Co-hosted by the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Background

Article 2, paragraph 1, of the Paris Agreement states that the Agreement, in enhancing the implementation of the Convention, including its objective, aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change, in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty, including by:

(a) Holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change;

(b) Increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development, in a manner that does not threaten food production; and

(c) making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low GHG emissions and climate-resilient development.

Article 2, paragraph 2 states that this Agreement will be implemented to reflect equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances.

Mandate: At CMA 4, Parties decided to launch the Sharm el-Sheikh dialogue between Parties, relevant organizations and stakeholders to exchange views on and enhance understanding of the scope of Article 2, paragraph 1(c), of the Paris Agreement and its complementarity with Article 9 of the Paris Agreement. Parties further requested the secretariat, under the guidance of the Presidency of the twenty-seventh session of the Conference of the Parties, to organize two workshops in 2023 and to prepare a report to CMA 5 on the deliberations at these workshops (Decision 1/CMA.4, paragraph 68).

Background: Since 2018, the Standing Committee on Finance has conducted a technical analysis of information relevant to Article 2, paragraph 1(c) through various mandates, including a Biennial Assessment and Overview of Climate Finance Flows (BA)  and most recently a synthesis of views of Parties and non-Party stakeholders and a mapping of information relevant to Article 2, paragraph 1(c). The synthesis of views, mapping of information, and the BAs, inter alia, explore the relationship of Article 2, paragraph 1(c) with Article 9 of the Agreement and the relevance of efforts related to Article 2, paragraph 1(c) to Article 9 of the Agreement (See the third (2018), fourth (2020) and fifth (2022) BA as well as the synthesis of submissions and further mapping of information related to Article 2, paragraph 1(c) of the SCF in 2022). In addition, the SCF received a mandate to continue its technical work on ways to achieve Article 2, paragraph 1(c) including options for approaches and guidelines for implementation (in accordance with paragraph 4 of the draft decision titled “Matters relating to the Standing Committee on Finance” proposed under agenda item 8(a) of CMA 4). Relevant recommendations by the SCF regarding Article 2, paragraph 1(c) are included in the third (2018) and fifth (2020) BA. For example, the third BA recommended the SCF to continue its work in the mapping of available data sets that integrate climate change considerations into insurance, lending and investment decision-making processes, and to include information relevant to Article 2, paragraph 1(c), of the Paris Agreement in future BAs. The fifth (2022) BA further encouraged climate finance providers to enhance their reporting on elements relevant to Article 2, paragraph 1(c), of the Paris Agreement, with a view to increasing the ability to advance work related to pathways for low-emission, climate-resilient development. Parties have shared views and positions on on Article 2, paragraph 1(c) in tandem during the technical phase of the first global stocktake, that will culminate with the political consideration of outputs to take place at CMA 5. 

Objectives

The objective of the first workshop under the Sharm-el Sheikh dialogue in 2023 is to provide an overview on the previous and existing work that has been undertaken in relation to Article 2, paragraph 1(c) inside and outside the intergovernmental process, as well as to elicit views, perspectives and experiences from Parties and relevant organizations and stakeholders on the scope of Article 2, paragraph 1(c), of the Paris Agreement and its complementarity with Article 9 of the Paris Agreement.

Format and Participation 

The first workshop under the Sharm el Sheikh dialogue will take place over two days on the 19^th and 20^th July at the United Nations Conference Center in Bangkok, Thailand, co-hosted by the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. It is open to nominated Parties, relevant organizations and stakeholders for on-site participation. To ensure inclusive and broader participation, the dialogue will be held in a hybrid format.

On behalf of the CMA Presidency, Mr. Tosi Mpanu Mpanu has been appointed as the facilitator of the Sharm el-Sheikh dialogue, to guide the discussions among Parties relevant organizations and stakeholders in an inclusive, open and transparent manner. Depending on the topic, the Sharm el-Sheikh dialogue will be conducted through a range of expert presentations, panel discussions, breakout groups and interactive plenary sessions. After each session, sufficient time will be dedicated to open discussion among all participants to exchange views on the input provided and to report back on the content of discussions in breakout group settings.

The provisional programme presents the themes and topics for discussion at the first workshop. It takes into account the views expressed by Parties and non-Party stakeholders in their submissions as well as the views expressed during informal consultations held with interested groups of Parties and relevant stakeholders during the fifty eight session of the Subsidiary Bodies in Bonn in June 2023. The deliberations during the first workshop will also serve to inform the topics of discussion during the second workshop under the Sharm el-Sheikh Dialogue in October 2023.

A summary report on the deliberations at both workshops will be prepared by the secretariat under the guidance of the Presidency, for consideration by the CMA at its fifth session.

Provisional programme

YouTube link (Day 1): https://youtube.com/live/tuffEEtPFxk?feature=share
YouTube link (Day 2): https://youtube.com/live/fVRZKl7lLsI?feature=share

List of participants

List of participants of the first workshop under the Sharm el-Sheikh Dialogue