The South-South Cooperation on Climate Change Forum, held in parallel to the Lima Climate Change Conference, established the basic value proposition and importance of South-South cooperation, identified its enablers and constraints, and outlined options and mechanisms for promoting it.
Through discussions with practitioners, policymakers and academics, the Forum contributed to integrating South-South cooperation into negotiations on the post-2015 climate change agreement.
8 December 2014: The South-South Cooperation on Climate Change Forum, held in parallel to the Lima Climate Change Conference, established the basic value proposition and importance of South-South cooperation, identified its enablers and constraints, and outlined options and mechanisms for promoting it. Through discussions with practitioners, policymakers and academics, the Forum contributed to integrating South-South cooperation into negotiations on the post-2015 climate change agreement.
Over 200 participants, including ministers, government representatives, Heads of development agencies, scientists, business leaders, members of civil society, and representatives from the UN and other international organizations, convened at the Forum, which was organized by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) International Ecosystem Management Partnership (IEMP).
A Ministerial Dialogue held in conjunction with the Forum’s opening ceremony informed participants of high-level initiatives from China, Egypt, Gabon, Mongolia, Nepal and Seychelles, as well as from the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UNFCCC, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and UNEP.
China described the establishment of a South-South Cooperation Fund and the doubling of its financial contribution to South-South cooperation. The UNFCCC Secretariat announced the creation of a window under the UNFCCC Trust Fund for South-South cooperation. Other participating panelists from such organizations as UNDP, UNEP and the GEF reiterated their commitment to supporting and enlarging South-South cooperation.
Speakers underlined the importance of scaling up existing South-South cooperation mechanisms in addition to establishing new ones for: joint research, capacity building and training; the documentation and sharing of experiences and lessons; and the creation of communities of practice. Some panelists also suggested that South-South cooperation should be built into projects supported through multilateral and bilateral sources.
The Forum, held on 8 December 2014, was co-sponsored by the National Development and Reform Commission of China (NDRC), UNEP and UNDP. [IISD RS Sources] [South-South Cooperation on Climate Change Forum Webpage] [UNEP-IEMP Website] [IISD RS Coverage of Lima Climate Change Conference]