March 2014: The Civil Society 20 (C20) Conversations is inviting individuals to submit their ideas for actions the Group of 20 (G20) can take at its 2014 Brisbane Summit on four areas: climate and sustainability; governance; inclusive growth and employment; and infrastructure. Discussion topics on climate and sustainability include climate change, climate finance and resource scarcity.

C20 is a platform for dialogue between representatives of civil society organizations and political leaders of G20 countries. C20 Conversations, C20’s crowdsourcing website, provides a platform for all stakeholders to help shape the C20’s recommendations.

A background paper on climate and sustainability outlines: key problems to be solved; the G20’s position; C20 goals; and potential solutions for adoption by the G20 in 2014. For climate change, C20 recommends the G20, inter alia: finalizes its provisional contributions to a new global climate agreement by the first quarter of 2015; strengthens existing commitments; and endorses an action plan for accelerating renewable energy and energy efficient technologies pre-2020.

On climate finance, the C20 recommends the G20, inter alia: provide initial contributions to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) in 2014; accelerate efforts to meet the goal of raising $100 billion annually by 2020 to support developing country actions; acknowledge the adaptation funding gap; and reach political agreement to progress new, innovative climate finance, including financial transaction taxes, reform of fossil fuel subsidies and international transport emission charges.

On resource scarcity, the C20 proposes the G20 adopt solutions on energy security, food security, land, and water and minerals. It recommends the G20, inter alia: develop and launch a global energy security initiative to provide access to affordable, efficient and renewable energy sources for the world’s poorest communities; request international agencies to prepare a global strategy to improve food security that focuses on investments in small-scale, sustainable and resilient food production; develop policies that reduce the footprint of mineral resource consumption across supply chains; and develop policy responses to seafloor mining. It further recommends the G20 ratify the UN Convention on the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses and strengthen cooperative, equitable and sustainable management mechanisms for transboundary ground and surface waters.

The C20 Conversations includes three phases: Consultation, from October 2013 to January 2014; Deliberation from February to May 2014; and Advocacy from June to November 2014. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) is supporting the C20 Conversations. [C20 Website] [Climate and Sustainability Background Paper] [C20 Conversation on Climate and Sustainability]