Highlights for Monday, 3 December 2018
UN Secretary-General António Guterres applauds Greta Thunberg, Swedish youth climate activist, for her efforts to combat climate change
Posted by Facebook on Tuesday, 3 December 2018
On Monday, the Katowice Climate Change Conference continued, holding its official opening ceremony in the morning. During the opening plenary and the High-level Segment, attended by 29 heads of state and government, many spoke of the urgency of climate change. Taking place for the first time, the “People’s Seat” initiative allowed people from around the world to send direct messages to decisions makers by posting contributions on social media. As summarized by Sir David Attenborough: “The world's people have spoken and their message is clear - time is running out. They want you, the decision makers to act now.” The opportunity for delegates at the Katowice Climate Change Conference to act, by delivering on the work programme for the Paris Agreement, was underlined by many, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres who reminded delegates “there is no time for limitless negotiations.”President of Poland Andrzej Duda presented the Solidarity and Just Transition Silesia Declaration, supported by 37 countries, which addresses how to realize a low-carbon economy in a way that is just for all the people and communities affected by such a transition.Delegates worked in informal formats throughout the day on the issues central to the Paris Agreement Work Programme. Several other events were held on Monday, including:
Multilateral assessment;
Facilitative sharing of views;
Koronivia joint work on agriculture; and
Review of the work of the improved forum on the impact of the implementation of response measures.
For more details on the day's events and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily reports, daily web coverage, and a summary and analysis from the Katowice Climate Change Conference – December 2018.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth
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Opening Plenary
Delegates in the hallway before the opening plenary
Marcin Wyrostek and his band welcome delegates to Poland
Frank Bainimarama, COP 23 President, hands over the COP Presidency gavel to Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President
View of the dais during the opening plenary
Frank Bainimarama, COP 23 President
President Andrzej Duda, Poland
María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President, UN General Assembly
UN Secretary-General António Guterres
Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President
Henryk Kowalczyk, Minister of Environment, Poland
Marcin Krupa, Mayor of Katowice
Kristalina Georgieva, CEO, World Bank
Sir David Attenborough, BBC, delivering the UN "People’s Seat” address
Messages from the UN "People’s Seat”
High-level Segment
View of the dais during the High-level Segment
President Gjorge Inanov, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
President Mokgweetsi Eric Masisi, Botswana
President Raimonds Vējonis, Latvia
Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Youth Session with UN Secretary-General
View of the room during the session
UN Secretary-General António Guterres
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa
Neekhil Prasad, Fijian Youth Delegate
Greta Thunberg, Swedish Youth Climate Activist
Youth family photo with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa
Multilateral Assessment
Delegates during the Multilateral Assessment
Country presentation from Lithuania
Country presentation from France
Facilitative Sharing of Views
Delegates during the session
Country presentation from Argentina
Country presentation from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Review of the Work of the Forum on Response Measures
Delegates during the session
Kathryn Bacher, US
Albara Tawfiq, Saudi Arabia, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China
Ama Essel, Gabon
Co-Chair Andrei Marcu Belize
Delegates during the session
Workshop of the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture
Delegates during the session
Reynolds Shula, Zambia
Mikko Ollikainen, Adaptation Fund
Delegates during the session
Co-Facilitators Heikki Granholm, Finland, and Milagros Sandoval, Peru
Delegates from Africa
Delegates from Sudan
Around the Venue
UN Secretary-General António Guterres around the venue
Dignitaries from Bahrain
Delegates from Bolivia
Dignitaries from the UN
Dignitaries from Italy and Germany
Delegates from the UAE
Delegates from Nepal
UN Security
Delegates from Chile
María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President, UN General Assembly, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and President Andrzej Duda, Poland
Delegates from Jamaica and Mozambique
Delegates from Cuba
Media during the High-level Segment
Sir David Attenborough, BBC, during a press conference
Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, WWF Global Climate and Energy Lead, speaks with delegates
Paul Oquist Kelley, Nicaragua, speaks with delegates
People gather for the opening of the Action Hub with Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Governor of California, US, Hindou Ibrahim, Indigenous Peoples, and Michał Kurtyka, COP 24 President
