26 September 2016
Climate Finance Preparations for COP 22 Well Underway
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The UNFCCC Secretariat and a number of relevant bodies, including the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), have released documents that will be taken up by the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to the UNFCCC and the 12th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 12) in Marrakesh, Morocco, from 7-18 November 2016.

Parties to the UNFCCC have also submitted their views on a number of finance-related agenda items.

UNFCCC26 September 2016: The UNFCCC Secretariat and a number of relevant bodies, including the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), have released documents that will be taken up by the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to the UNFCCC and the 12th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 12) in Marrakesh, Morocco, from 7-18 November 2016. Parties to the UNFCCC have also submitted their views on a number of finance-related agenda items.

The report of the GEF to the COP (FCCC/CP/2016/6) covers: the GEF’s response to COP guidance; GEF initiatives; GEF achievements; and 11 annexes. [Report of the GEF to the COP]

The report of the GCF to the COP (FCCC/CP/2016/7) includes: actions taken by the GCF pursuant to guidance received from the COP; other activities of the GCF; and seven annexes. [Report of the GCF to the COP]

The report of the Adaptation Fund Board to the CMP (FCCC/KP/CMP/2016/2) contains: information on work undertaken during the previous reporting period; support provided to the Adaptation Fund Board for the implementation of its mandate; the relationship between the Adaptation Fund and the Paris Agreement; and eight annexes. [Report of the Adaptation Fund Board]

The report of an in-session workshop on long-term climate finance (FCCC/CP/2016/5), held on 18 May 2016, in Bonn, Germany, which addressed adaptation finance, needs for support to developing countries, and cooperation on enhanced enabling environments and support for readiness activities, will also be taken up by COP 22. [Report on In-session Workshop on Long-term Climate Finance]

On budgetary documents, the UNFCCC Secretariat released a report on the budget performance for the biennium 2016-2017 as at 30 June 2016 (FCCC/SBI/2016/13), which notes that: 54% of total core budget indicative contributions expected for 2016 had been received; voluntary contributions received for the Trust Fund for Supplementary Activities totalled US$5 million; and voluntary contributions received for the Trust Fund for Participation in the UNFCCC Process totalled US$76,000 (compared to US$380,000 in 2014-2015). The report notes that “additional contributions will be required to fund participation of representatives from eligible parties in 2016.” [Budget Performance for the Biennium 2016-2017]

The Secretariat also released the revised indicative contributions of Parties to the UNFCCC for the biennium 2016-2017 (FCCC/SBI/2016/INF.15). [Revised Indicative Contributions for the Biennium 2016-2017]

On the UNFCCC 2018-2019 budget, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa issued a call for Parties to provide input on three “critical issues,” namely: the need for a comprehensive budget that integrates Paris Agreement and Convention activities; a full review of the budget, including identification of areas where mandates could be combined or made less frequent; and improving the presentation of the budget proposal. Parties are invited to provide the inputs through their National Focal Points, and observers via their Designated Contact Points.

The call is part of a broader consultative process launched by Espinosa at informal consultations among Heads of delegations held in Rabat, Morocco, from 8-9 September. The dialogue will run through the 46th session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 46) in June 2017. [UNFCCC Call on Inputs on Preparing the UNFCCC Budget 2018-2019] [UNFCCC Press Release]

In other COP 22-related developments Parties have submitted their views on a number of climate finance-related matters. As of 26 September, these included:

On the development of modalities for the accounting of financial resources provided and mobilized through public interventions in accordance with Article 9, paragraph 7, of the Paris Agreement (FCCC/SBSTA/2016/2, paragraph 107), submissions had been received from: Switzerland, for the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG); Norway; Indonesia; Slovakia, for the EU; Turkey; Maldives, for the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS); Japan; Ecuador, for the Like-Minded Developing Countries (LMDCs); the US; Costa Rica, for the Independent Alliance of Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC); and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

On the terms of reference for the review of the functions of the Standing Committee on Finance (SCF) (Decision 6/CP.21, paragraph 11), Slovakia, for the EU, made a submission.

Slovakia, for the EU, also submitted views and recommendations on the elements to be taken into account in developing guidance to the GEF (Decision 8/CP.21, paragraph 15) and, alongside Japan, on the elements to be taken into account in developing guidance to the GCF (Decision 7/CP.21, paragraph 29). [UNFCCC Party Submissions Portal]

The UNFCCC Secretariat also held a number of meetings in preparations for COP 22. In the finance arena, the UNFCCC Standing Committee on Finance (SCF) held its 2016 Forum at the beginning of September under the theme ‘Financial instruments that address the risks of loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change.’ During the two-day event, a total of 200 participants examined gaps, limitations and good practices associated with currently available financial instruments. The Forum outcomes will be reported to COP 22. [IISD RS Story on SCF Forum 2016]


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