Capacity Building - Negotiations

Last update: January 2015

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).

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: