19 October 2016: The Moroccan Presidency of the 22nd session of the Conference of Parties (COP 22) to the UNFCCC hosted the Pre-COP Ministerial Meeting, which brought together ministers, special envoys, ambassadors and representatives from over 70 countries in Marrakesh to discuss issues related to the first session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA 1), among other agenda items.

The two-day meeting, which took place on 18-19 October 2016, was opened by Salaheddine Mezouar, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Morocco and COP 22 President, and Segolene Royal, Minister of the Environment of France and COP 21 President, along with the participation of Patricia Espinosa, UNFCCC Executive Secretary.

On the first day, participants discussed expectations for Marrakesh, including the preparations for a CMA 1 decision on inclusiveness and rapid entry into force and the provisional agenda CMA 1, and the High Level Segment of the Marrakesh Conference. Discussions also focused on: key outcomes of Marrakesh on capacity building and transparency; the review of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (WIM); and Parties’ intended announcements and initiatives at the COP to show support, action and momentum.

In the afternoon, participants engaged in discussions on: advancing the Paris rule book; monitoring and taking stock of progress pre-2020; and preparing for the 2018 Facilitative Dialogue and the 2023 global stocktake (GST).

The Pre-COP was preceded by the Pre-COP Civil Society Dialogue, chaired by the incoming COP 22 President Mezouar and Espinosa, and the 23rd BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change, organized by Edna Molewa, Minister of Environment of South Africa.

During the Pre-COP Civil Society Dialogue, incoming COP 22 President Mezouar and Driss El Yazami, COP 22 Head of Civil Society Activities, announced that the Moroccan Presidency will meet with civil society during COP 22 to take stock and will come together around a common climate agenda with civil society under the COP 22 Moroccan Presidency.

The 23rd BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change included representatives from Brazil, South Africa, India and China (BASIC). The joint statement issued at the conclusion of the meeting emphasises the importance of the Marrakesh Climate Change Conference “as an important step in the process of implementation of the Paris Agreement and as another milestone to accelerate pre-2020 implementation.”

In the statement, the Ministers welcome the entry into force of the Paris Agreement on 4 November and the holding of CMA 1 in Marrakesh. They reiterate that developed countries should “provide financial resources, technology development and transfer and capacity-building support to developing countries for their effective implementation and ambitious actions under the Paris Agreement.” They also express the hope that the terms of reference (TORs) for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building (PCCB), agreed by Parties at the May 2016 Bonn session will be adopted at COP 22. [Pre-COP Webpage] [COP 22 Presidency Press Release, 18 October 2016] [Regional Pre-COP Webpage] [COP 22 Presidency Press Release on Civil Society Dialogue and BASIC Meeting] [IISD RS Sources] [Australian Government Press Release on the US$100 Billion Roadmap] [US$100 Billion Roadmap]