26 January 2018: The Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has launched an interactive web portal to support the ‘Talanoa Dialogue,’ an international conversation on progress in tackling climate change and ways to increase ambition in implementing the long-term objective of the Paris Agreement adopted at COP 23.

‘Talanoa’ is a Fijian word describing a process of inclusive and transparent dialogue during which participants share stories, build trust and empathy, and strive to “make wise decisions for the collective good.” Talanoa is based on mutual respect and critical observations and blaming others are considered inconsistent with its principles.

At COP 23 in November 2018, UNFCCC Parties decided to convene a facilitative dialogue guided by Talanoa principles on ways to increase ambition achieve the Paris Agreement’s long-term goal to keep the global average temperature rise to below 2°C and as close as possible to 1.5°C, as well as action and support in the pre-2020 period. UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa welcomed the Portal as a gateway that will “provide transparency and and broaden participation in the Talanoa Dialogue.”

The Portal will be open throughout 2018 for submissions from all countries and other stakeholders, including business, investors, cities, regions and civil society on three central questions: Where are we? Where to we want to go? and How do we get there? [UNFCCC Press Release] [Talanoa Dialogue Portal]