The high-level segment of United Nations Climate Change Conference – November 2017, to be attended by Heads of State and Government and other dignitaries, will be inaugurated in the afternoon of Wednesday, 15 November 2017. National Statements from Parties will conclude on Thursday, 16 November 2017.  

The opening ceremony of the high-level segment will be held in Plenary New York, followed by national statements from Heads of State and Government. The high-level segment will suspend at 6:00 p.m. and it will be followed by the high-level closing event on Global Climate Action. This will finish at approximately 7.30 p.m.   

The high-level segment will resume at 10.30 p.m. Due to the large number of requests for speaking slots, statements for Thursday, 16 November are expected to continue into the late evening/night. The secretariat has decided to offer an opening of one hour on Wednesday evening from 10.30 p.m. to 11.30 p.m. for those Parties who may wish to advance their speaking slot. The secretariat will be able to accommodate approximately ten (10) speaking slots during this period. The order of speakers will be in accordance with protocol, based on the rank of the speaker.  

On Thursday, 16 November 2017, the high-level segment will continue in Plenary New York with remaining national statements from Heads of State and Government, statements made on behalf of negotiating groups.

Owing to the number of Parties that have indicated their intention to deliver a national statement during the high-level segment, following the delivery of the national statements from Heads of State and Government, as well as statements made on behalf of negotiating groups, the high-level segment will pause briefly to allow for separating into two meeting rooms - namely Plenary New York and Plenary Genf - for simultaneous continuation of delivery of National Statements. This approach has been adopted in order to conclude the interventions within the set time frame.

The list of speakers for each meeting room will be established in accordance with the English alphabetical order of Party names together with the time of inscription in the list, and reflecting protocol order in accordance with United Nations practice, with ministers speaking first.

The preliminary list of speakers includes all Heads of State or Heads of Government, ministers and other heads of delegations who have registered and confirmed their wish to deliver a statement at the high-level segment. There will be one list of speakers for Parties to the Convention, the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement. Parties will have only one opportunity to deliver a national statement during the high-level segment. Parties are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to have their statements posted on the UNFCCC website in lieu of making a verbal delivery.

Given the number Parties and the limited amount of time available for statements, it will be necessary to limit the duration of each statement and in fairness to all speakers, time limits will be strictly enforced, Parties are reminded that statements made during the high-level segment should not exceed the three-minute limit.

Full texts of the statements will not be circulated in hard copy in the rooms during the high-level segment. Statements delivered during the high-level segment will be uploaded and made available on the UNFCCC webpage. To have statements posted on the UNFCCC webpage, Parties speaking at the high-level segment are requested to e-mail an electronic copy of the statement in advance to the following e-mail address external-relations@unfccc.int. All Parties are kindly requested to provide the Conference Officer in the plenary with 15 copies of their statements in advance to meet the needs of the interpreters. 

Parties are reminded that as indicated, the secretariat is not able to accommodate individual requests for changes in a Party’s speaking slot. Parties wishing to make a change should arrange to exchange slots with another Party, and jointly notify the secretariat of the agreement that has been reached.

Tickets will be required for access and attendance at the opening of the high-level segment. These will be available at the Information Desk in the Bula Zone 1 from Saturday, 11 November 2017 at 2.00 p.m.