1 December 2014: The UN Climate Change Conference opened in Lima, Peru, and will continue through 12 December. Delegates are expected “to lay the foundation” for a new climate agreement in Paris in 2015, work towards streamlining elements of a draft agreement for Paris and explore common ground on unresolved issues in order to achieve a balanced draft text.

In her opening statement, UN Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres outlined the key deliverables for the Lima meeting, namely: text of a draft agreement and clarification regarding how national contributions will be communicated in 2015; consolidation of progress on adaptation to achieve political parity with mitigation; enhancement of the delivery of finance; and stimulation of action by all stakeholders.

Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, Environment Minister of Peru, was elected COP 20 President, and, in his opening statement, said the conference would include space for dialogue and high-level cooperation between states and non-state actors. He announced that 11 December would be a ‘Day of Climate Action’ during which civil society representatives, women’s groups and youth representatives will be able to take the floor.

In Lima, governments must define the scope and type of contributions they will provide to the Paris agreement, along with clarity on how finance, technology and capacity building will be addressed. 

Countries are expected to put forward what they plan to contribute in their intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) by the first quarter of 2015.

Further areas where progress is expected in Lima include: accelerating ratification of the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol; providing transparency of developed country action; building resilience to climate change, including by working towards a work programme for the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage; financing through scaling up and coordinating the delivery of climate finance; forests; technology transfer; and fostering carbon markets. [UNFCCC News Story] [UNFCCC Press Release] [UN Press Release] [UNEP Press Release] [IISD RS Coverage of the Lima Climate Change Conference]