UNITED KINGDOM (August 20, 2013)- The 2013 European Capacity Building Initiative ecbi Fellowship Colloquium took place from 5-7 August in Merton College, Oxford, followed by the Oxford Seminar on 8 and 9 August. During the Fellowship Colloquium, 17 senior negotiators from developing countries discussed key areas of concern in under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). They were joined by 13 senior negotiators from Europe during the Oxford Seminar, and discussed contentious issues such as the legal form of a future outcome, equity, mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer, finance, and the governance and accountability of operating entities (including the Green Climate Fund, or GCF).

Participants included the COP Presidency’s special envoy for climate change; the developing country co-chair of the Ad-Hoc Group on the Durban Platform (ADP); the Chairs of the G77+China Group and Africa Group; lead negotiators from Europe; senior representatives from Least Developed Countries (LDCs); and key office holders in UNFCCC bodies, including the developing country Co-chair and members of the Standing Committee on Finance, and members of the GCF Board and the Advisory Board of the Climate Technology Centre and Network.

On behalf of the organization, WEDO’s newest Board Member and University College London Lecturer, Julian Walker, led a session on ‘Gender Equality and Climate Change’, covering an overview of gender analysis of climate change and sustainable development issues, recent policy advancements and opportunities for further progress.