As the last negotiation session before UNFCCC COP 16, the overriding focus of the Tianjin talks was to identify elements that could constitute an agreement in Cancun.
10 October 2010: The 14th session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP 14) and the 12th session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA 12) convened in Tianjin, China, from 4-9 October 2010.
The AWG-LCA considered the negotiating text circulated in August 2010 (FCCC/AWGLCA/2010/14), which encompasses key aspects of the Bali Action Plan (BAP) (decision 1/CP.13), namely a shared vision for long-term cooperative action, mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology, as well as capacity building. The meeting focused in particular on those issues that lend themselves to resolution within the time available, bearing in mind the need to achieve balance. Parties conducted their work by attempting to find areas of convergence on these issues and to streamline the text. Outputs from the sessions comprise draft texts and notes from the drafting group facilitators and these will be incorporated into an information document prepared by the Secretariat. The AWG-LCA negotiation text will still remain the main text for negotiations at the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 16) to be held in Cancun, Mexico, from 29 November-10 December 2010.
The AWG-KP considered the Chair’s draft proposal, presented to parties at AWG-KP 13 in August (FCCC/KP/AWG/2010/CRP.2). The document contains draft decision text on, inter alia, Protocol amendments under Article 3.9 (Annex I parties’ further commitments), the flexibility mechanisms and land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF). Parties focused on narrowing down the options contained in the document and attempting to make progress on substantial issues. A revised Chair’s proposal (FCCC/KP/AWG/2010/CRP.3) was produced and will be considered further in Cancun.
At a press conference held on the last day of the meeting, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres said governments had made progress in defining what could be achieved in Cancun. [IISD RS Coverage] [UNFCCC Press Release]