The Pre-COP discussed, among other issues, country and group positions on the implementation guidelines and ways to bridge proposals to ensure success at COP 24, and the nature of the outcome of the Talanoa Dialogue at COP 24.
Incoming COP 24 President Michal Kurtyka underlined that finalizing the implementation guidelines is critical to maintaining the credibility of the Paris Agreement and the multilateral process.
The Pre-COP’s business day focused on achieving climate neutrality through accelerated action in the areas of energy, electro-mobility and urbanization.
24 October 2018: Ministers from 35 countries convened in advance of the 24th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 24) to the UNFCCC to discuss key issues related to implementation guidelines for the Paris Agreement on climate change, which COP 24 is expected to adopt.
The “Pre-COP” convened in Krakow, Poland, from 22-24 October 2018, and a business day was held on 22 October. The Pre-COP specifically discussed:
Addressing the meeting, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa outlined her expectations for COP 24, underscoring the need to “work with unprecedented speed” and recommit to the multilateral process to prevent runaway climate change. She warned that climate change could lead to a loss of productivity costing the global economy two trillion dollars by 2030, and to the displacement of between 50 million and 200 million people by 2050. She underscored the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) conclusion that the green economy could create 24 million new jobs globally by 2030.
Without Paris Agreement implementation guidelines, no framework will be in place for the next round of NDCs.
Incoming COP 24 President Michal Kurtyka underlined that finalizing the implementation guidelines is critical to maintaining the credibility of the Paris Agreement and the multilateral process. Without the guidelines, he noted, no framework will be in place for the next round of nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
The Pre-COP’s business day highlighted the need for a just transition towards a low-carbon society that protects both the climate and jobs. It focused on achieving climate neutrality through accelerated action in the areas of energy, electro-mobility and urbanization.
Addressing the business day gathering, Kurtyka said a revolution of clean transportation with the help of electro-mobility could improve the quality of life for all, for example, through intelligently combining new battery technology with electro-mobility and using car sharing schemes for electric vehicles.
The pre-COP is traditionally organized by the incoming presidency of the COP to prepare for the annual conference. COP 24 will meet from 2-14 December 2018 in Katowice, Poland. [UNFCCC Press Release on Outcomes of Pre-COP] [UNFCCC Press Release on Business Day] [Press Release on Remarks from UNFCCC Executive Secretary] [UNFCCC Press Release on Opening of Pre-COP]