Least Developed Countries

Highlights for Thursday, 27 June 2019 On the last day of the Bonn Climate Change Conference, many countries, including those most vulnerable to climate change, remind delegates that 'science is not negotiable.' The last day of the Bonn Climate Change Conference started slow, to allow parties to work through difficult issues, and ended smoothly, as parties adopted the outcomes of the meetings.In a much-awaited decision on the Special Report on 1.5°C of Global Warming (SR1.5), the SBSTA “expressed its appreciation and gratitude to the IPCC and the scientific community for responding to the invitation of the Conference of the Parties (COP) and providing the SR1.5, which reflects the best available science.” The decision reflected a razor-thin compromise between the many parties who wanted to celebrate the scientific achievements of the report and the few who expressed concerns with the report.Groups of developing countries that are vulnerable to climate change defended the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) SR1.5, saying “listening to science not a choice, but a duty.” Wearing t-shirts that exemplify their message, the Environmental Integrity Group, declared “Science is not negotiable.”Parties agreed to several outcomes, including: Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture: New Zealand will host an intersessional workshop on sustainable land and water management, and strategies and modalities to scale up practices and technologies to increase resilience and sustainable production; The terms of reference for the review of the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage associated with climate change impacts was adopted. This sets out the scope of the review of the WIM to take place at the Santiago Climate Change Conference in December 2019. Nairobi Work Programme: The Programme will prioritize thematic areas in its work on adaptation and vulnerability to climate change, namely: extreme weather events, drought, forests and grasslands, oceans, and agriculture and food security. Article 6 (markets and non-market approaches): Countries brought together their work from Katowice to forge a path forward. They agreed to proceed on the basis of texts put together by the Co-Facilitators. As decision looms in Santiago, countries will arrive with an agreed basis for negotiations. The meeting was gavelled to a close at 10:07 pm.The next meeting of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is in December in Santiago, Chile. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from the Bonn Climate Change Conference - June 2019, which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Consultations throughout the Day The room is filled to capacity during the SBSTA Chair's consultations with Heads of Delegations. SBI informal consultations on administrative, financial and institutional matters: Programme budget for the biennium 2020–2021. Co-Facilitators and the Secretariat of the SBI/SBSTA informal consultations on the terms of reference for the 2019 review of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (WIM) share a moment as the session concludes. Family photo of the SBSTA contact group on matters relating to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Delegates huddle informally in the corridors. SBI Closing Plenary SBI Chair Emmanuel Dlamini, eSwatini, closes the SBI plenary. Abdullah Tawlah, Saudi Arabia Ammar Hijazi, Palestine, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China SBSTA Closing Plenary After a week-long heatwave across Europe, SBSTA Chair Paul Watkinson, France, closes the SBSTA plenary with the same image that he showed at the opening plenary: the Keeling Curve, a graph of the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere. Ana Villalobos, Costa Rica, speaking on behalf of the Independent Association of Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC) Lois Young, Belize, speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Franz Perrez, Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) Ian Fry, Tuvalu, speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Ovais Sarmad, UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary Stella Gama, SBSTA Rapporteur SBSTA family photo. Joint Closing Plenary View of the dais during the closing plenary. Ion Cîmpeanu, EU Kunzang, Bhutan, speaking on behalf of the LDCs Majid Shafiepour, Iran, speaking on behalf of the Like-minded Developing Countries (LMDCs) Martine Badibanga Kamunga, Democratic Republic of the Congo, speaking on behalf of the Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN) Sandra Leticia Guzman Luna, Mexico, speaking on behalf of the EIG Mohamed Nasr, Egypt, speaking on behalf of the African Group Gareth Williams, Australia, speaking on behalf of the Umbrella Group Felipe Andres Gutierrez, Climate Justice Now!, and Paula Tassara, Climate Action Network (CAN), speaking on behalf of the Environmental NGOs (ENGOs) Jisun Hwang, Local Government and Municipal Authorities (LGMA), and Juan Carlos Jintiach, Indigenous Peoples Organizations Dolphine Atieno Magero and Tomasz Ferenz, Youth NGOs (YOUNGOs) Around the Venue Delegates meet informally in the corridors as they wait for the closing plenary to begin. Delegates read the draft conclusions. Ayman Shasly, Saudi Arabia, speaks with his delegation. Representatives of the EIG wear shirts saying "science is not negotiable." Representatives from AOSIS working on loss and damage, and adaptation. YOUNGOs family photo. SBI Family Photo: Katia Simeonova, SBI Coordinator; SBI Chair Emmanuel Dlamini, Laurence Pollier, UNFCCC Secretariat; and Vanessa Matarazzi, UNFCCC Secretariat Ana Villalobos, Costa Rica, and SBSTA Chair Paul Watkinson, France Katia Simeonova, SBI Coordinator Federica Fricano, Italy, speaks with a delegate. Ulrik Lenaerts, Belgium Vladimir Uskov, Russian Federation Delegates between sessions The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) team covering the Bonn Climate Change Conference: Rishikesh Ram Bhandary, Nepal; Nancy Williams, US; Jen Allan, Canada/UK; Bernard Soubry, Canada; Beate Antonich, Germany; and Kiara Worth, South Africa

Highlights for Tuesday, 18 June 2019 In an exhibition, a call is made for delegates to raise their ambition for climate action because 'our house is on fire.' The Bonn Climate Change Conference continued on Tuesday, with delegates negotiating discrete issues in smaller settings. On some technical issues, initial exchanges proved that positions continued to be far apart.Negotiators working on Article 6 (market and non-market approaches) under the Paris Agreement struggled to begin substantive work. After a morning of procedural discussions, the Chair of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) asked the heads of delegation to meet to identify a way forward. That meeting continued into the evening, as delegates tried to reconcile how to discuss Article 6 issues in the transparency discussions, particularly on how countries should report their use of internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs), without pre-judging the Article 6 negotiation outcome.Divisions remained in discussions on the Special Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on 1.5°C of Global Warming. Some called for the welcoming of the IPCC report and others called for more substantive discussions on its content. A few considered the matter closed. Discussions on this and many other issues will continue as delegations work toward finalizing the last rules needed to make the Paris Agreement fully ready for implementation in 2020.Beyond navigating through difficult technical issues, delegates also had to "mind the GAP." Over three days, participants gathered together to share their experiences and identify the various impacts the Lima Work Programme on Gender and its Gender Action Plan (GAP) have had in their countries. Today, they asked what’s missing and what’s needed to move forward work on gender in the climate change process. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from the Bonn Climate Change Conference - June 2019, which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture Delegates gather for two workshops during the day: methods and approaches for assessing adaptation, adaptation co-benefits, and resilience; and improved soil carbon, soil health, and soil fertility under grassland and cropland, as well as integrated systems, including water management. Janie Rioux, Green Climate Fund (GCF) Chizuru Aoki, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Theo de Jager, World Farmers’ Organization Cristina Dengel, Adaptation Fund Claire Chenu, AgroParisTech Co-Facilitators of the Koronivia Workshop Milagros Sandoval, Peru, and Heikki Granholm, Finland Consultations throughout the Day SBSTA contact group on matters relating to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. SBI informal consultations on matters relating to the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). SBSTA informal consultations on common reporting tables for national inventory reports. UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa outlines the proposed 2020-2021 programme budget. SBI informal consultations on matters relating to the Adaptation Fund: membership of the Adaptation Fund Board. SBI/SBSTA informal consultations on the terms of reference for the 2019 review of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (WIM). SBSTA Chair’s consultations with Heads of Delegations. Workshop on Gender and Climate Change Fleur Newman, UNFCCC, and Workshop Co-Facilitators Penda Kante-Thiam, Senegal, and Colin O'Hehir, Ireland, facilitate the workshop to discuss the impact of the Lima Work Programme on Gender and its GAP. With the objective of reviewing and making recommendations for the GAP, workshop participants break into groups to discuss five key themes: capacity building, gender balance, coherence between bodies, implementation, and monitoring and reporting. Around the Venue Delegates huddle in the corridors. Erwin Rose, US Stella Gama, Malawi Jim Skea, Working Group III Co-Chair, IPCC Winifred Masiko, Uganda, and Tayech Ourgicho Didemo, Ethiopia Erik Davies, incoming IISD RS Director, and Lynn Wagner, Interim IISD RS Director Marcela Main Sancha, Secretary to the COP, and Rodrigo Olsen Olivares, incoming COP Presidency, Chile A young climate delegate rushes off to a contact group. In an exhibition hosted by Climate Action Network (CAN), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Greenpeace, and the World Resources Institute (WRI), a call is made for delegates to make concrete plans and step up their ambitions for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in line with a 1.5°C target, ahead of the Climate Action Summit scheduled for later this year. Delegates speak informally between sessions. A delegate reads the live schedule to keep track of the day's events.

Highlights for Monday, 17 June 2019 Delegates gather at the World Conference Center Bonn for the first day of the Bonn Climate Change Conference 2019. For the first time in 14 years, delegates gathered for a smaller session in Bonn with only two bodies convening. The fiftieth meeting of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 50) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 50) launched their work on all agenda items.Outlining expectations for the meeting, many parties pressed to keep the momentum generated in December 2018 when they adopted the Katowice Climate Package, the so-called “rulebook” supporting the Paris Agreement. As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), other international organizations, and developing countries continue to draw attention to the impacts of climate change on the environment, people, and livelihoods, several parties urged more ambition in pledges to the Paris Agreement; many developing countries called for greater financial resources. Chile, the host of the next Conference of the Parties (COP), declared ambition a central theme of the upcoming meeting.In the second workshop of the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture, participants grappled with three questions: how do we measure and evaluate adaptation practices in agriculture? What are the co-benefits of adapting agriculture systems to climate change? and how can we share knowledge and practices to ensure resilience in global food security? The workshop heard from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Adaptation Committee, the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Expert Group, and the World Bank on recent practices in monitoring, evaluation, and adaptation planning; and shared views and best practices on adaptation in the agricultural sector.As delegates finished their first day of work, several were pleased that the SBSTA avoided a delay in adopting its agenda through informal discussions regarding the item on the IPCC Special Report on 1.5°C of Global Warming. In December, the COP asked the SBSTA to consider the Special Report “with a view to strengthening the scientific knowledge on the 1.5°C goal.” Parties agreed to hold this discussion without pre-judging any potential outcome. Some delegates warned that sensitivity around this issue would continue throughout the conference. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage, daily reports, and a summary and analysis report from the Bonn Climate Change Conference - June 2019, which is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page SBI Opening Plenary SBI Chair Emmanuel Dlamini, eSwatini, opens the SBI plenary. Chizuru Aoki, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Ovais Sarmad, UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary Birgit Aru, Estonia, reporting back on Katowice Committee of Experts on Impacts of Implementation of Response Measures (KCI) Hana Hamadalla, Sudan, reporting back on the LDC Expert Group (LEG) Gervais Ludovic Itsoua, Congo, reporting back on the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) Nicole Wilke, Germany, reporting back on the host agreement Delegates during the session. SBSTA Opening Plenary SBSTA Chair Paul Watkinson, France (center), convenes the opening of the SBSTA plenary with an up-to-date version of the Keeling Curve, a graph of the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere. Jörg Schulz, European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Executive Secretary Anne Larigauderie Abdalah Mokssit, IPCC Secretary Salvatore Aricò, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture View of the dais during the workshop on methods and approaches for assessing adaptation, adaptation co-benefits, and resilience. Milagros Sandoval, Peru, Co-Facilitator of the Koronivia Workshop Zitouni Ould-Dada, FAO Navina Sanchez, Adaptation Committee Martien van Nieuwkoop, World Bank SBI/SBSTA Joint Plenary - Opening Statements View of the dais during the joint plenary for opening statements. Ammar Hijazi, Palestine, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China Rodrigo Olsen Olivares, incoming COP Presidency, Chile Majid Shafiepour, Iran, speaking on behalf of the Like-minded Developing Countries (LMDCs) Lois Young, Belize, speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Ana Villalobos, Costa Rica, speaking on behalf of the Independent Association of Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC) Franz Perrez, Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) Mona Al-Attas, Saudi Arabia, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group Sonam Wangdi, Bhutan, speaking on behalf of the LDCs Ion Cîmpeanu, EU Around the Venue Delegates gather informally before the start of plenary. UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa speaks with Stéphane Dion, Canadian Ambassador to the EU Richard Kinley, former UNFCCC Deputy Executive Secretary Sin Liang Cheah, Singapore, speaks with a delegate. Delegates from Ghana review a document. Members of the SBI Secretariat share a moment. Delegates speak informally between sessions. A delegate visits 'Awakening,' a photographic exhibition that confronts the urgency of sustaining life on earth by focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and challenging all people to 'design a world that works for everyone.' Delegates meet informally in the exhibit area. Materials on display.

Highlights for Thursday, 13 June 2019 L-R: William Ehlers, GEF Secretariat; Co-Chair Carola Van Rijnsoever, the Netherlands; and Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson, join participants in a resounding round of applause at the conclusion of the meeting. On the third and final day of the 56th meeting of the GEF Council, the Council convened as the 26th meeting of the Council for the Least Developed Countries Fund and the Special Climate Change Fund (LDCF/SCCF), and approved the Joint Summary of the Chairs for the joint Council meeting.Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson, acting as Co-Chair of the LDCF/SCCF Council, shared takeaway messages from a recent meeting of the Global Commission on Adaptation. She highlighted the upcoming UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit and the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change as opportunities to accelerate action on the ground. She also thanked Ireland for its EUR 2 million contribution to the LDCF.In a keynote address, Orsalia Kalantzopoulos, CEO, Europa Re Ltd., outlined her Swiss-based catastrophe risk reinsurance company’s efforts to provide climate risk insurance coverage in southeastern Europe, saying its experience can be replicated in other regions.GEF Council Members, convening as the 26th meeting of the LDCF/SCCF Council, adopted a joint LDCF/SCCF work program comprising 12 projects, with resources amounting to USD 103.41 million for the LDCF and SCCF, including project grants and Agency fees. They also welcomed the Fiscal Year 2018 Annual Monitoring Review of the Funds and its finding that 87% and 94% of LDCF and SCCF projects under implementation in FY18, respectively, were rated “moderately satisfactory” or above for their progress towards development objectives.Following approval of the Joint Summary of the Chairs for both the GEF Council and the LDCF/SCCF Council meetings, GEF CEO and Chairperson Naoko Ishii closed the meeting at 12:02 pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage, video coverage, and a summary report from the GEF Council Consultation Meeting with CSOs, 56th GEF Council Meeting, and 26th Meeting of the LDCF/SCCF Council. The summary report is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. The Council convenes as the 26th meeting of the LDCF/SCCF Council. Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson Orsalia Kalantzopoulos, CEO, Europe Re Ltd, presents on climate risk insurance efforts in southeastern Europe. Stefan Schwager, Council Member, Switzerland Stephanie Bouziges-Eschmann, Alternate Council Member, France Sydah Naigaga, Regional Focal Point, Eastern Africa, GEF-CSO Network Marjolein Geusebroek, Advisor, the Netherlands Participants hear a presentation on the LDCF Work Program. Gustavo Fonseca and Chizuru Aoki, GEF Secretariat, respond to comments from the floor on the Annual Monitoring Review of the LDCF and SCCF. Juho Uitto and Anna Viggh, IEO, discuss the LDCF/SCCF Annual Evaluation Report. Jozef Buys, Council Member, Belgium Kordula Mehlhart, Council Member, Germany Peter Elder, Council Member, Australia Ludovica Soderini, Advisor, Italy GEF CEO and Chairperson Naoko Ishii closes the meeting at 12:02 pm. Françoise Clottes, GEF Secretariat, says goodbye to Jozef Buys, Council Member, Belgium. L-R: Comlon Awougnon, Alternate Council Member, Togo, consults with Jean-Marc Sinnassamy, GEF Secretariat. L-R: Rachna Ramsurn, Council Member, Mauritius, and Aparna Subramani, Council Member, India, share a moment. L-R: William Ehlers, GEF Secretariat; Praveen Prasad Desabatla, World Bank; and Peter Lallas, GEF Secretariat, consult on the Chairs' Joint Summary of the meetings.

Highlights for Tuesday, 11 June 2019 Participants view a slide from the presentation by the Chair of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP), showing the “Shawn the Sheep” slug, which helped frame the discussions on the STAP Chair's presentation on science. Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson, opened the 56th meeting of the GEF Council, highlighting that the GEF’s 2020 strategy has shifted focus from treating the symptoms of environmental degradation to addressing its causes and drivers. The GEF Secretariat presented the work program, the largest ever proposed, amounting to USD 865.9 million in projects and programs, including four Impact Programs covering food systems and land use, Amazon forests, Congo basin forests, and dryland landscapes. After seeking a number of clarifications and offering comments about specific elements and projects, the Council approved the work program, which will benefit 91 recipient countries, including 30 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and 32 small island developing States (SIDS). It was agreed that a request from many Members for greater transparency regarding the selection of lead agencies and project countries for Impact Programs would be dealt with in a separate decision on Wednesday. Council Members heard a report from the STAP Chair, highlighting, inter alia, recent scientific reports, including the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Global Assessment of the State of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and the UN Environment Programme Sixth Global Environmental Outlook, and what they mean for the GEF, criteria for GEF Impact Programs, and ways to achieve more enduring outcomes from GEF investments. In ensuing discussion, numerous interventions focused on definitions of durability versus sustainability and on how to incorporate STAP’s recent work, particularly on climate risk screening, into project design under the new work program. Delegates also discussed further work on the sustainability of GEF projects and programs. Council Members considered a draft updated monitoring policy, focusing on: the need to align now-separate monitoring and evaluation policies; the respective roles of Operational Focal Points and recipient countries; “achieved” versus “expected” results; deadlines for starting to use the new policy and related templates and guidelines; activities to be covered by the new policy; and civil society organization (CSO) involvement. Delegates further considered a report on the Working Group on the GEF Partnership. They agreed that further work is needed on implementation modalities associated with the concentration of GEF resources across Agencies and the previously-agreed 30% ceiling on the GEF’s share of Agencies’ portfolios, and requested that the Working Group present recommendations to the Council at a future date. Finally, Council Members took note of the GEF business plan, and approved the corporate budget for the fiscal year 2020 from the GEF Trust Fund of USD 29.273 million.In the afternoon, Ishii and Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary, UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance cooperation between the GEF and UNCCD. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided daily web coverage, video coverage, and a summary report from the GEF Council Consultation Meeting with CSOs, 56th GEF Council Meeting, and 26th Meeting of the LDCF/SCCF Council. The summary report is now available in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Francis Dejon For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. A view of the opening session of the 56th meeting of the GEF Council Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson Carola Van Rijnsoever, Council Member, the Netherlands, was elected Co-Chair of the 56th GEF Council Meeting. Council members raise their flags. Comlon Awougnon, Alternate Council Member, Togo Zhongjing Wang, Council Member, China Jozef Buys, Council Member, Belgium Aparna Subramani, Council Member, India Martha Cuba, Council Member, Peru Peter Elder, Council Member, Australia Particpants from the GEF-CSO Network Peter Lallas, GEF Secretariat Françoise Clottes, GEF Secretariat Akhteruzzaman Sano, Interim Chair of GEF-CSO Network Elizabeth Lien, Council Member, US L-R: Praveen Prasad Desabatla and Tapiwa Sikipa, World Bank A view of the plenary session from the dais Rosina Bierbaum, STAP Chair Kordula Melhart, Council Member, Germany Gustavo Fonseca, GEF Secretariat Stefan Schwager, Council Member, Switzerland A view of the presentation on the 2019 work program Lauren Céline Naville Gisnås, Council Member, Norway Dan Bakoye Chaibou, Council Member, Niger L-R: Gustavo Fonseca and Claude Gascon, GEF Secretariat Antonio Micha, Alternate Council Member, Equatorial Guinea Yoshiko Motoyama, Alternate Council Member, Japan L-R: Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson, and William Ehlers, GEF Secretariat L-R: Sana Taktak Keskes, Regional Focal Point for North Africa, CSO Network; Akhteruzzaman Sano, Interim Chair, GEF-CSO Network; and Linghui He, Toxics-Free China Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO and Chairperson, and Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary, UNCCD, sign a Memorandum of Understanding.