UN Climate Change News, 21 March 2018 - The international response to climate change can get a boost of ambition this year from a Pacific Island tradition called Talanoa, ramped up to a global scale. To be a success, people representing businesses, investors, cities, regions, civil society and others need to step up to have their voices heard.
The aggregate ambition described in countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement is still insufficient to reach the global goal of limiting temperature rise to 2-1.5 degree Celsius. The Talanoa Dialogue, launched at the UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn (COP 23) last November, invites everyone to engage in finding a solution, first by preparing submissions in response to three questions: Where are we? Where do we want to go? How do we get there?
The answers received will provide the substantive basis for ministerial discussions at this year’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP 24) in Katowice, Poland, at the end of the year.
Businesses, investors, cities, regions, civil society and others are called on to engage with the Talanoa Dialogue by:
- Submitting a written input to the Talanoa portal
- Expressing interest to be part of an in-person Talanoa discussion during the Bonn Climate Change Conference, 30 April -10 May 2018
- Fostering a broader conversation, such as by holding or participating in a ‘regional Talanoa’.
For more information on the ways to engage, please join the Presidency’s webinar with Fiji’s Lead Negotiator, Ambassador Luke Daunivalu, and high-level Climate Champion, Inia Seruiratu, on 26 March.
The Dialogue takes its name from a traditional Pacific word – Talanoa – which describes an inclusive, non-confrontational space for collective problem solving where relationships can be forged and amicable solutions developed. By participating actively in dialogue, actors from all sectors and geographies can help meet the collective challenge of successfully implementing the Paris Agreement.
To read the full vision of the Talanoa Dialogue, please click here.
Submitting a written input to the Talanoa Portal
Inputs should be in line with the spirit of the Dialogue, which is constructive, facilitative, transparent, and, above all, solutions oriented. It is critical that inputs hit the right note, because key messages from this preparatory phase – captured in a synthesis report – will be considered, together with a complementary Yearbook of Global Climate Action, by ministers at the end of the year with a view to generating political momentum and guiding an increase in ambition.
For full guidance on submitting a written input, please click here. The high-level champions have prepared templates to assist stakeholders.
Applying to be part of an in-person Talanoa discussion during the Bonn Session
At the Bonn Climate Change Conference (30 April – 10 May), UN Climate Change alongside the COP Presidencies, will convene a series of in-person Talanoa Dialogues. These will include representatives of government and various constituencies, organizations and coalitions, non-governmental and inter-governmental representatives. Visit the Platform for more information. The deadline for expression of interest is 29 March 2018.
Fostering a broader conversation
A broader conversation around the Talanoa Dialogue, which stretches beyond engagement via either the Portal or the Bonn sessions, is already emerging and is indeed a very positive development.
This conversation will naturally involve inputs, but which are not necessarily suitable for formal submission to the Talanoa Portal – such as poems and music. These are nonetheless invaluable for cultivating the right spirit for these open discussions.
Alongside this ad hoc input, which will live on social media and elsewhere, all actors are encouraged to organize their own ‘regional Talanoas’ and to submit outcomes to the Portal to further augment discussions.
We kindly ask all relevant stakeholders to help us issue a ‘call to action’, making use of your social media accounts, to foster a can-do spirit around the Talanoa Dialogue.
To this end, we have prepared a selection of webcards for use on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, which can be used by everyone.