Attention
all delegates! If you did not attend any
of the side events at COP-9, then you
missed out on an excellent opportunity
to share experiences and explore new
ideas.
In
previous years, some delegates attending
the intergovernmental climate change
meetings considered the side events to
be an opportunity for free food and a
quick nap during the lunch period. But
at COP-9, the side events also provided
considerable food for thought. In fact,
while the official negotiations crawled
along at a snails pace, over 100 side
events convened, hosted by developed and
developing country delegations,
intergovernmental organizations,
non-governmental organizations, the
private sector and research
institutions. These events addressed
pertinent issues related to the official
negotiations, and also forged ahead into
unchartered waters, exploring those
issues that have proved simply too hot
to be handled by the COP.
Among the
abundance of side events that took
place, many were directly related to
COP-9 agenda items, such as national
communications, LULUCF, and the CDM. The
multitude of events that focused on the
CDM were particularly rich and varied,
addressing aspects relevant to the
negotiations and other interesting
issues, including CDM projects in least
developed countries, business prospects
under the CDM, decentralized renewable
energy and the CDM, operationalizing the
CDM, sinks in the CDM, unilateral CDM,
the experiences of designated national
authorities, CDM projects in the
transportation sector, long-term issues
and the CDM, incentives and deterrents
for the CDM, sustainability assessment
of CDM projects, additionality concepts,
small-scale CDM, capacity building for
the CDM, and implementing the CDM in
China. Side events also addressed other
pertinent themes that are of high
priority to many but did not receive a
great deal of attention in the
negotiations, including equity and
adaptation issues, transportation,
climate change impacts, renewable
energy, and international emissions
trading.
One of the
most valuable aspects of the side events
was the broad level of participation and
the spectrum of views represented. The
events provided a platform for
stakeholders, ranging from indigenous
groups to oil companies, to raise their
concerns and highlight work on the
ground. The events also provided a forum
for discussions on the issue at the
forefront of everyones mind the
Russian Federations ratification. Even
the US Government, which rejected the
Kyoto Protocol, took advantage of the
opportunity to host a number of side
events promoting its work on climate
change and the UNFCCC.
Another
important feature of the side events was
their informal nature. Freed from the
constraints of the official
negotiations, ideas tended to flow more
freely, and side event participants
spoke their minds candidly, knowing that
they were not being scrutinized in an
intergovernmental arena. Unlike the COP
itself, where there was firmly
entrenched opposition to any discussions
even remotely associated with the
post-2012 question, enthusiasm ran
particularly high for those side events
addressing the future of the climate
change regime. While there were numerous
side events that addressed the post-2012
issue in its variety of permutations,
the venues were always overflowing with
eager participants clamoring to join in
on the discussions.
Not
surprisingly, one question on many
participants minds, was how to
effectively introduce the valuable ideas
put forward during the side events into
the official negotiations themselves.
During one side event discussion,
participants suggested the possibility
of intersessional workshops, or even a
stop the COP day at COP-10, akin to a
full-day side event, where negotiators
and stakeholders could think outside of
the box and exchange views on issues
not related to the adoption of
decisions. Other participants feared,
however, that bringing the hot issues
into the official negotiating arena too
soon might stifle the creativity.
In
conclusion, some would say that the most
valuable outcomes of COP-9 occurred
during the side events. Hopefully the
innovative thinking that pervaded
throughout the side events will be
carried forward in the negotiations in
due course.
