Bonn Climate Change Conference

From October 20-24, 2014, the sixth part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban  Platform for  Enhanced Action (ADP 2-6) under the United  Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) took place in Bonn, Germany.

Among the country parties to the UNFCCC who participated, Trinidad and Tobago was represented by Ms. Rueanna Haynes, Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations.  Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh, Head of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit (MEAU), Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources served as the ADP  Co-chair.

Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh , ADP Co-Chair at the ADP 2-6,  October, 2014 

ADP 2-6 focused on the preparation of key documents for the upcoming twentieth Conference of the Parties (COP-20) to the UNFCCC which would take in Lima, Peru in December, 2014. Participants continued to negotiate on elements of the  draft 2015 agreement. In addition,  they worked on a draft decision that captures the type of information countries will need to provide when they communicate their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and how they would be considered at COP-20.

The outcome of technical meetings resulted in a draft decision on the pre-2020 ambition which was issued for consideration at  Lima.  This draft focused on opportunities for action on non carbon greenhouse gases (GHGs); carbon capture, use and storage, mitigation opportunities through energy efficiency, renewable energy, urban environment and land use improvements in the pre-2020 period.

Bonn Climate Change Conference

From the 4-15 June, 2014 the Bonn Climate Change Conference took place at the Maritim Hotel in Bonn, Germany. The Conference included the fortieth (40th) sessions of the  Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI-40) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological advice (SBSTA-40). Additionally, the fifth (5th) meeting of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform (ADP 2-5) was also held. 

High-level ministerial events also occurred during this period. The first event involved a round-table aimed at assessing the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol while the second event involved a dialogue on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action which was intended to provide momentum for negotiations on the 2015 agreement. 

Participants which included observer states and organisations, country parties  to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the media. Trinidad and Tobago was represented by Ms. Rueanna Haynes, Second Secretary Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations. 

SBI- 40 made progress on issues concerning the Convention Article 6 on eduction, training and public awareness among other agenda items. Strides were on areas concerning agriculture, research and systemativ observation in SBSTA-40.  ADP 2-5 discussed areas of mitgation, adaptation, finance, technology, capacity building, transparency and intended nationally determined contributions and other issues related to these elements.

Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh (right) and Mr. Artur Runge-Metzger (left) ADP2-5 co-chairs at the bonn cliamate change conference, june 2014.

photo credit : iisd.ca

Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh, Head of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources served as the co-chair of the ADP along with Mr. Arthur Runge-Metzger of the European Union at the ADP 2-5.

 

 

IUCN/TNC Scientific Forum on the BIOPAMA Programme

From 10 - 14 March, 2014 the fourth meeting of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 2 – 4) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was held in Bonn, Germany. 

There were over one thousand and seventy-one (1071) participants from government, civil society, academia, intergovernmental   agencies and the private sector. Trinidad and Tobago was represented by Ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations, His Excellency Rodney Charles and Ms. Rueanna Haynes, Second Secretary Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations.

 Excellency Rodney Charles and Ms. Rueanna Haynes, Second Secretary Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations.

Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh, Head of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit, Ministry of the Environment and Water  Resources served as the co-chair of the ADP along with Artur Runge-Metzger of the European Union at the ADP 2 - 4.

Mr. Kumarsingh (left) and Mr. Runge-Metzger (right) co-chars of the ADP,  ADP 2- 4 March 2014

 The ADP 2 - 4 focused on:

•  adaptation and mitigation
•  nationally determined contributions and finance
•  technology and capacity building (means of implementation)
• ambition and equity,          
•  transparency of action and support among other related issues through open-ended consultations.

Technical expert meetings on renewable energy and energy efficiency were also held. These technical meetings included sessions on policies, practices and technology, implementation of actions, finance, capacity building, and discussions on the way forward.

 

 

United Nations Climate Change Conference: COP19/CMP9

The Warsaw Climate Change Conference took place from 11 - 22 November, 2013 in Warsaw, Poland. It included the 19th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 19) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 9th session of the COP serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 9).

In addition, it included meetings of three subsidiary bodies; the 39th sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 39) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 39) and the 3rd part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durham Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 2).

Trinidad and Tobago was represented by Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh, Head of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit (MEAU), Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR). Mr. Kumarsingh also served as the co-chair of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) along with Artur Runge-Metzger of the European Union.

L-R Mr. Runge-Metzger (EU) and Mr. Kumarsingh (MEWR) co-chairs  of the ADP at the UN Climate Change Conference, Warsaw, Poland November, 2013.

Negotiations in Warsaw centred on the implementation of agreements reached at previous meetings, including the work of the ADP. The meeting adopted decisions that are intended to keep governments on a track towards a universal climate agreements in 2015 and also included significant new decisions that will promote the minimisation of emissions from deforestation and on loss and damage.

CARICOM Climate Change Negoitiators Meeting

The CARICOM Negotiators Meeting was organised by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) and was held in St. Lucia during the period March 15- 16, 2013.  Ms Jewel Batchasingh, Climate Change/Ozone Specialist of the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources represented Trinidad and Tobago at this strategic meeting.

The principal focus of this meeting was to:

•  Analyse the outcomes of Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP18/CMP 8) that occurred in December, 2012 and,

• Define the region’s objectives for the negotiations under the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban  Platform and other subsidiary bodies especially in relation to the new institutions established under the Convention during the past two years.

 The Second Session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP) was carded to meet during the period April 29 – May 03, 2013 and therefore, the meeting sought to formalise the CARICOM climate change negotiating position prior to this second session of the ADP.

Outcomes from the COP18/CMP 8 were discussed by various thematic coordinators. These presentations engendered discussions which allowed for a better understanding of the various issues. A concept note was prepared by Trinidad and Tobago which proposed a way forward for on-going negotiations under the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).

UN Climate Change Conference 2013

The United Nations Climate Change Conference took place in Doha, Qatar from November 26 to December 8, 2012

Representing Trinidad and Tobago was Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh; Head of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit (MEAU), Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources along with Ms. Rueanna Hayes from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh (second from the right) amongst country delegates at a session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2012

The Conference included the eighteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP18) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and eighth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP8).

Negotiations in Doha focused on the implementation of agreements reached at previous conferences.  Decisions arising out of these discussions included the establishment of a second commitment period of Kyoto Protocol (2013-2020).

In addition, the work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP), Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA) and negotiations under the Bali Action Plan were terminated.

While developing countries and observers expressed disappointed with the lack of ambition in outcomes on Annex I countries' mitigation and finance, most agreed that the conference had paved the way for a new phase.

This phase will focus on the implementation of the outcomes from negotiations that were under the AWG-KP and AWG-LCA, and advancing negotiations under the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP).