Guest Post: “We’ll always have Paris”

This detailed, but succinct analysis of the United Nations climate conference at Marrakech, COP22, by the Heinrich Boll Foundation is well worth reading. The authors are Lili Fuhr, Liane Schalatek, and Simon Ilse. The original was published 1 December 2016 and is reproduced here under a Creative Commons- Share-Alike licence.

At the UN’s COP 22 climate conference in Marrakech, the international community closed ranks despite (or perhaps because of?) the election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president. Thanks to its swift ratification by currently more than 110 countries, negotiations on the technical implementation of the Paris Agreement could begin. The pace must increase significantly, however, if the 1.5°C limit is still to be met.[1]

The Paris Agreement entered into force on the 4th of November, two days before the opening of the climate conference in Marrakech. A majority of states had ratified the agreement in their national parliaments. Never before have so many countries joined an international agreement in such a short time – a mere ten months. UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon praised the determination of the states in the last speech of his tenure at the conference in Marrakech. Shortly thereafter – two days into the summit – the elation vanished abruptly. The clear election victory of Donald Trump – who has called climate change a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese and questioned the gamut of U.S. international commitments – depressed the mood in Marrakech. The well-founded fear that Trump would back out of the Paris Agreement and reverse all of the achievements of his predecessor Barack Obama, or even cancel U.S. membership in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), dominated almost all discussions. The intended broad theme of the conference – climate change in Africa – thus took a back seat.

A lot is at stake for the continent: Africa already suffers heavily from the impacts of climate change. African governments are calling for financial and technological support as well assistance in building their capacity for the implementation of their national climate plans – and not just with regard to climate protection, but especially on the much more urgent issue of climate change adaptation.

Marrakech: we will move ahead

On the last day of the UN climate conference, COP22 in Marrakech, Greenpeace organised a photo shoot outside the entrance to the COP22 conference venue with a huge banner saying: We will move ahead. It was advertised to delegates as the largest photo shoot of the UNFCCC 'family'. Party delegates and observers, media and members of the secretariat gathered for the photo.

After the emotional rollercoaster ride of the US presidential election and considerable chatter about what a Trump Presidency would mean for climate action, the event was a fitting summary of the resolve of people at the conference. To forge ahead despite a climate denialist being elected President of the USA.

Marrakech Action Proclamation at COP22

Host country Morocco developed the Marrakech Action Proclamation (PDF), which was read out to the full Plenary on Thursday 17 November 2016.

The one page statement articulates the urgency of climate change, and the unstoppable global momentum on climate action and sustainable development action by governments, businesses, investors, sub-regional government and cities. It can be read as a veiled message to Donald Trump and his election to the US Presidency, that the world is proceeding to act on climate change. In Fact, Ed King from Climate Home has done just that: Marrakech Call decoded: UN sends Trump its climate demands.

Multilateral assessment of Australia at COP22 for climate action

Australia was under the spotlight at COP22 in Marrakech as part of the SBI multilateral assessment process for climate action. You can read the 31 pages of written questions and responses already on record (PDF).

Each country was allocated 30 minutes of live questioning following a brief statement by the country being questioned.

Europe was up first with their statement and then questions from USA, New Zealand, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Canada, Singapore, China. Europe then responded to these questions.

Then it was Australia's turn with Australia's lead negotiator Ambassador Patrick Suckling saying that the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) is delivering real emissions cuts and that Australia is on target for meeting 2020 and 2030 targets.

Investor perspectives on beyond Paris and the US election at #COP22

Ceres and the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) press conference on Beyond Paris and the US elections: investor perspectives. It highlighted that climate change is viewed by many businesses as both a risk and an opportunity.

US Climate Action Network responds on US election result and climate policy

We woke in Marrakech to the surprise news of Donald Trump being elected President of the USA, with everyone asking, what will this mean for the #ParisAgreement. I attended the US Climate Action Network Press Conference.

"President-elect Trump has the opportunity to catalyze further action on climate that sends a clear signal to investors to keep the transition to a renewable-powered economy on track. China, India, and other economic competitors are racing to be the global clean energy superpower, and the US doesn’t want to be left behind." said Tina Johnson, Policy Director, US Climate Action Network.

COP22 opens in Marrkech

Rain greeted the first day of this year's UN climate talks in Marrakech. But that did not dampen the spirits, still on a high from the December 2015 climate agreement concluded in Paris.

At least some of the politicians and bureacrats know that we are already feeling the impacts of a hotter climate. There is a sense of urgency, that we cannot sit on our laurels, but need to continue to maintain the momentum.

I was able to grab a seat in the Casablanca Plenary hall and watch the proceedings live in the neighboring Marrakech Plenary Hall. There were the speeches and some theatre involving LED lights, a giant plastic ball of earth with a smiley face, and a troupe of drummers.

Turkey wins first fossil of the day award of COP22

Each UN climate conference Climate Action Network gives awards to those nations that do the most in retarding negotiations.

For COP22 on Day 1 that award went to Turkey.

Turkey won COP22’s inaugural Fossil of the Day award as it argued for financial support under the Paris Agreement, yet is still to ratify the agreement. Turkey has plans to build 70 new coal power plants that would add over 70 GW of dirty energy capacity. A very real carbon bomb that would undermine the Paris Agreement.

Guest Post: Global climate talks move to Marrakesh: Here's what they need to achieve

As the Paris Agreement enters into force on November 4, 2016 this article provides a good summary of what the UN climate talks at Marrakech COP22 needs to do to be broadly seen as successful.

Adil Najam, Boston University and Henrik Selin, Boston University

Even though evidence on an ever-worsening global climate keeps pouring in with alarming frequency, the last 12 months have, in fact, been a relatively good year for global climate policy. Next week, the world’s countries meet in Marrakesh, Morocco, to follow up on the gains made at Paris last year, and to try to reconcile these two facts.

Australia on outer as Paris Agreement comes alive for Marrakech #COP22

Article first published at nofibs.com.au

This year's annual United Nations climate conference is meeting in Marrakech from November 7-18. Our Nofibs reporter John Englart will be attending as an NGO Observer for Climate Action Moreland/CANA.

An international milestone was passed this week with Canada, the European Union, India and even New Zealand ratifying the Paris Agreement. The agreement was negotiated in December 2015 at the United Nations Climate conference in Paris COP21.

The significance of this is that the two thresholds set for the agreement coming into effect - ratification by at least 55 nations and 55 percent of greenhouse gas emissions - has now been met. The Agreement enters into force thirty days after both thresholds are passed. The UN has now determined the Paris Agreement goes into effect as 4 November 2016.