Key issues for Members of OACPS in Climate Change negotiations for 2021

The 26th Conference of the Parties (COP-26) to the Climate Convention (UNFCCC) should have been held in November 2020. It was postponed due to the global Covid-19 pandemic and is now set to take place in Glasgow from 1-12 November 2021.

On the way forward, there are some important milestones in the climate change negotiations, which are worth highlighting:

• Firstly, the new single post-2020 multilateral climate action regime, established by the Paris Agreement, will become effective on January 1, 2021, while some points of its concrete implementation remain unresolved. And

• Secondly, given the postponement of COP-26 to November 2021, the submission of National Determined Contributions (NDCs), which were scheduled to be submitted by the end of this year have also de facto been postponed.

Preparing for COP26

As we are stepping into 2021 and in preparation for COP26, it is worthwhile recalling the highlights of COP25, which have been covered in issue #2 of our Newsletter of December 2019. It is to be noted that priority issues for the members of the OACPS, namely: Long term finance; Article 6 (Market Mechanism); Adaptation; Development and transfer of technologies, are all still outstanding.

A new momentum on Oceans

A new momentum on Oceans has emerged in the context of the recent “Climate Dialogues” , organised by the UNFCCC from 23 November to 4 December 2020. A renewed focus on a more integrated ecosystems based approach, that takes into account the protection of biodiversity, oceans and all natural resources, also emerged. There was increasing acknowledgement of the urgency to increase ambition on climate change and recognition of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic not only to health but to societies and economies at large, the most vulnerable (such as women, indigenous people), food systems, ecosystems and livelihoods. The role of the youth, women and indigenous people in addressing climate change and the protection of natural resources was also underscored during the Dialogue.

These series of virtual events have allowed Parties to the UNFCCC and other stakeholders the opportunity to continue exchanging views and sharing information to advance work and maintain momentum in the intergovernmental climate change process.

Click here for a full overview of the discussion on how to strengthen adaptation and mitigation action on ocean and climate change