Bonn, Germany- May 14th, 2012
The first session of the 2012 UNFCCC negotiations commence today in Bonn, Germany. In Bonn, Parties will build upon the outcomes achieved in Durban in November/December 2011- outcomes which were viewed divergently by stakeholders involved in this process, from Parties to civil society, as either a good step forward or a failure to deliver the change which was -and is still- urgently needed.
In WEDO’s analysis of the COP17 outcomes, we noted that there was some success in Durban, particularly in respect to references on women and gender, which were secured across several areas– in countries’ guidelines for National Adaptation Plans (NAPs); in the Nairobi Work Programme that assesses impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change; information systems on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+); and in the operationalization of the Cancún Agreements, including the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Committee, the Standing Committee on Finance, and the Technology Mechanism. [Click here for a full compilation of women and gender references.] In addition the Durban outcomes decided to end the mandate of two bodies (AWG-LCA and AWG-KP) by the end of 2012 and to establish a new subsidiary body–the Ad-hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP). The ADP is mandated to launch a process to develop a legally binding agreement applicable to all Parties, which will meet for the first time in Bonn.
Despite these outcomes, WEDO continues to question whether the decisions in Durban will help to deliver true and ambitious efforts to develop an agreement that will save the lives of the millions of women and men who are already suffering the impacts of climate change and the generations to come.
Some of the main issues WEDO hope to explore in the coming negotiations include:
- Gender and Adaptation,
- Gender and Finance,
- Gender and Technology,
- Discussions on REDD+,
- Progress on the work programmes on Capacity Building, Loss and Damage and Agriculture,
- the future workplan of the Ad-hoc working group of the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action
WEDO at Bonn
In Bonn, WEDO will be monitoring all aspects of the negotiations with the support of our partners in the Global Gender and Climate Alliance (GGCA) and as members of the UNFCCC Women and Gender Constituency. WEDO is also coordinating the Women Delegates Fund (WDF), a program funded by the Government of Finland and the Government of Iceland, which supports women from least developed and developing countries to attend the negotiations as part of their national delegations. In Bonn, the WDF is supporting five women from around the world and delivered a two night training on “Negotiation Skills and Technical Language in the UNFCCC” .
Key Links
UNFCCC Live webcasts and virtual participation — http://unfccc.int/virtual_participation/items/5984.php
IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin (daily coverage of meetings)- http://www.iisd.ca/climate/sb34/
Adopt a Negotiator (daily documents and resources)- http://adoptanegotiator.org/category/wonky/
WEDO in Bonn
Bridget Burns, Women Delegates Fund Coordinator, bridget@wedo.org
Rachel Harris, Advocacy Coordinator, rachel@wedo.org
Follow updates on the negotiations and our activities from WEDO team member Bridget Burns, @bridiekatie & @WEDO_worldwide! Hashtags in Bonn: #UNFCCC, #ccgender Global Gender and Climate Alliance #GGCA, Women Delegates Fund #WDF
For media, please contact: Bridget Burns, bridget@wedo.org
