The CCXG Global Forum on the Environment and Climate Change was held on 15-16 March 2016 at the OECD Conference Centre in Paris. This Global Forum brought together nearly 240 delegates from a wide range of developed and developing countries, as well as business, industry, inter-governmental organisations, research organisations, environmental NGOs and other relevant institutions. The theme of the Global Forum was transparency, and the issues discussed included transparency of mitigation, adaptation and support. The Global Forum provided a neutral space outside of the UNFCCC negotiations for participants to develop a shared understanding of the transparency-related provisions in the Paris Agreement and how these might be implemented. The Global Forum was also an opportunity for delegates to have an objective discussion of the priorities and timeline for related work to be undertaken by the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement and other subsidiary bodies under the UNFCCC.

Summary slides

• Summary slides: Breakout Groups 1 and 2 - Transparency of support provided and mobilised
• Summary slides: Breakout Group 4 - Transparency of mitigation action: Moving towards an enhanced transparency framework

• Summary slides: Breakout Groups A, C and D - Communicating national and international progress in adaptation
• Summary slides: Breakout Group B - Transparency of mitigation action: Unpacking transparency provisions in the Paris Agreement

 

Agenda, presentations and final list of participants

• List of participants

DAY 1 -  Tuesday 15 March 2016

9:30 – 09:40      Welcoming remarks

Chair: Jacob Werksman

 

9:40 – 11:15      Opening Plenary: Towards an enhanced transparency framework for action and support after COP21

Focus: In this session, participants will be invited to share their views on the transparency outcome at COP 21, and the work that remains to be done. The Draft Background Document prepared for this session presents a table listing transparency-relevant work programmes and processes stemming from the Paris Agreement and Decision 1/CP.21. As a starting point for discussion, speakers and participants will be asked what they see as the most challenging work programme item going forward and why.

Background document: "Transparency in the Paris Agreement: Timeline for work to be undertaken by UNFCCC bodies"

Facilitator: Jacob Werksman, Chair of the Climate Change Expert Group

Speakers

• Kwok Fook Seng, Singapore
• Rapahael Azeredo, Brazil
• Katia Simeonova and Olga Pilifosova, UNFCCC
• Nicole Wilke, Germany

Discussion question:  Of the work that remains to be done on the transparency framework after COP 21, what will be the most challenging item and why?

 

11:45 – 13:00     Plenary Roundtable Discussion: Enhancing transparency on the ground

Focus: This plenary session asks participants to share their experience with how transparency can be further enhanced.  Based on their varied experience, each speaker will share their view of the key elements that help or enable countries improve the transparency of their climate-relevant policy actions, along with their ability to monitor, evaluate and further improve these actions. 

Facilitator: Jacob Werksman, Chair of the Climate Change Expert Group

Speakers

• Yamil Bonduki, UNDP
• Christine Roehrer, GEF
• Ons Khechine, Tunisia
• Roberto Dondisch, Mexico
• Helen Plume, New Zealand

Discussion questions:

1. What are the top three actions that have been most important for improving transparency at the country level?
2. What are the key lessons learned through implementation of these actions?

 

14:30 – 16:00     Breakout Group 1:  Transparency of support: financial resources provided/mobilised

Focus: In light of Decision 1/CP.21, this session will present the information currently available and being reported on financial resources provided and mobilised by developed countries. From their different perspectives, the three speakers will discuss some of the technical and methodological challenges associated with reporting this information, share experience with activities underway to address these challenges, and highlight additional gaps. 

Background document: “Unpacking Provisions Related to Transparency of  Mitigation and Support in the Paris Agreement”, by Gregory Briner and Sara Moarif

Co-facilitators: Andrés Mogro, and Gabriela Blatter, Switzerland

Speakers

• Kate Dowen, UK
• Vladimir Stenek, IFC
• Raphaël Jachnik, OECD

Discussion questions:

1. Based on lessons learned, how could the current reporting system for support provided and mobilised be improved?
2. What are the next steps in developing an improved reporting system, which also accommodates voluntary reporting by any country that wishes to use it?

  

14:30 – 16:00     Breakout Group A: Communicating information on adaptation: Overview of adpatation (I)NDCs

Focus: The Paris Agreement states that adaptation communications should be submitted and updated periodically. This session aims to share the lessons on setting adaptation goals and actions in countries, and to exchange views on how information on such goals and actions is communicated under UNFCCC processes through e.g. (I)NDCs, National Communications and National Adaptation Plans.   

Background document: “Communicating Progress in National and Global Adaptation to Climate Change”, by Takayoshi Kato and Jane Ellis

Co-facilitators: Dawn Pierre-Nathoniel, St Lucia, and Christina Chan, US

Speakers

• Takayoshi Kato, OECD
• Pieter Pauw, DIE
• Kennedy Mbeva, Kenya

Discussion questions:

1. What are countries' adaptation goals and actions, and how is this information communicated internationally?
2. What implications does this have for communicating progress in adaptation at the national level?

 

16:30 – 18:00     Breakout Group 2: Transparency of support: Financial resources received

Focus: The provisions of the Paris Agreement and Decision 1/CP.21 encourage the reporting of information on support received by developing countries. This session aims to share in-country experiences with tracking the receipt and use of financial flows, the benefits for domestic policy making, existing challenges to undertaking these exercises, and options for overcoming them. 

Background document: “Unpacking Provisions Related to Transparency of  Mitigation and Support in the Paris Agreement”, by Gregory Briner and Sara Moarif

Co-facilitators: Andrés Mogro, and Gabriela Blatter, Switzerland

Speakers

• Sara Moarif, OECD
• Syamsidar Thamrin, Indonesia
• Sandra Guzman, GFLAC

Discussion questions:

1. How has tracking climate finance inflows helped improve prioritisation, planning, and the identification of funding gaps?
2. What are the three main challenges associated with tracking climate finance inflows and use, and what options exist to address them?

 

16:30 – 18:00     Breakout Group B: Transparency of mitigation action: Unpacking transparency in the Paris Agreement

Focus: This session will provide an opportunity for speakers and participants to exchange their views on what the provisions in the Paris Agreement related to the transparency framework mean and how they can be implemented. The aim is to help countries move towards a shared understanding of how an enhanced framework for transparency of mitigation may be implemented or applied. 

Background document: “Unpacking Provisions Related to Transparency of  Mitigation and Support in the Paris Agreement”, by Gregory Briner and Sara Moarif

Facilitator: Andrés Pirazzoli

Speakers

• Gregory Briner, OECD
• Hiromi Masuda, Japan
• Cristina Urrutia, Peru

Discussion questions:

1. What is needed to make a smooth transition from the current to the future transparency system?
2. In what ways could the enhanced transparency framework provide flexibility to developing countries that need it?

 

DAY 2 -  Wednesday 16 March 2016

9:30 – 11:00      Transparency of mitigation action: Tracking progress toward NDCs

Focus: Three small discussion group sessions will discuss how to track progress towards different types of nationally determined contributions in an enhanced transparency framework.

Background document: “Unpacking Provisions Related to Transparency of  Mitigation and Support in the Paris Agreement”, by Gregory Briner and Sara Moarif

Small Discussion Group 3a: BAU Baselines	Small Discussion Group 3b: Renewable and other energy targets	Small Discussion Group 3c: Internally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes
Facilitator: Robert Stowe, Harvard Conversation Starters Andrew Prag, OECD Thawatchai Somnam, Thailand Thapelo Letete, South Africa Discussion questions: What information is needed to "track progress made in implementing and achieving" (Art. 13.7b) NDCs expressed as reductions from BAU baselines? What guidance would be most useful to facilitate transparency in tracking progress for this type of NDC (e.g. common guidance for setting and revising national baselines)?	Facilitator: Marcel Berk, Netherlands Conversation Starters Liwayway Adkins, IEA Vahakn Kabakian, Lebanon Yamide Dagnet, WRI Discussion questions: What are the challenges to "track progress made in implementing and achieving" energy targets in NDCs as part of transparency of mitigation action? In which cases would Parties be held accountable for energy targets or actions included in their NDCs? What does it mean to "account for" these types of NDCs?	Facilitator: El Hadji Mbaye Diagne, Senegal Conversation Starters Christina Hood, IEA Marcelo Rocha, Brazil Dimitar Nikov, France Discussion questions: What are the main conceptual issues that need further discussion for accounting rules to be developed? How could the work programmes on transparency, accounting for NDCs and accounting for ITMOs be co-ordinated?

9:30 –11:00      Breakout Group C: Communicating information on adaptation: Prioritising adaptation actions and needs, and assessing results

Focus: Given limited resources for adaptation in many countries, prioritising actions and needs is important. But due to the nature of climate change adaptation, such priorities may change over time. Monitoring and evaluating results from adaptation plans and actions can therefore inform the process of revisiting priorities/needs and improving future plans and actions. This session will share experiences and views with regard to national benefits of identifying adaptation needs and prioritising actions, as well as assessing results in order to foster lesson sharing.

Background document: “Communicating Progress in National and Global Adaptation to Climate Change” by Takayoshi Kato and Jane Ellis

Co-facilitators: Dawn Pierre-Nathoniel, Saint Lucia, and Christina Chan, US

Speakers

• Takayoshi Kato, OECD
• Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, Ghana
• Timo Leiter, GIZ
• Eduardo Durand, Peru

Discussion questions:

1. What are the national benefits of identifying adaptation needs and prioritising adaptation actions, and how might this change over time?
2. How can monitoring and evaluation help with identifying needs, prioritising actions, tracking progress and facilitating learning?

 

11:30 –13:00      Breakout Group 4: Transparency of mitigation action: Moving forward towards an enhanced transparency framework - process and priorities for the work programme

Focus: This session will bring together and build on discussions held under previous breakout groups on the transparency of mitigation action. It will focus on the question of priorities for the work programme to move towards an enhanced and flexible transparency system for mitigation. Participants are encouraged to share their views on the process and priorities for the work programme going forward.

Background document: “Unpacking Provisions Related to Transparency of  Mitigation and Support in the Paris Agreement”, by Gregory Briner and Sara Moarif

Facilitator: Gilberto Arias, Energeia Network

Speakers

• Reporting back by facilitators of Small Discussion Groups
• Chen Ji, China
• Henrik Hallgrim Eriksen, Norway

Discussion questions:

1. In what areas are "common" rules or guidance essential for transparency and accounting, and where could differing approaches be acceptable?
2. How could transparency and accounting rules reflect different NDC types, how can measurement and reporting by Parties be improved over time, and how could the related work programmes be organised moving forward?

 

11:30 –13:00      Breakout Group D: Communicating information on adaptation: Information needed for the global stocktake

Focus: The global stocktake established under the Paris Agreement has multiple aims for recognising and enhancing adaptation actions and reviewing adaptation progress, adequacy and effectiveness. However, details of its inputs and process have yet to be clarified. This session focuses on possible inputs to and outputs from the global stocktake for adaptation, and associated information needs. 

Background document: “Communicating Progress in National and Global Adaptation to Climate Change” by Takayoshi Kato and Jane Ellis

Co-facilitators: Dawn-Pierre Nathoniel, St Lucia, and Christina Chan, US

Speakers

• Jane Ellis, OECD
• Stéphane Isoard, EEA
• Thea Konstantinidis, CCWG, Vietnam

Discussion questions:

1. What is expected from the global stocktake vis-a-vis adaptation?
2. What information would be needed and from whom in order to produce such outputs?

 

14:30 – 16:30     Plenary: Outcomes of discussions and implications for the future

Facilitator: Jacob Werksman, Chair of the Climate Change Expert Group

Speakers

• Reporting back by co-facilitators of breakout groups

 

17:00 – 18:00     Closing Plenary: Priorities for the transparency work programme to COP 22 and beyond

Facilitator: Jacob Werksman, Chair of the Climate Change Expert Group

Speakers

• Aziz Mekouar, Morocco
• Paul Watkinson, France

Discussion questions:

1. What are the three highest-priority tasks for moving forward the transparency framework for action and support?
2. Which of these tasks need to be addressed by COP 22?

Find out more about the work of the Climate Change Expert Group (CCXG)