the capacity of countries with economies in transition to mitigate and adapt to climate change. It further found that some of these countries are no longer only recipients of assistance but have also started to transfer their own expertise, knowledge and lessons learned on capacity-building to developing countries. Notwithstanding progress made, the decisions recognize the need for further capacity-building in these counties, in particular for developing and implementing low-carbon development strategies and for carrying out their commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. The fourth review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in countries with economies in transition will take place in 2017.

Under the SBI, Parties further agreed that the Durban Forum on capacity-building, established by the Conference of the Parties (COP) in 2011 (decision 2/CP.17), also provides an appropriate arrangement for sharing experiences and exchanging ideas, best practices and lessons learned for capacity-building activities related to the Kyoto Protocol. The relevant CMP decision is 10/CMP.8.

Parties also discussed the possibility of establishing a work programme on capacity-building under the Convention for developing countries as contained in document FCCC/SBI/2012/L.42, and agreed to continue deliberations on this issue at the Bonn Climate Change Conference in June 2013, with a view to recommending a draft decision for adoption by COP 19.

The Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-Term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) concluded its work in Doha. In the agreed outcome pursuant to the Bali Action Plan (decision 1/CP.18), the COP recognized the success of the first meeting of the Durban Forum and decided that the second meeting shall explore ways to enhance the implementation of capacity-building at the national level. The relevant COP decision is 1/COP.18.

Bangkok Climate Change Conference - August 2012

In Bangkok, Parties discussed whether or not the negotiations on capacity-building issues under the AWG-LCA should continue. The work of the AWG-LCA is expected to come to an end in December as the focus of international negotiations begins to shift beyond 2012. Issues that reemerged at the AWG-LCA session in Bangkok included the development of performance indicators and modalities for evaluation of capacity-building activities, as well as the provision of financial resources to support this work. Details on Parties’ exchanges can be found in the pdf-icon informal overview note of the Chair.

Bonn Climate Change Conference - May 2012

The Bonn conference helped raise the profile of capacity-building in the climate change process.

One of the highlights was the inaugural meeting of the Durban Forum on Capacity-building. The meeting shed light on the capacity-building work that has been happening on the ground and the challenges that lay ahead. It gave voice to more than 200 participants from diverse backgrounds who came together to share experiences and good practices in building the capacity of developing countries to address the causes and effects of climate change. Participants and presenters spoke about the need to create a snowball effect, whereby capacity-building action builds on itself, becoming larger and more effective as it goes. Some of them also highlighted the need for country-driven action, as well as for the right project in the right place. Read the summary report of the meeting pdf-icon here.

Also in Bonn, the SBI initiated a third review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in countries with economies in transition. The pdf-icon texts of draft decisions, agreed unanimously during the discussions, were recommended by the SBI for adoption in Doha.

The AWG-LCA noted the success of the first meeting of the Durban Forum. Some Parties highlighted the need to further discuss the implementation of capacity-building and the use of performance indicators to monitor and assess capacity-building. More details on the discussions can be found in the pdf-icon oral report of the AWG-LCA Chair.

Durban Climate Change Conference - November/December 2011

Under the SBI, Parties concluded the second review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in developing countries. This resulted in the adoption of decisions on capacity-building under the pdf-icon Convention and under the Kyoto Protocol. The review found that progress was made with respect to capacity-building in developing countries but many gaps still remain. The review also reaffirmed that capacity-building should be a continuous process that is participatory, country-driven and consistent with national priorities and circumstances. A third comprehensive review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in developing countries will begin in June 2015 and should conclude by December the following year.

Under the AWG-LCA, Parties agreed to a decision that requests the SBI to continue working on ways to further enhance the monitoring and review of the effectiveness of capacity-building, including through the newly created Durban Forum on capacity-building. The COP decided that the Durban Forum will take the form of an annual, in-session event open to the participation of Parties, experts and practitioners from United Nations organizations, as well as representatives from the private sector, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, including research and academia. The meetings of the Forum will give them the opportunity to exchange ideas and share experiences, lessons learned and good practices on the implementation of capacity-building activities in developing countries.

The decisions on capacity-building adopted in Durban by the COP and CMP reaffirm the importance of gender and acknowledge the role and needs of youth and persons with disabilities in capacity-building activities.

Panama Climate Change Conference - October 2011

Capacity-building negotiations under the AWG-LCA in Panama began with a three-hour in-depth discussion. Facilitators of informal groups on the main thematic areas under the AWG-LCA, representatives of constituted bodies and the Global Environment Facility made presentations on work relevant to capacity-building. Further to this in-depth discussion, Parties presented proposals for a draft decision addressing the issues of monitoring and review of the effectiveness of capacity-building, modalities regarding institutional arrangements for capacity-building, capacity-building activities and reporting by Parties. The work of the negotiating group is contained in the pdf-icon compilation of draft texts for a draft decision.

Bonn Climate Change Conference - June 2011

Parties focused their discussion under the AWG-LCA on two issues that needed to be considered at the Durban Climate Change Conference at the end of 2011, namely: ways to further enhance the monitoring and review of the effectiveness of capacity-building and modalities regarding institutional arrangements for capacity-building. Parties noted difficulties in accessing and/or providing adequate information on capacity-building for purposes of its monitoring and review. For Annex I Parties, capacity-building is well integrated in projects on mitigation and adaptation and it is therefore a challenge to extract information on funding dedicated specifically to capacity-building. For non-Annex I Parties, lack of capacity and weak institutions at the national level impede the reporting on capacity-building activities undertaken and support received. A summary of the discussions held during the meetings is contained in a pdf-icon note by the facilitator.

Cancun Climate Change Conference - November/December 2010

Under the AWG-LCA, Parties reached agreement on a number of capacity-building issues, captured in decision pdf-icon 1/CP.16 (pages 22-23).

Issues included:

Scope and principles of capacity-building
Provision of financial resources for capacity-building
Reporting by Annex I Parties on support to developing countries in building their capacity
Reporting by non-Annex I Parties on progress in building capacity and on the use of the support received

The COP requested the AWG-LCA to consider the following unresolved issues by COP 17/CMP 7: