ADP Decisions

Decision -/CP.20
Lima call for climate action

Decision 1/CP.19
Further advancing the Durban Platform

Decision 2/CP.18
Advancing the Durban Platform

Decision 1/CP.17
Establishment of an Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action

ADP Technical Expert Meetings (TEMs)

Non-CO2 greenhouse gases (October 2014)

Carbon capture, use and storage (October 2014)

Land use (June 2014)

Urban environment (June 2014)

Energy efficiency (March 2014)

Renewable energy (March 2014

Relevant Documents

Technical paper on updated compilation of information on mitigation benefits of actions, initiatives and options to enhance mitigation ambition

Addendum 1
Addendum 2
Addendum 3
Addendum 4

Work of Ad Hoc Working Groups on Technology

Since the beginning of the Convention, various ad hoc working groups have considered how to enhance climate technology development and transfer

Technology under the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform on Enhanced Action (ADP)
In Durban, COP 17 established the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP). The ADP has the mandate of developing a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention applicable to all Parties, to be completed by no later than 2015, to come into effect and be implemented from 2020. The ADP also has a workplan on enhancing mitigation ambition to identify and explore options for a range of actions that can close the ambition gap. This is undertaken with the view to ensuring the highest possible mitigation efforts by all Parties. At its first session, in 2012, the ADP initiated work under two workstreams: Workstream 1, on matters related to paragraphs 2 to 6 of decision 1/CP.17 (referred to as the 2015 agreement); and Workstream 2, on matters related to paragraphs 7 and 8 of the same decision (referred to as pre-2020 ambition). Workstream 1: The 2015 agreement Technology development and transfer is one of the key elements that the ADP is considering in the development of the 2015 agreement, along with mitigation, adaptation, finance, transparency of action and support, and capacity-building. COP 18 decided that the ADP will consider elements for a draft negotiating text no later than at its session to be held in conjunction with COP 20, with a view to making available a negotiating text before May 2015. COP 19 requested the ADP to accelerate its development of the 2015 agreement and further elaborate, beginning at its first session in 2014, elements for a draft negotiating text, taking into consideration its work on, inter alia, the key elements noted above. COP 20 acknowledged the progress made in elaborating the elements for a draft negotiating text (contained in the annex to the decision Lima call for climate action) and decided that the ADP will intensify its work to make available a negotiating text before May 2015. Workstream 2: Pre-2020 ambition Technology development and transfer is also central to Workstream 2, as it can play a crucial role in enhancing mitigation ambition. COP 19 decided to accelerate activities under the workplan on enhancing mitigation ambition by, inter alia, intensifying the technical examination of opportunities for actions with high mitigation potential. The COP noted that this examination would have a focus on the implementation of policies, practices and technologies that are substantial, scalable and replicable. Also at COP 19, the ADP requested the secretariat to organize technical expert meetings (TEMs) at each of the ADP sessions in 2014 to share policies, practices and technologies and address the necessary finance, technology and capacity-building. TEMs aim at demonstrating how mitigation opportunities can be seized, how barriers to implementation on the ground can be effectively addressed and how the high mitigation potential can be turned into reality, scaled up and replicated. In 2014,TEMs were successfully organized on opportunities for action on: renewable energy; energy efficiency; land-use change and forestry; urban environments; carbon dioxide capture use and storage; and non-CO2 greenhouse gases. In Lima, COP 20 decided to continue the technical examination of opportunities with high mitigation potential in the period 2015-2020. It decided that this would be undertaken by organizing TEMs which, inter alia, build on and utilize the related activities of, and enhance collaboration and synergies among, the Technology Executive Committee, the Climate Technology Centre and Network, the Durban Forum on capacity building, the Executive Board of the clean development mechanism and the operating entities of the Financial Mechanism.
Technology under the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA)
In Bali, COP 13 launched a comprehensive process to enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention through long-term cooperative action, up to and beyond 2012. This process addressed, inter alia, how to enhance action on technology development and transfer to support action on mitigation and adaptation. The complete overview of the AWG-LCA process can be found here. Establishment of the Technology Mechanism As an outcome of the AWG-LCA process, COP 16 established the Technology Mechanism, consisting of the Technology Executive Committee and the Climate Technology Centre and Network. Arrangements to make the Technology Mechanism fully operational were developed at subsequent COP sessions. COP 18 agreed to further elaborate at COP 20 the linkages between the Technology Mechanism and the Financial Mechanism of the Convention, taking into consideration the recommendations of the TEC and the Green Climate Fund Board.

Technology under the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform on Enhanced Action (ADP)

In Durban, COP 17 established the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP). The ADP has the mandate of developing a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force under the Convention applicable to all Parties, to be completed by no later than 2015, to come into effect and be implemented from 2020. The ADP also has a workplan on enhancing mitigation ambition to identify and explore options for a range of actions that can close the ambition gap. This is undertaken with the view to ensuring the highest possible mitigation efforts by all Parties.

At its first session, in 2012, the ADP initiated work under two workstreams: Workstream 1, on matters related to paragraphs 2 to 6 of decision 1/CP.17 (referred to as the 2015 agreement); and Workstream 2, on matters related to paragraphs 7 and 8 of the same decision (referred to as pre-2020 ambition).

Workstream 1: The 2015 agreement

Technology development and transfer is one of the key elements that the ADP is considering in the development of the 2015 agreement, along with mitigation, adaptation, finance, transparency of action and support, and capacity-building. COP 18 decided that the ADP will consider elements for a draft negotiating text no later than at its session to be held in conjunction with COP 20, with a view to making available a negotiating text before May 2015. COP 19 requested the ADP to accelerate its development of the 2015 agreement and further elaborate, beginning at its first session in 2014, elements for a draft negotiating text, taking into consideration its work on, inter alia, the key elements noted above. COP 20 acknowledged the progress made in elaborating the elements for a draft negotiating text (contained in the annex to the decision Lima call for climate action) and decided that the ADP will intensify its work to make available a negotiating text before May 2015.

Workstream 2: Pre-2020 ambition

Technology development and transfer is also central to Workstream 2, as it can play a crucial role in enhancing mitigation ambition. COP 19 decided to accelerate activities under the workplan on enhancing mitigation ambition by, inter alia, intensifying the technical examination of opportunities for actions with high mitigation potential. The COP noted that this examination would have a focus on the implementation of policies, practices and technologies that are substantial, scalable and replicable. Also at COP 19, the ADP requested the secretariat to organize technical expert meetings (TEMs) at each of the ADP sessions in 2014 to share policies, practices and technologies and address the necessary finance, technology and capacity-building. TEMs aim at demonstrating how mitigation opportunities can be seized, how barriers to implementation on the ground can be effectively addressed and how the high mitigation potential can be turned into reality, scaled up and replicated.

In 2014,TEMs were successfully organized on opportunities for action on: renewable energy; energy efficiency; land-use change and forestry; urban environments; carbon dioxide capture use and storage; and non-CO2 greenhouse gases. In Lima, COP 20 decided to continue the technical examination of opportunities with high mitigation potential in the period 2015-2020. It decided that this would be undertaken by organizing TEMs which, inter alia, build on and utilize the related activities of, and enhance collaboration and synergies among, the Technology Executive Committee, the Climate Technology Centre and Network, the Durban Forum on capacity building, the Executive Board of the clean development mechanism and the operating entities of the Financial Mechanism.

Technology under the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA)

In Bali, COP 13 launched a comprehensive process to enable the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention through long-term cooperative action, up to and beyond 2012. This process addressed, inter alia, how to enhance action on technology development and transfer to support action on mitigation and adaptation. The complete overview of the AWG-LCA process can be found here.

Establishment of the Technology Mechanism

As an outcome of the AWG-LCA process, COP 16 established the Technology Mechanism, consisting of the Technology Executive Committee and the Climate Technology Centre and Network. Arrangements to make the Technology Mechanism fully operational were developed at subsequent COP sessions. COP 18 agreed to further elaborate at COP 20 the linkages between the Technology Mechanism and the Financial Mechanism of the Convention, taking into consideration the recommendations of the TEC and the Green Climate Fund Board.