Youth

The Bonn Climate Change Conference met for its final day on Thursday, 18 May. In the morning, the closing plenary for the forty-sixth session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 46) convened and suspended. The SBSTA gaveled to a close at 7:54pm. In the afternoon, the forty-sixth session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 46) convened. Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, incoming COP 23 President, Fiji, addressed the plenary, underscoring that “those who are most vulnerable must be heard” and stated that COP 23 will forge a coalition to uphold and advance the Paris Agreement. The SBI took several decisions and then suspended. The SBI gaveled to a close at 7:37pm. In the late afternoon, the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA 1-3) contact group met and continued to work into the evening. Saying "the clock is ticking," APA Co-Chair Sarah Baashan (Saudi Arabia) suspended APA 1-3 at 9:29pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided digital coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the Bonn Climate Change Conference - May 2017. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page High-Level Meetings with the Prime Minister of Fiji A roundtable discussion between the incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 Presidency and the COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Fiji, and incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 President UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa  A roundtable discussion is held with the Prime Minister of Fiji and the COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency Inia Seruiratu, Minister of Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, and High-Level Climate Champion, Fiji; and Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Fiji, and incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 President Nazhat Shameem Khan, Fiji, incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 Presidency; Aziz Mekouar, Morocco, COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency; and Hamza Tber, Morocco COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) Plenary View of the dais during the SBSTA closing plenary SBSTA Chair Carlos Fuller, Belize Victor Kabengele Wa Kadilu, the Democratic Republic of the Congo Jesus Guerra Bell, Cuba, speaking on behalf of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) Juan Carlos Arredondo Brun, Mexico, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) Abdullah K. Tawlah, Saudi Arabia Catherine Stewart, Canada Kay Harrison, New Zealand Marilyn Averill, Research and Independent NGOs (RINGOs) Côme Girschig, Youth NGOs (YOUNGOs) Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Indigenous Peoples Deborah Mugerwa Nalwanga, Women and Gender Eddy Pérez, Climate Action Network (CAN), speaking on behalf of Environmental NGOs (ENGOs) Rachel Kennerley, Friends of the Earth International, speaking on behalf of ENGOs Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) Closing Plenary Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Fiji, arrives at the plenary Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Fiji SBI Chair Tomasz Chruszczow, Poland View of the dais during the SBI plenary Bernarditas Muller, Philippines, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China Trigg Talley, US Oleg Shamanov, Russian Federation Mamadou Honadia, Burkino Faso Ghalia Benziouche, Algeria Mohamed Nasr, Egypt Delegates huddle to discuss a way forward with SBI conclusions Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) Closing Plenary The draft APA negotiating text is distributed to delegates Delegates from the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) SBSTA Chair Carlos Fuller, Belize, and Kishan Kumarsingh, Trinidad and Tobago APA Co-Chair Jo Tyndall, New Zealand Ian Fry, Ethiopia, speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Xolisa Ngwadla, South Africa, speaking on behalf of the African Group Henrik Eriksen, Norway Nicole Wilke, EU Amjad Abdulla, Maldives Reinaldo Salgado, Brazil Franz Perrez, Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the EIG Around the Venue Delegates from Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay Nazhat Shameem Khan, Fiji, incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 Presidency Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Fiji, and incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 President Horacio Peluffo, UNFCCC Secretariat; Aziz Mekouar, Morocco, COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency; and Hamza Tber, Morocco, COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency Delegates from South Sudan Delegates from Botswana Delegates from Sudan Delegates from The Gambia Chebet Maikut, Uganda Collin Beck, Solomon Islands Delegates speak informally The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) team covering the negotiations: Claudia Friedrich, Germany; Aaron Cosbey, Canada; Rishikesh Ram Bhandary, Nepal/US; Annelies Van Gaalen, South Africa; Jen Allan, Canada; Alice Bisiaux, France/Spain; Mari Luomi, Finland/UAE; Beate Antonich, Germany/US; and Kiara Worth, South Africa

The following side events were covered by ENBOTS on Thursday, 18 May 2017: Global Research and Development Cooperation in Climate Technologies: Opportunities and Challenges Climate Justice and Youth – An Inter-Generational Dialogue Implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions: Climate Finance for Water-Related Adaptation and Mitigation Action IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin on the Side (ENBOTS) Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage of selected side events at the Bonn Climate Change Conference, May 2017. Photos by IISD/ENB | Angeles Estrada Vigil For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Global Research and Development Cooperation in Climate Technologies: Opportunities and ChallengesPresented by the Joint Implementation Network, the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and the University of Nijmegen (RU) This side event explored the implications of global research and development (R&D) cooperation, including with emerging economies, on development and transfer of mitigation technologies. Heleen de Coninck, RU, moderated the event.  Presenting findings from research on “R&D offshoring” to emerging economies by Western multinational companies, Ulrich Elmer Hansen, UNEP DTU Partnership, noted national concerns in the EU and US concerning loss of long-term industrial leadership and “hollowing out” of the home-country knowledge base. At the firm level, he said benefits to R&D offshoring include lower R&D costs and productivity increases, while knowledge management of a globally spread network represents a key challenge. Noting that the literature in this area focuses on the national and regional levels, he stressed the need to examine what can be done at the international level, including within the UNFCCC. Sören Lindner, RU, presented on research on mapping of collaboration in research and innovation for climate change mitigation between the EU and developing countries. He highlighted that the real drivers and motivations behind initiatives may not be as clear-cut as expressed in project proposals, and emphasized that there is a focus on project “output” instead of more long-term “outcome and impact” considerations among project managers and sponsors. Among recommendations, he highlighted: making the objectives of both partners explicit; and finding and highlighting mutual benefits, and building a relationship based on commonalities among partners. Martina Lyons, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG R&I), European Commission, presented on the Commission’s technology cooperation with emerging economies. Noting the Commission’s strong involvement in the first stages of the innovation chain, she highlighted the Horizon 2020 programme as the biggest research, development and demonstration (RD&D) programme in the world with a seven-year budget of EUR 6 billion for energy research and innovation. She also drew attention to Mission Innovation, in which 22 countries and the EU are taking action to double their public clean energy R&D investment over five years.  Stressing “RD&D is where the UNFCCC can do the most,” Gabriel Blanco, National University of Central Buenos Aires (UNICEN), welcomed references to RD&D in the Paris Agreement and Decision 1/CP.21 (Adoption of the Paris Agreement). Among reasons why cooperative RD&D is the right way forward, he highlighted, inter alia, the potential for creation of new private enterprises and public-private joint ventures that may lead to the sharing of intellectual property rights (IPRs) and joint patents. Marieke Reijalt, European Hydrogen Association, highlighted that “the big difference” will be made in emerging economies when it comes to technology implementation, and said EU-funded technologies should be tested for viability in developing countries. She called for: “simplicity” from institutions when it comes to supporting R&D; and a mechanism to further spur industrial interest in technology transfer.  Juan Hoffmaister, Green Climate Fund (GCF), highlighted the Fund’s examination of how collaborative R&D fits into its business model, and said the Fund will present a proposal on this topic in October 2017. Among key challenges the Fund is facing in this regard, he highlighted how to separate the concept of collaborative R&D from the larger technology cycle, and how to ensure that such financing is bankable. In the ensuing discussion, participants considered, inter alia: the question of whether funding cycles are too short, given an undue focus on outputs over impacts; whether IPRs are an issue in RD&D; differences in motivations between developed and developing countries for participating in RD&D; challenges of making RD&D investments, given that “fruits are uncertain” and more long-term; and the role of culture in shaping outputs and impacts of projects. L-R: Ulrich Elmer Hansen, UNEP DTU Partnership; Heleen de Coninck, RU; Sören Lindner, RU; and Martina Lyons, DG R&I, European Commission Ulrich Elmer Hansen, UNEP DTU Partnership, highlighted that R&D is increasingly taking place on the global scale, with China, India and Brazil among key global actors.   Martina Lyons, DG R&I, European Commission, highlighted the Commission’s underlying principles for cooperation in RD&D are mutual benefit and common interest. Sören Lindner, RU, said projects need a “trust-building” phase, after which sustained collaboration on technology innovation can often begin. L-R: Gabriel Blanco, UNICEN; Heleen de Coninck, RU; Marieke Reijalt, European Hydrogen Association; and Juan Hoffmaister, GCF Heleen de Coninck, RU, noted that, to improve capabilities to implement Nationally Determined Contributions, long-term cooperation is more effective than one-off training. Gabriel Blanco, UNICEN, welcomed the Technology Mechanism’s support for the entire technology cycle. Contact: Wytze van der Gaast | wytze@jin.ngo  Sara Traerup | slmt@dtu.dk  Heleen de Coninck | h.deconinck@fnwi.ru.nl  More Information: http://carisma-project.eu/ http://unfccc.int/ttclear/support/technology-mechanism.html Climate Justice and Youth – An Inter-Generational DialoguePresented by the Plant-for-the-Planet and the Global Marshall Plan Foundation This side event discussed issues related to climate justice and youth, including ways to better engage non-party stakeholders in implementation of the Paris Agreement, and youth initiatives around the world, such as the ‘Trillion Tree Campaign’ by Plant-for-the-Planet. Thomas Bruhn, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), and Yugratna Srivastava, Plant-for-the-Planet, moderated the discussion.  The event was conducted in an interactive dialogue format, with the audience being given several opportunities to share views with each other and report back to the meeting.  On integrating a broad range of stakeholders in developing the Paris Agreement rulebook, participants highlighted, inter alia, the need to: capture scientific, political and local knowledge; create acceptance, legitimacy and relevance of non-state actor participation; fully integrate empowerment and social learning; and generate sensitivity to “what stakeholders on the ground actually need.” Miroslav Polzer, Secretary General, International Association for the Advancement of Innovative Approaches to Global Challenges (IAAI), called for stakeholders to facilitate social innovation to advance implementation of Article 12 of the Paris Agreement (climate education) and action on climate empowerment.  Gaston Meskens, Research and Independent Non-governmental Organizations (RINGOs), shared his views on observer participation in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), emphasizing that “the more pressure there is on parties to deliver, the less willing they are to give access to civil society to the negotiations.” He called for dialogue between delegates and civil society in the form of “compassionate confrontation,” which would be “inspiring and liberating for us all.” On facilitating dialogue among party delegates and civil society, Andreas Sieber, Climate Tracker, explained that his organization trains people online and offline in 22 languages to report on UNFCCC negotiations. Providing examples of writers’ impact on the negotiations, he stressed the importance of focusing on a single issue without losing sight of the “bigger picture.”  Following a brief informal exchange of views, participants underscored, inter alia: the importance of maximizing the impact of youth; and the inverse relationship between stakeholder participation and pressure exerted on party delegates, noting the differences between short-term and long-term pressure. Timothy Damon, Global Youth Development Institute (GYDI), highlighted the reference to “intergenerational equity” in the preamble of the Paris Agreement, and stressed the need to have civil society onboard for Article 12 (education and training) implementation. He outlined GYDI’s efforts in: bringing youth from the global South to participate in climate negotiations; and national and regional capacity building.  Berenice Danaé Espinoza Hernández, CLIC!, emphasized the need for non-party stakeholders to not only be included in the negotiation process, but also to continue work in their own countries. Highlighting the importance of regional cooperation, she cautioned against creating divisions between the global North and global South within the youth caucus.  In the ensuing discussion, participants considered, inter alia: the need for early climate education; the need for scholarships to increase representation of the global South financed through innovative fundraising; the innovative format of the side event and the need for co-productive settings that create a social learning space; and the implications of discussions on conflict of interest on observer participation. L-R: Yugratna Srivastava, Plant-for-the-Planet; Berenice Danaé Espinoza Hernández, Clic!; Timothy Damon, GYDI; Andreas Sieber, Climate Tracker; Gaston Meskens, RINGOs; and Miroslav Polzer, Secretary General, IAAI Yugratna Srivastava, Plant-for-the-Planet, highlighted Subsidiary Body for Implementation conclusions, underscoring the value of non-party stakeholders’ effective engagement and their contributions to the deliberations on substantive issues. Andreas Sieber, Climate Tracker (left), said it is important to give voice to, as well as “lay demands” on, youth. Gaston Meskens, RINGOs, noted that the “UNFCCC process is complex and slow, but it is the only one we have; without it, all the climate decisions would be taken in Davos.” Miroslav Polzer, Secretary General, IAAI, called for identifying how activities on education, communication and outreach could be documented and used to feed into Paris Agreement implementation. Timothy Damon, GYDI, highlighted the need to hear the “vibrant” voices of all stakeholders in the climate negotations to enable Paris Agreement implementation on the ground. Berenice Danaé Espinoza Hernández, Clic!, said “we’re all global youth and we’re together in this.” Elena Kosolapova, ENBOTS team, and Thomas Bruhn, IASD Contact: Yugratna Srivastava | yugratna@gmail.com  Frithjof Finkbeiner | frithjof.finkbeiner@globalmarshallplan.org  More Information: https://www.plant-for-the-planet.org/en/home#intro   http://www.globalmarshallplan.org/en Implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions: Climate Finance for Water-Related Adaptation and Mitigation ActionPresented by the World Water Council (WWC), the Global Water Partnership (GWP) and the International Water Association (IWA) In this side event, participants discussed climate change impacts on the water cycle, water security as a priority within Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and unrecognized mitigation opportunities in water systems.  Dani Gaillard-Picher, Director, WWC, moderated the event. Highlighting the ‘Climate is Water’ initiative, she said that “water is talked about everywhere” but still not given the “attention it deserves.” Gaillard-Picher stressed that water should be a priority in NDCs. Moulay Driss Hasnaoui, Morocco, underscored the importance of water security in countries “lagging behind” in the water, energy and agriculture sectors. Eva Promes, IWA, highlighted IWA’s Flood and Drought Portal, a technical tool which supports decision making at the regional and water basin levels.  Underscoring the multiple co-benefits of water investments, Alexander Linke, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), said that improving regulatory environments and knowledge management of water utilities will be key to implementing concrete projects.  Gareth Phillips, African Development Bank (AfDB), reminded participants that the long-term challenge in climate policy is to reach net zero emissions, and stressed the need to “systematically drive down” emission intensity across sectors. Noting that there is currently no financial reward for the private sector to invest in adaptation, he highlighted a proposed adaptation benefit mechanism as a potential solution.  Merylyn Hedger, Overseas Development Institute (ODI), underscored the centrality of water to the climate agenda. She called for a “scaling up” of adaptation and mitigation efforts using a “programmatic” rather than a project-based approach.  Noting that water insecurity is estimated to cost the world economy 45% of global GDP by 2050, Nicolas Delaunay, GWP, underscored that water security is key for adaptation planning and building the climate resilience of communities and ecosystems. He highlighted GWP’s Global Water, Climate and Development programme, which supports implementation of climate change commitments in 16 developing countries.   During the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: limitations to mitigation opportunities in Africa; sectoral policy approaches to address water challenges in climate policy; methodologies for calculating emission intensity for different services in the economy; and technologies that both generate electricity and are “water-wise.” In closing, Jean-Luc Redaud, French Water Partnership, echoed the importance of water as a priority action in NDCs and called for a continued strengthening of water governance. L-R: Danielle Gaillard-Picher, Director, WWC; Gareth Phillips, AfDB; Merylyn Hedger ODI; and Alexander Linke, GIZ Alexander Linke, GIZ, noted the importance of working with water utilities at the local level. Gareth Philips, AfDB, said the Bank can play a role in creating enabling environments for adaptation and mitigation projects. Moulay Driss Hasnaoui, Morocco, emphasized the importance of securing funding to support water security. Nicolas Delaunay, GWP, said that "within the next generation" more than 70% of the world’s population will live in vulnerable coastal and flood-prone areas. Eva Promes, IWA, highlighted IWA projects in Mexico, Thailand, Peru and Jordan. Merylyn Hedger, ODI, pointed to a “massive gap” between financing interests and bankable projects available for funding. Contact: Danielle Gaillard-Picher | d.gaillard@worldwatercouncil.org Susanne Skyllerstedt | Susanne.skyllerstedt@gmail.com Eva Promes | eva.promes@iwahq.org More Information: http://www.climateiswater.org/

The Bonn Climate Change Conference continued on Wednesday, 17 May. Throughout the day, informal consultations and contact groups met to discuss various issues under the forty-sixth sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 46) and Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 46), as well as the third part of the first session on the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA 1-3). The APA contact group met in the afternoon and evening. Throughout the day, mandated events convened. The Technical Expert Meeting on adaptation met all day, focusing on how national adaptation plans can enable linkages between national and subnational development planning processes and strategies. In the afternoon, the multi-stakeholder dialogue on the operationalization of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform continued discussions. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided digital coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the Bonn Climate Change Conference - May 2017. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI)/Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) Technical Expert Meeting (TEM): Adaptation Delegates gather for the second day of the Technical Expert Meeting on adaptation Akio Takemoto, Ministry of the Environment, Japan Musonda Mumba, UN Environment Beth Lavender, Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) Member Benjamin Karmorh, Environment Protection Agency, Liberia Sione Fulivai, Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications, Tonga Delegates ask questions through an online platform Delegates share ideas with their neighbors Delegates during the session Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) Contact Group View of the dais during the APA contact group APA Co-Chair Jo Tyndall, New Zealand APA Co-Chair Sarah Baashan, Saudi Arabia, and Co-Facilitator for agenda item 8 - other matters Nicolas Zambrano Sanchez, Ecuador, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 4 - adaptation communications Janine Felson, Belize, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 7 - committee to facilitate implementation and promote compliance Xolisa Ngwadla, South Africa, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 6 - global stocktake Xiang Gao, China, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 5 - transparency framework Sin Liang Cheah, Singapore, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 3 - mitigation María del Pilar Bueno, Argentina, Co-Facilitator for APA agenda item 8 - further matters, Adaptation Fund Delegates read the draft conclusions presented by the Co-Chairs Raed Albasseet, Saudi Arabia, speaking on behalf of the Arab Group Andrea Faulkner, Australia, speaking on behalf of the Umbrella Group Gebru Jember, Ethiopia, speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Ravi Prasad, India Franz Perrez, Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) Majid Shafie-Pour, Iran, speaking on behalf of the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDCs) Kim Carnahan, US Delegates from the EIG Delegates speak with APA Co-Chair Jo Tyndall, New Zealand Delegates from the LMDCs Delegates from the African Group Delegates from the LDCs Delegates from the Umbrella Group Delegates huddle to discuss a way forward for the APA Multi-stakeholder Dialogue on the Operationalization of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform Delegates gather for the second day of the multi-stakeholder dialogue on the operationalization of the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform SBSTA Chair Carlos Fuller, Belize Grace Balawag, International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) Pamela Rocha, Ecuador Koko Warner, UNFCCC Secretariat Geert Fremout, EU Ella Havnevik Giske, Norway Julio Cordano, Chile Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNSRRIP) Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, IIPFCC Inka Saara Arttijeff, Sámi Parliament, Finland Sébastien Duyck, speaking on behalf of Environmental, Trade Union and Youth NGOs, Women and Gender, and Farmers UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa applauds the work done during the session Francois Paulette, IIPFCC (center), leads the group in a prayer to close the session Around the Venue UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa arrives at the venue Delegates huddle to discuss budget issues SBSTA Chair Carlos Fuller, Belize, speaks with delegates Delegates gather outside of Chamber Hall Horacio Peluffo, UNFCCC Secretariat Delegates from Austria and Luxembourg Delegates from Argentina and Saudi Arabia speak informally Delegates from Brazil Delegates between sessions Security staff at the World Conference Center Bonn

The third session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD 3) opened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 17 May 2017. Held in preparation for the 2017 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the Forum is convening under the theme, “Ensuring inclusive and sustainable growth and prosperity for all.” Two pre-events were held: the Tenth Session of the Committee on Sustainable Development (CSD-10); and, Preparatory and Capacity Development Workshop for Major Groups and other Stakeholders. CSD-10 reviewed implementation of the 2016–2017 work programme of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) sub-programme on innovations, technologies and managing Africa’s natural resources. Issues discussed under this agenda item included the green economy and natural resources, new technologies and innovation, and climate change and development. Following this, delegates discussed the 2016-2017 work programme, provided guidance, and identified priority areas on work for the 2018–2019 biennium. The Preparatory and Capacity Building Workshop for Major Groups and other Stakeholders met to provide an opportunity to brief Major Groups and other Stakeholders on the follow-up and review process of the identified Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2017–2019, as well as review the African regional report on progress on implementation. Delegates also took part in a roundtable session and six breakout groups in order to share experiences and lessons learned on SDGs 1 (Poverty Eradication), 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 5 (Gender Equality), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and 14 (Life Below Water). Specific issues highlighted included: decent work as a cross-cutting issue among the SDGs; creating data collection infrastructure; accountability; and, “domesticating” international laws and agreements. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web coverage and a summary report from this meeting. The summary 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 10th Session of the Economic Commission for Africa Committee on Sustainable Development L-R: Fatima Denton, Director, Special Initiatives Division, Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA); Moubarack Lo, Senegal; and Nassim Oulmane, Chief of Green Economy and Natural Resources Section, UNECA Fatima Denton, UNECA Moubarack Lo, Senegal Presentation on the introduction to the ECA sub-programme on innovations, technologies and managing Africa's natural resources by Fatima Denton, UNECA Kasirim Nwuke, Chief of New Technologies and Innovation Section, UNECA Nassim Oulmane, UNECA Naimaton Bio Djara, Benin Esther Ikere Eluzai, South Sudan Rania Abdel Magied, Egypt Urias Sunday Goll, Liberia Azhari Omer Abdelbagi, Sudan Joseph Saturmin Dieme, Senegal L-R: Sebueng Chipeta; Christo Janse van Noordwyk; and Thabo Mogale, South Africa James Murombedzi, Acting Coordinator, African Climate Policy Centre Mohamed Yahiya Lafdal, Mauritania Preparatory and Capacity-Development Workshop for Major Groups and other Stakeholders in the Africa region L-R: Isabela Cunha, Division for Sustainable Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA); Aida Opoku-Mensah, Executive Secretary on the post-2015 development agenda, UNECA; Linus Mofor, Senior Expert, African Climate Policy Centre, UNECA, Facilitator; and Charles Akol, Green Economy and Natural Resources Section, UNECA Isabela Cunha, UNDESA Aida Opoku-Mensah, Executive Secretary on the post-2015 development agenda, UNECA Presentation on the global level follow-up to and review of the SDGs by Isabela Cunha, UNDESA Presentation on the regional report on progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 by Bartholomew Armah, Macroeconomic Policy Division, UNECA L-R: Ingrid Coetzee, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, South Africa; Dyborn Charlie Chibonga, World Farmers' Organization, Malawi; Priscilla Achakpa, Women Environmental Programme, Nigeria; Stephen Chacha, African Philanthropic Foundation, Tanzania; Daniel Nyanganyura, International Council for Science; Guendouz Siham, African Youth Network for Sustainable Development, Algeria Alex Richard Nkosi, African Regional Organization of the Iternational Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa), Togo Stephen Chacha, African Philanthropic Foundation, Tanzania Lucy Mulenkei, Indigenous Information Network Mamadou Abdoulaye Mbengue, ENDA Tiers Monde Janice Cox, World Animal Net Breakout group discussing SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) Breakout group discussing SDG 5 (Gender Equality) Damaris Uja, Women Environmental Programme, presenting the outcome of the breakout group on gender equality Naonie Chakanya, LEDRIZ, presenting the outcome of the breakout group on industry, innovation and infrastructure L-R: Isabela Cunha, UNDESA; Fatima Denton, UNECA; and Stephen Chacha, African Philanthropic Foundation, Tanzania

The second annual Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals (STI Forum) convened on Monday morning. Following opening addresses from ECOSOC President Frederick Musiiwa Makamure Shava, General Assembly President Peter Thomson, and Thomas Gass, Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Bill Gates, Co-Chair, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, addressed the Forum by video. The STI Forum Co-Chairs, Amb. Macharia Kamau (Kenya) and Vaughan Turekian (US), invited participants to bridge the science-policy gap and truly engage in an interactive dialogue across disciplines, specialties and borders. Interactive panel discussions were held throughout the day. The first panel, Harnessing STI for the SDGs – the key to unlocking STI potentials, set the scene for the STI Forum and provided elements of a vision on harnessing the potential of STI for sustainable development. The six panels under Session 2, which took place in three parallel sessions, focused on key priorities for engaging STI for six SDGs: End poverty in all its forms everywhere (SDG 1) End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture (SDG 2) Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages (SDG 3) Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls (SDG 5) Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (SDG 14) Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industralization and foster innovation (SDG 9) An exhibition for innovative solutions to the SDGs 1, 2, 3, 5, 9 and 14 also took place in the lobby at UN Headquarters. IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, provided daily web updates from the STI Forum 2017. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a briefing note of the Forum in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page STI Forum Co-Chair Macharia Kamau; UN General Assembly President Peter Thomson; ECOSOC President Frederick Musiiwa Makamure Shava; Secretariat; and STI Forum Co-Chair Vaughan Turekian (US) UN General Assembly President Peter Thomson Bill Gates, Co-Chair, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, addressed the STI Forum via video Indira Nath, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, National Academy of Sciences, India Elenita Daño, Asia Director, Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration, the Philippines, Moderator Anne Kingiri, Senior Reseach Fellow, STI Policy, African Centre for Technology Studies, Kenya; Priyanthi Fernando, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Poverty Analysis, Sri Lanka; Dirk Fransaer, Managing Director, Flemish Institute for Technological Research; Co-Chair Vaughan Turekian; Secretary; and Gillian Tett, Financial Times Dirk Fransaer, Managing Director, Flemish Institute for Technological Research Gillian Tett, Financial Times, Moderator Sarah Marniesse, French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development, France; Livio Valenti, Co-Founder, VP of Policy and Strategy, Vaxess Technologies; Co-Chair Vaughan Turekian; Secretary; and Paulo Gadelha, FIOCRUZ, Brazil Myrna Cunningham, President, Center for Autonomy and Development of Indigenous Peoples, Nicaragua Livio Valenti, Co-Founder, VP of Policy and Strategy, Vaxess Technologies Dalia Francheska Marquez, Women’s Leaders Committee of OAS and Youth United in Action, Venezuela; Amb. Lana Nuesseibeh, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the UN; Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Science, Technology and Research, Sri Lanka; Co-Chair Vaughan Turekian; Secretary; and Myrna Cunningham, Moderator Matthew Merighi, Blue Water Metrics, USA; Martin Visbeck, University of Kiel, Germany; Arjoon Suddhoo, Mauritius Research Council; Co-Chair Macharia Kamau; Secretary; and Moderator Hayat Sindi, President, Institute for Imagination and Ingenuity, Saudi Arabia Hayat Sindi, President, Institute for Imagination and Ingenuity, Saudi Arabia, Moderator Martin Visbeck, University of Kiel, Germany Around the Venue

The following side events were covered by ENBOTS on Friday, 12 May 2017: Child Rights, Climate Change and Climate Action Catalyzing Implementation of the Paris Agreement: The Regional Collaboration Centres' Experience Momentum for Change: Shining Light on Climate Solutions Financing Loss & Damage: A Look at Governance and Implementation Options Paris Agreement and the SDGs: Terms of Reference for Governing a Global Transformation to Sustainability? Staying below 1.5°C with 100% Renewable Energy IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin on the Side (ENBOTS) Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage of selected side events at the Bonn Climate Change Conference, May 2017. Photos by IISD/ENB | Angeles Estrada Vigil For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Child Rights, Climate Change and Climate ActionPresented by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and World Vision International (WVI) In this side event, panelists explored how children are impacted by climate change, and discussed operational approaches to the incorporation of children’s rights into climate action. Joni Pegram, UNICEF, moderated the panel.  Brigid O’Sullivan, Youth Activist, remarked that youth are an “untapped resource” in the fight against climate change. She called for greater support from international agencies to empower young people to be “change-makers.” Speaking in Irish, she said: “It won’t happen overnight but Rome wasn’t built in a day.”  Benjamin Schachter, Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), underscored that the international human rights framework “clearly applies” in the context of climate change, causing widespread impacts on the enjoyment of children’s rights. Stressing that countries have an obligation to adopt a “child rights-based approach” to climate action, he suggested that this approach include: ambitious mitigation measures to ensure temperature increase of no more than 1.5°C above preindustrial levels; adaptation measures that focus on protecting the most vulnerable children; and adaptation and mitigation actions that are the product of participatory and inclusive decision-making processes. Katharina Rall, Human Rights Watch (HRW), presented on HRW’s fact-finding on the impacts of climate change on children, including research on: girls’ access to water in the Turkana region of Kenya; child marriage as a “coping strategy” in Bangladesh; and the impacts of coal mining on communities in Malawi. She emphasized that climate change is not adequately addressed in most national and international climate change, environmental and health policies. Noting a “dearth of data” on specific impacted groups, Rall called for the collection of disaggregated data that captures the disproportionate nature of climate change impacts.  Robert Oakes, United Nations University (UNU), echoed the need for more information on the impacts of climate change on children, calling especially for data collection on mobility and migration. Noting that one in 45 of the world’s children are “on the move,” Oakes stressed that children are more psychologically, emotionally and physically at risk than adults when displaced. He cited the example of Hurricane Katrina in the US, where impacted children continue to exhibit psychological trauma and abuse drugs and alcohol.  Dean Thomson, WVI, presented on WVI’s national and sub-national projects that address children’s rights, including: “ever-green” agricultural practices in central Kenya; disaster preparedness and school safety in Bangladesh; and water and sanitation improvement in schools in Mongolia. He underscored that “urgent action is required to ensure children’s voices are heard.” (L-R): Benjamin Schachter, OHCHR; Joni Pegram, UNICEF; Katharina Rall, HRW; Brigid O’Sullivan, Youth Activist; Robert Oakes, UNU; and Dean Thomson, WVI Katharina Rall, HRW, said that only one in four Nationally Determined Contributions “even mentions children.” Joni Pegram, UNICEF, stressed that climate change is a “key issue of intergenerational equity.” = Robert Oakes, UNU (center), underscored the need to “get children on the agenda.” Benjamin Schachter, OHCHR, noted that climate change poses a threat to children’s cultural identity, connections to the natural environment and educational opportunities. Contact: Cristina Colon (Organizer) | ccolon@unicef.org Angeline Munzara (Organizer) | angeline_munzara@wvi.org More Information: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/HRAndClimateChange/Pages/RightsChild.aspx http://www.unicef.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/No-Place-To-Call-Home.pdf Catalyzing Implementation of the Paris Agreement: The Regional Collaboration Centres' ExperiencePresented by the Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) This side event provided examples of climate actions supported by the UNFCCC Regional Collaboration Centres (RCCs), originally established to support developing countries underrepresented in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), and discussed ways to scale up RCCs to catalyze climate action. Hugh Sealy, St. George’s University, Grenada, moderated the event. Sealy indicated that there are five RCCs, for: East Africa in Kampala, Uganda; West Africa in Lomé, Togo; Latin America in Panama City, Panama; the Asia-Pacific in Bangkok, Thailand; and the Caribbean at St. George’s University, Grenada. Agré Mathieu Richemond Assié, Côte d’Ivoire, presented on the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) Network in West Africa. Noting the network’s vision of delivering an operational MRV system in the Economic Community Of West African States by 2020, he highlighted its positive impacts on, inter alia: institutional arrangements for MRV systems; stakeholder identification for a robust transparency framework; expertise from regional institutions in West Africa; and sharing information on available financial support, including the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency. Malin Ahlberg, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), Germany, elaborated on collaborative instruments for ambitious climate action and identified areas of support. She highlighted: the importance of carbon pricing for successful implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs); and the need for collective achievement of NDCs, and capacity building in developing countries to enable equal regional participation in collaborative instruments. Ahlberg also discussed a UNFCCC project on support for the adoption of collaborative instruments. Grant Kirkman, UNFCCC, outlined climate finance initiatives supported by the RCCs to mobilize financial resources at the regional level. Noting that the RCCs are partnered with banks, he indicated that the RCCs and partners provide technical support to enable implementation of the Paris Agreement through, inter alia: assisting governments with the promotion of low-carbon and climate-resilient investment; enabling financiers to identify co-financiers; helping provide project owners with increased visibility for their products; and working with financial institutions on mobilizing private capital. He highlighted the potential availability of US$300 trillion in financial markets to finance implementation of the Paris Agreement. Hilary Ogbonna, UN Development Programme (UNDP), discussed regional collaboration on establishing linkages among climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), noting that the SDGs integrate economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. He described climate change as the greatest threat to achieving the SDGs, underscoring that climate action is the “foundation upon which the SDGs will be achieved.”    Sealy provided examples of host partner engagement in RCC activities from the Caribbean region, including: active technical and matchmaking assistance to projects; collaborations and partnerships with various organizations, including on the development of the Caribbean Carbon Market; and capacity building and outreach. El Hadji Mbaye Diagne, Senegal, and Kentaro Takahashi, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), discussed ways for regional presence to catalyze implementation of the Paris Agreement, highlighting the role of the RCCs in: capacity building and mobilizing various actors; promoting linkages among local, regional and global climate actions; and helping navigate climate finance, including carbon pricing.  In the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: the need for legislation mandating civil society participation; and the need to learn from the CDM experience and ensure that countries in all regions are adequately represented. (L-R): Grant Kirkman, UNFCCC; Hugh Sealy, St. George’s University, Grenada; Malin Ahlberg, BMUB, Germany; Agré Mathieu Richemond Assié, Côte d’Ivoire; Hilary Ogbonna, UNDP; El Hadji Mbaye Diagne, Senegal; and Kentaro Takahashi, IGES Among the next steps for the West African MRV Network, Agré Mathieu Richemond Assié, Côte d’Ivoire (left), noted network discussions, and increasing multilateral exchanges. Hugh Sealy, St. George’s University, Grenada (right), moderated the event. Grant Kirkman, UNFCCC, highlighted the green bond emerging market platform. Malin Ahlberg, BMUB, Germany, discussed the role of carbon pricing in successful implementation of NDCs. Hilary Ogbonna, UNDP, identified four areas of convergence between climate action and the 2030 Agenda: national-level actions; partnerships; reporting and review obligations; and financing. Kentaro Takahashi, IGES, highlighted the need for partnerships to implement the Paris Agreement. Ruth Spencer, National Coordinator, Small Grants Programme, Global Environment Facility, Antigua and Barbuda Contact: Niclas Svenningsen | nsvenningsen@unfccc.int More Information: http://unfccc.int/secretariat/regional_collaboration_centres/items/9474.php Momentum for Change: Shining Light on Climate SolutionsPresented by the Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) This event showcased activities of previous winners of the UNFCCC’s Momentum for Change Award, who are promoting and implementing climate solutions that support the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. Matthew Phillips, UNFCCC Secretariat, moderated the event.  Joshua Romisher, Off Grid Electric, highlighted his organization’s work to power off-grid homes across Africa with affordable renewable energy. He said that, in doing so, Off Grid Electric is employing 700 people, 45% of who are women, and outlined his company’s skills-building activities. Noting that use of wood in architecture is no longer sustainable in the Sahel, Amarys Preuss, Earth Roofs for the Sahel programme, highlighted the efforts of the Association la Voûte Nubienne to promote the traditional “Nubian Vault” building technique in the region. Among advantages of this approach, she noted low-carbon production, and protection from both heat and cold.  Xiaomei Duan, Far East BRT, discussed implementation of the Guangzhou Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which services one million people every day in China’s third-largest city. She noted how Guangzhou had learned from Bogota’s BRT and is now also sharing lessons learned with cities in the US and the UK.  Luca Bucken, Liter of Light, described efforts to provide affordable, sustainable solar light to people with limited or no access to electricity. He showcased a solar lantern which takes two hours to learn how to build, stressing “everyone can become a solar engineer,” and outlined Liter of Light’s aspirations to scale up its work to 30 countries by the end of the year. In the ensuing discussion, panelists emphasized, inter alia: the need to involve all stakeholders when implementing a project; the value of partnering with governments so that solutions can be scaled up; the need to replicate successes, but also learn from mistakes made elsewhere; how masons in the Sahel are being taught to understand the risks associated with earth houses and flooding; and how the UNFCCC Momentum for Change Initiative has helped to amplify the reach and effects of different solutions. L-R: Matthew Phillips, UNFCCC Secretariat; Joshua Romisher, Off Grid Electric; Amarys Preuss, Earth Roofs in the Sahel programme; Xiaomei Duan, Far East BRT; and Luca Bucken, Liter of Light Matthew Phillips, UNFCCC Secretariat, moderated the event. Luca Bucken, Liter of Light, underlined the power of story telling in achieving results. Joshua Romisher, Off Grid Electric, noted that young people are shifting their focus from working for traditional firms to companies that do good and “have real meaning.” Amarys Preuss, Earth Roofs in the Sahel programme, underscored that “we want people to have access to houses that are decent, affordable and sustainable.” Contact: Sarah Marchildon | smarchildon@unfccc.int  More Information: http://unfccc.int/secretariat/momentum_for_change/items/6214.php Financing Loss & Damage: A Look at Governance and Implementation OptionsPresented by the Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF) and the Australian Climate Justice Program (ACJP) This side event, moderated by Harjeet Singh, Action Aid International, addressed governance and technical issues surrounding loss and damage finance. Panelists discussed whether existing climate finance instruments and mechanisms could be used for loss and damage, as well as the role of new and innovative sources of finance in generating funds. Singh characterized loss and damage as the third pillar of climate action, along with mitigation and adaptation. He outlined the work of the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (WIM) on migration, risk management, non-economic losses and finance, and noted that progress has been slow due to operational challenges.  Julie-Anne Richards, HBF, and Liane Schalatek, HBF North America, launched a paper titled ‘Financing Loss and Damage: A Look at Governance and Implementation Options.’  Richards underscored the need to define loss and damage as it would help: understand how much finance is needed, given and received; allocate funds “genuinely”; and reduce political disagreements and tension. Among key areas of overlap, she noted: loss and damage and adaptation; loss and damage and disaster response; and loss and damage and “normal” development. She underscored that, since loss and damage moves beyond adjustments, a different magnitude of response is required. Richards recommended that, in order to “classify” loss and damage, the WIM and the Standing Committee on Finance (SCF) develop a set of criteria or guiding questions, rather than a definition per se, along with a non-exhaustive positive list of types of projects. She further highlighted development aid, humanitarian assistance, disaster risk reduction and adaptation finance gaps and called for new sources of finance for loss and damage.  Schalatek recommended that the WIM and SCF elaborate the potential of existing funds under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). She emphasized that loss and damage needs to be: seen in the context of climate justice and not as “charity”; and guided by the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, the polluter-pays principle, predictability, additionality, precaution, gender equality and a human rights-based approach, along with country ownership, subsidiarity and appropriateness. Pascal Girot, Costa Rica, said that loss and damage requires new criteria and a set of principles to create permanent sources of revenue, such as carbon taxes, that do not depend on donors’ generosity. He warned against thinking in silos and funding different “pots,” and called for thinking of climate finance in a “much more integrated fashion.” Girot stressed the need to move from disaster-related finance and project-based approaches to programmatic approaches, and address loss and damage in a more holistic fashion.  Wilhelm Frank, Germanwatch, presented on the first lawsuit against an energy company before a German court, invoking responsibility of large energy companies for climate change in terms of liability for loss and damage.  During the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: criteria to address “gray areas” and differentiate between loss and damage, disasters and adaptation; the need to explore alternative sources of finance; historic responsibility and climate justice; attribution; and the need for political guidance to the WIM. (L-R): Liane Schalatek, HBF North America; Julie-Anne Richards, HBF; Harjeet Singh, Action Aid International; and Pascal Girot, Costa Rica Harjeet Singh, Action Aid International, stressed the need for permanent sources of finance that are adequate, predictable and sustained. Julie-Anne Richards, HBF, identified potential sources of finance, such as carbon or fossil fuel levies, global carbon pricing or a financial transaction tax. Liane Schalatek, HBF North America, suggested establishing a separate loss and damage trust fund under the Global Environment Facility or the Green Climate Fund. Pascal Girot, Costa Rica, noted that the humanitarian response system is overburdened and the “development bucket has some holes in it.” Contact: Levania Santoso | ecklundt@boell.de  Frank Martin Seifert | frank.martin.seifert@esa.int  More Information: https://www.boell.de/en Paris Agreement and the SDGs: Terms of Reference for Governing a Global Transformation to Sustainability?Presented by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy This session, moderated by Manuela Matthess, FES, explored complementarities between the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that can provide direction for a just transition of the global energy sector. She stressed that climate change is a “massive transformational challenge” that will require a “massive transformation of global economic systems.” Remarking that the energy sector must move away from fossil fuels, Matthess said the question is now centered around how this process will unfold.  Anabella Rosemberg, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), drew parallels between the SDGs and the Paris Agreement, describing them as “critical intergovernmental pieces” for the “collective journey of humanity.” Expressing concern over silos in the international community’s thinking, she offered two recommendations for coherent action: bridge-building concepts such as “just transition”; and mobilization of public participation. She emphasized that the international community must try to find innovative ways to address both climate change and sustainable development challenges in a “synergistic way.” Underlining that “we are in a transformation,” Lukas Hermwille, Wuppertal Institute, identified opportunities for the SDGs and the Paris Agreement to guide a common agenda for a global energy transformation. Among the contributions of the Paris Agreement to an energy transition, he cited: “renewal of the multilateral process” for international cooperation; provision of a normative vision; operationalization of the 1.5°C degree goal; and the Agreement’s function as a “pacemaker” that stimulates and synchronizes national and international processes. Among the contributions of the SDGs to an energy transition, Hermwille cited: SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy); and the “less obvious” goals of SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). He concluded that together the two agendas provide a strong mandate to all governance levels for action to expedite renewable energy deployment and to phase out unsustainable practices. Wolfgang Obergassel, Wuppertal Institute, outlined options for leveraging the SDGs to increase climate ambition under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). His recommendations included: multi-dimensional contributions under the Paris Agreement that couple emissions targets with other types of contributions with better links to development priorities; integrated planning at the national level for Nationally Determined Contributions and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; and the development of cooperative mechanisms under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which operationalize sustainable development at the national level.  During the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia: the need for financial support for implementation of sustainable development initiatives in developing countries; development of bioenergy as an alternative energy option in alignment with the SDGs; analytical frameworks to assess the benefits that accrue at different levels of energy service; and the challenge of reconciling the processes of separate international agendas. Lukas Hermwille, Wuppertal Institute; Manuela Matthess, FES; Wolfgang Obergassel, Wuppertal Institute; and Anabella Rosemberg, ITUC Lukas Hermwille, Wuppertal Institute, said that humanity is “transforming the world at the grandest imaginable scale.” Wolfgang Obergassel, Wuppertal Institute, noted that, despite strong commitment in language, sustainable development outcomes are usually “treated as a co-benefit” in the UNFCCC. Contact: Manuela Matthess (Moderator) | Manuela.matthess@fes.de Florian Mersmann (Organizer) | florian.mersmann@wupperinst.org More Information: https://wupperinst.org/en/topics/climate/international-climate-policy/ Staying below 1.5°C with 100% Renewable EnergyPresented by the World Wind Energy Association (WWEA), the World Bioenergy Association (WBA) and the World Future Council (WFC) Steven Meyers, International Solar Energy Society (ISES), emphasized that achieving 100% renewable energy is “hard work,” but possible. He provided examples of renewable energy projects across the electricity and heat, industry and transport sectors in Europe, the Middle East, Australia and South America that are already “part of the 1.5°C solution.” Lasse Bruun, Climate Action Network (CAN) International, described renewable energy as a “key mitigator,” and predicted a transition to this form of energy will open “positive flood gates” for climate action more generally. He noted other important advantages of such a transition include: improved energy access in developing countries; healthier citizens; enhanced energy security and independence at the national and community levels; and better employment opportunities for women. In a video message, Anna Leidreiter, WFC, made five recommendations to policy makers for achieving 100% renewable energy: make energy efficiency a top priority; electrify the heating, cooling and transport sectors; maximize opportunities for citizen participation and the development of new business models; educate and inform citizens and businesses; and adopt an integrated approach to fiscal, economic and energy policy.  Stefan Gsänger, Secretary General, WWEA, pointed to the need for a “symphony of renewables” to meet human energy needs. Stressing that every location “needs its own symphony,” he underscored the importance of community power and local ownership in both industrialized and developing countries for achieving a renewable energy transition. Arthur Hinsch, Global 100% RE, introduced the Global 100% RE Platform as the world’s first global initiative that advocates 100% renewable energy. He highlighted the Platform’s ‘100% RE Building Blocks’ approach, which addresses legislators, government officials and community champions, and can be adapted to the different circumstances they face. Felix Akrofi-Atitianti, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), highlighted the carbonn® Climate Registry as a tool for local and subnational governments to register their climate actions, including with regard to renewable energy. In the ensuing discussion, participants highlighted: the role of businesses in achieving 100% renewable energy; the fact that other stakeholders and citizens also play a key role in this transition; the different challenges faced by developing countries in ensuring community ownership; and the need to provide training to prepare citizens for the renewable energy transition and for early action in this regard. Arthur Hinsch, Global 100% RE, highlighted a map of initiatives that are pursuing a 100% renewable energy target, available on the platform’s website.   Steven Meyers, ISES, invited participants to the ISES Solar World Congress 2017, which will be held from 29 October – 2 November 2017 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Lasse Bruun, CAN International, emphasized that “some” renewable energy is not enough, noting that 100% renewable energy is a requirement for staying below 1.5°C. Anna Leidreiter, WFC, lauded “a global movement of renewable energy pioneers,” including more than 50 cities that have made a commitment to transition to 100% renewable energy. Felix Akrofi-Atitianti, ICLEI, highlighted his organization’s membership in the Global 100% RE Platform. Among benefits of a “community-power approach,” Stefan Gsänger, Secretary General, WWEA, identified job creation and greater acceptance of renewable energy. Contact: Stefan Gsänger | sg@wwindea.org Bharadwaj Kummamuru Venkata | bharadwaj.v.kummamuru@worldbioenergy.org Anna Leidreiter | Anna.Leidreiter@worldfuturecouncil.org  More Information: www.go100re.net http://www.medspring.eu/sites/default/files/How-to-achieve-100-percent-renewable-energy.pdf http://www.wwindea.org/community-wind/

The Bonn Climate Change Conference opened on Monday, 8 May. During the day, the opening plenaries of the 46th sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 46) and Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 46), as well as of the third part of the first session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA 1-3) took place. Recalling the “unprecedented and swift” entry into force of the Paris Agreement, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa observed that the political momentum continues and stressed the urgency of the task to ensure the full and transparent implementation of the Agreement. In the afternoon, a roundtable on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement (cooperative approaches) and a Technical Expert Meeting (TEM) on mitigation, focusing on urban and land use issues, met. Contact groups and informal groups on several items also met in the afternoon. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, provided digital coverage, daily reports and a summary and analysis report from the Bonn Climate Change Conference - May 2017. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) Plenary View of the dais during the SBSTA plenary Gebru Jember, Ethiopia, speaking on behalf of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) SBSTA Chair Carlos Fuller, Belize Abdullahi Majeed, Maldives, speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Oleg Shamanov, Russian Federation Ayman Shasly, Saudi Arabia Juan Carlos Arredondo Brun, Mexico, speaking on behalf of the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG) Carola Iñiguez, Ecuador, speaking on behalf of the G-77/China Harry Vreuls, EU Rita Mishaan, Guatemala Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu, the Democratic Republic of the Congo Massoud Rezvanian Rahaghi, Iran Prerna Bozman, Third World Network, Environmental NGOs Kate Cahoon, Women and Gender Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) Plenary View of the dais during the SBI plenary SBI Chair Tomasz Chruszczow, Poland Nazhat Shameem Khan, Fiji, Incoming COP 23 / CMP 13 Presidency UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa Mohamed Nasr, Egypt Adérito Manuel Fernandes Santana, São Tome and Príncipe, reporting on behalf of the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) Felipe Ferreira, Brazil Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) Plenary View of the dais during the APA plenary APA Co-Chairs Sarah Baashan, Saudi Arabia, and Jo Tyndall, New Zealand Franz Perrez, Switzerland, speaking on behalf of the EIG Chen Zhihua, China, speaking on behalf of Brazil, South Africa, India and China (BASIC) Hussein Alfa Nafo, Mali, speaking on behalf of the African Group Marcia Levaggi, Argentina, speaking on behalf of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay Patrick Suckling, Australia, on behalf of the Umbrella Group Mehmet Emin Birpınar, Turkey Sven Harmeling, Climate Action Network (CAN) International, Environmental NGOs Jonas Haller, Youth NGOs Gunnar Steinsholt, Trade Union NGOs Roundtable Discussions among Parties in Relation to Article 6 of the Paris Agreement Amy Steen, UNFCCC Secretariat; SBSTA Chair Carlos Fuller; Co-Facilitator Hugh Sealy, Maldives; and Co-Facilitator Kelley Kizzier, EU Delegates participate in roundtable discussions Technical Expert Meeting (TEM) on Mitigation (L-R) Manuel Araujo, Mayor, Quelimane, Mozambique; Nick Nuttal, UNFCCC Spokesperson; Martin Frick, Director, Climate and Energy Division, FAO; Toby Hedger, UNFCCC Secretariat; and Victoria Novikova, UNFCCC Secretariat Krishna Chandra Paudel, Nepal Simone Lovera, Global Forest Coalition Alberto Saldamando, Indigenous Environmental Network Nick Nuttall, UNFCCC Secretariat Ramamurthi Sreedhar, Environics Trust Around the Venue Delegates between sessions SBI Chair Tomasz Chruszczow, Poland (right) Aziz Mekouar, Morocco, COP 22 / CMP 12 Presidency Delegates watch proceedings from the balcony Delegates from Nepal Kishan Kumarsingh, Trinidad and Tobago, speaks with delegates Ayman Shasly, Saudi Arabia, speaks with Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu, the Democratic Republic of the Congo