European Union

Teresa Ribera, Minister for the Ecological Transition, Spain; IPCC Chair Hoesung Lee; Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Spain; Carolina Schmidt, COP 25 President, Chile; UN Secretary-General António Guterres; and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa, welcome delegates to the offical opening of COP 25. The Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference opened under the glare of camera lenses and flashes: the fast-paced atmosphere inevitably created when Heads of State and Government arrive. Roughly 50 world leaders gathered to hear UN Secretary-General António Guterres somberly declare that the “point of no return is in sight.” As these dignitaries shared experiences on raising climate ambition in their countries, many emphasized that enhanced action is a moral imperative. Notably, several speakers spoke of a “climate crisis” and paid tribute to youth movements for holding decision makers accountable for increasing ambition. Another message that resonated across statements was the need to support the most vulnerable, with the Dominican Republic emphasizing the importance of public services, especially regarding education and health, and Luxembourg announcing national plans to make public transportation free for all. The EU highlighted its plan to become the first climate neutral continent by 2050. COP 25 President Carolina Schmidt, Chile, underscored the need to reinvigorate multilateralism and ensure that negotiations spur the just and inclusive transition which is urgently needed to address the reality of vulnerable communities around the world. Throughout the day, delegates met in plenary to launch the work of all five UNFCCC bodies. Much of the morning involved discussions on the agendas of the Conference of the Parties (COP) and Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA). Various parties and groups had proposed several new agenda items. Some of the items to be taken forward include: Privileges and immunities to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) will be considered with other GCF-related issues on the COP agenda; The special needs and circumstances of African and Latin American countries will not be on the CMA agenda, but the special circumstances of Africa will be discussed informally; and The report of the Adaptation Committee will be added to the CMA agenda, and parties will discuss the global goal on adaptation in an informal meeting. Some delegates worried if the disagreements over the agendas, and the means to resolve some of them, had eroded trust among negotiators. Others disagreed and looked forward to a more “normal” pace of work tomorrow. For more details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB).

Highlights for Friday, 29 November 2019 SBSTTA 23 Chair Hesiquio Benítez Díaz Delegates to the 23rd meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical, and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 23) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), concluded their deliberations, approving draft recommendations to the Conference of the Parties (COP) on: the links between nature and culture; new and emerging issues; biodiversity and climate change; Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) in the North-East Atlantic Ocean; sustainable wildlife management; technical and scientific cooperation; and the scientific and technical base of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. Lengthy deliberations took place under the agenda items on biodiversity and climate change, technical and scientific cooperation, and the post-2020 framework. The final recommendations on nature and culture, and climate change and biodiversity contain bracketed text. In closing remarks, Elizabeth Mrema, Officer-in-Charge of the CBD Secretariat, thanked all participants for their collaboration, flexibility, and perseverance. She pointed out that the technical and scientific evidence base has been further strengthened to provide essential guidance for the development of the post-2020 framework. She expressed her confidence that in cooperation with partner conventions, institutions, and stakeholders, renewed biodiversity goals and targets can be agreed on in time. Suriname, for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), stressed the importance of healthy ecosystems for poverty eradication, food security, and essential ecosystem services, emphasizing they represent an important element of identity and culture. She called for necessary capacity building, scientific and technical assistance, and technology transfer to support SIDS. The EU noted the recent alarming scientific reports on biodiversity loss, stressing that SBSTTA 23 results will support the Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework to craft a robust and ambitious post-2020 framework. Lao People’s Democratic Republic, for Asia-Pacific, emphasized the importance of benefit-sharing from the utilization of genetic resources, and stressed the need to scale up action on pollution and marine debris. She further underscored the need for capacity building, technology transfer, and resource mobilization to implement the post-2020 framework.Noting that the science “shows that the threat is serious,” Iceland, also for Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, and Switzerland, regretted that the document on biodiversity and climate change retains some brackets, but concluded that the recommendation under this item signifies “significant progress.” Belarus, for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), appreciated participants’ “active” presence in the process, and noted the importance in concluding the first cycle of EBSAs. Bahamas, for GRULAC, expressed their concern with the progress in the negotiations, and hoped for a more “planned and structured dialogue” on the “most relevant” parts of the framework in the future. Noting that biodiversity and its loss must be recognized as a global priority, she recalled the importance of synergizing work on biodiversity and climate change. Cameroon, for the African Group, emphasized the deliberations on technical and scientific cooperation in support of the post-2020 framework, and highlighted advice to the Co-Chairs of the OEWG on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework on direct and indirect drivers and on the need to give equal attention to all three objectives of the Convention.SBSTTA 23 Chair Hesiquio Benítez Díaz (Mexico) thanked delegates and participants for a successful meeting. Convinced that “2020 is going to be a super year,” he gaveled the meeting to a close at 10:28 pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage and daily reports from WG8J 11 and SBSTTA 23. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report from the meetings in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page View of the dais during the morning session SBSTTA 23 Chair Hesiquio Benítez Díaz CBD Deputy Executive Secretary David Cooper Delegates from South Korea and Japan conferring Elizabeth Mrema, Officer-in-Charge, CBD Secretariat Marci Gompers-Small, Suriname Larbi Sbaï, Morocco Marcal Gusmao, Timor-Leste Alexander Shestakov, CBD Secretariat, and SBSTTA 23 Chair Hesiquio Benítez Díaz Joaqin Salzberg, Argentina Vin Fleming, UK Erie Tamale, CBD Secretariat Andrea Cruz-Angón, Mexico Simon Nemtzov, Israel Martha Mphatso Kalemba, Malawi, with Wadzanayi Goredema-Mandivenyi, South Africa Wadzanayi Goredema-Mandivenyi, South Africa Scott Wilson, Canada Senka Barudanovic, Bosnia and Herzegovina Naeem Ashraf Raja, Pakistan Ricarda Steinbrecher, Federation of German Scientists Group photo of the Korean delegation From L-R: Bernard Soubry, Kaspar Sollberger, and Mika Schroder, IISD Reporting Services Jaime Grubb, Australia, with Rosemary Paterson, New Zealand Delegates from Brazil and South Africa conferring Reinhard Schnidrig, Switzerland Neville Ash, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Mitzi Gurgel Valente da Costa, Brazil The Indonesian delegation Hendrik Segers, Belgium Tommaso Demozzi and Eirini Sakellari, University of Wagenigen The Australian delegation with members of the CBD Secretariat and indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) Ilham Atho Mohamed, Maldives Joséphine Thérèse Eloundou, Cameroon, receiving the SBSTTA Poster Award from Ilham Atho Mohamed, Maldives Andrea Cruz-Angón, Mexico Around the Venue

Highlights for Thursday, 28 November 2019 From L-R: Caridad Canales, CBD Secretariat; Alexander Shestakov, CBD Secretariat; SBSTTA 23 Chair Hesiquio Benítez Díaz; CBD Deputy Executive Secretary David Cooper; and John Scott, CBD Secretariat Delegates to the 23rd meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical, and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 23) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) met in plenary throughout the day to address draft recommendations on: possible elements of work on the links between nature and culture; biodiversity and climate change; and new and emerging issues. Regarding the links between nature and culture, delegates discussed a paragraph noting that “nothing in the work programme on the links between nature and culture should be interpreted or used to support non-tariff barriers to trade.” They further deliberated on a draft recommendation adding tasks for the programme of work on developing strategies for benefit-sharing with traditional knowledge holders and on integrating cultural values attached to biodiversity into a supportive framework. These recommendations have been either bracketed or deleted. Delegates discussed at length the draft recommendation on biodiversity and climate change. They exchanged opinions on the use of the term “ecosystem-based approaches” vis-à-vis “nature-based solutions.” They reached agreement on a request to the Secretariat to invite written submissions on possible post-2020 targets and indicators related to biodiversity and climate change for the consideration of the Open-ended Working Group on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. They further decided to bracket references to: required “socioeconomic, cultural, and political changes;” a recommendation noting certain practices harmful to biodiversity; and a reference to nationally determined contributions within a recommendation towards strengthening the efforts to integrate biodiversity conservation to climate change adaptation, mitigation, and disaster risk reduction. The draft recommendation on new and emerging issues was approved without amendments, deferring the decision on whether synthetic biology should be classified as a new and emerging issue to SBSTTA 24. In the evening, delegates met in a contact group, co-chaired by Anne Teller (EU) and Jorge Murillo (Colombia), to address direct drivers of biodiversity loss, focusing on invasive alien species, climate change, and pollution. They further exchanged ideas on the use and values of nature, and relevant tools, solutions, and leverage points. Discussions continued into the night.For more details on the day’s negotiations 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 web coverage and daily reports from WG8J 11 and SBSTTA 23. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary and analysis report from the meetings in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Jorge Murillo, Colombia Andrea Cruz-Angón, Mexico Jaime Grubb, Australia Alexander Shestakov, CBD Secretariat, and SBSTTA 23 Chair Hesiquio Benítez Díaz Adem Bilgin, Turkey Karin Zaunberger, EU Ines Verleye, Belgium Mitzi Gurgel Valente da Costa, Brazil Roxana Solis, Peru Rosemary Paterson, New Zealand Anki Weibull, Sweden Lorenzo Ciccarese, Italy Rebecca Kennedy, Canada Makiko Yanagiya, Japan Joaqin Salzberg, Argentina, with Basile van Havre, Co-Chair, Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework Trine Hay Setsaas, Norway, with CBD Deputy Executive Secretary David Cooper Nader Ibrahim and Caridad Canales, CBD Secretariat Gabriele Obermayr, Austria Angel Onofa, Ecuador Gillian Guthrie, Jamaica SBSTTA 23 Chair Hesiquio Benítez Díaz, conferring with members of the CBD Secretariat Basile van Havre, Co-Chair, OEWG on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, and Jim Thomas, ETC Group Article 8(j) Working Group Co-Chair Hamdallah Zedan, Egypt, with Charlotta Sörqvist, Sweden Room view during the contact group Around the Venue