6 August 2018: The Co-Chairs of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) have prepared, and the UNFCCC Secretariat has published, a set of seven “tools” to facilitate deliberations during the sixth part of the first session of the APA (APA 1-6), which will convene during the Bangkok Climate Change Conference. The tools, which are presented in a series of Co-Chairs’ informal notes, were prepared at the APA’s request and with support from facilitators of the various agenda items.

The Bangkok Climate Change Conference will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, from 4-9 September 2018.

The Co-Chairs’ informal notes explain the approach taken in preparing the tools for each APA agenda item, which are then presented and elaborated in corresponding annexes. The tools include proposals for streamlining the text, examples of how Parties could further progress towards developing an agreed basis for negotiations, and various options and formulations on a range of issues under each agenda item. The tools consider the specific needs of each APA agenda item and seek to clarify the different approaches taken by Parties. Therefore, the degree of streamlining and the ways in which examples and/or questions are introduced varies from tool to tool.

In the informal notes, the APA Co-Chairs emphasize that: the tools address the content of and build on the respective informal notes contained in the annex to the APA 1-5 conclusions; all options identified by Parties remain on the table; no new substantive concepts or textual narratives were inserted and no existing ones deleted; and submissions by Parties can still be made on any agenda item. [Co-Chairs’ Informal Document on Additional Tools] [APA 1-6 Agenda] [APA 1-6 Meeting Page and Documents]

The tool on further guidance regarding the mitigation section of decision 1/CP.21 (Adoption of the Paris Agreement) (Agenda item 3) highlights divergent views on the structure of the guidance, including on differentiation and the scope of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The tool addresses: features of NDCs, including existing and new/additional features, as well as guidance/elaboration on them; information to facilitate clarity, transparency and understanding of NDCs; and accounting for NDCs, including approaches used under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol. [Additional Tool on Further Guidance in Relation to the Mitigation Section of Decision 1/CP.21 (Agenda item 3)]

The tool on further guidance regarding the adaptation communication, including as a component of NDCs (Agenda item 4), describes two proposals, namely: single or common guidance applicable to any vehicle chosen by a Party to convey its adaptation communication; or vehicle-specific guidance. The tool notes, in particular, divergent views among Parties regarding whether to request the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to prepare a report to provide guidelines on methodologies and approaches for communicating adaptation information. [Additional Tool on Further Guidance in Relation to the Adaptation Communication (Agenda item 4)]

Parties diverged on whether to request the IPCC to prepare a report to provide guidelines on methodologies and approaches for communicating adaptation information.

The tool on modalities, procedures and guidelines (MPGs) for the transparency framework for action (Agenda item 5) highlights the need for further discussions on: the mandatory versus voluntary nature of specific MPG provisions; and the concept of flexibility and how to draft provisions for it in MPGs. The tool elaborates two proposals for the structure of MPGs. The first describes single/common MPGs applicable to all Parties, with built-in flexibility for developing country Parties that need it, which include reporting MPGs with annexed tabular formats, technical expert review MPGs, and MPGs for facilitative, multilateral consideration of progress. The second proposal builds on the existing system under the Convention, with two separate parts for developed and developing country Parties. [Additional Tool on Modalities, Procedures and Guidelines (MPG) for the Transparency Framework for Action and Support (Agenda item 5)]

Regarding matters related to the global stocktake (GST), including identification of sources of input for and development of GST modalities (Agenda item 6), another tool elaborates, inter alia: a preparatory phase, including information gathering and compilation and technical input; a technical phase comprised of technical consideration of inputs, taking stock, assessing progress and preparing outputs; and a political phase, including consideration of outputs. An attached appendix lists proposed guiding questions for the GST. [Additional Tool on Matters Related to the GST (Agenda item 6)]

The tool on modalities and procedures for the effective operation of the committee to facilitate implementation and promote compliance (Agenda item 7) includes elements of relevant guidance regarding, inter alia: institutional arrangements; initiation of consideration; process; measures and outputs; identification of systemic issues and sources of information; relationship with the Conference of the Parties (COP) serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA); and review of modalities and procedures. The tool also includes examples and possible questions to facilitate discussion on systemic issues, and a companion illustration for possible consideration by the committee. The guiding questions and the illustration aim to highlight general problems/common sources of difficulty faced by a number of Parties regarding implementation and compliance. [Additional Tool on Modalities and Procedures for the Effective Operation of the Committee to Facilitate Implementation and Promote Compliance (Agenda item 7)]

A tool on further matters related to implementation of the Paris Agreement and preparing for the convening of CMA 1 (Agenda item 8(a)) addresses matters relating to the Adaptation Fund. The tool contains: proposals for streamlining options for elements of the preparatory work for the Adaptation Fund to serve the Paris Agreement; and sections on governance and institutional arrangements, operating modalities and safeguards. The tool details, in an annex and through illustrations, three possible scenarios for the Adaptation Fund to serve the Paris Agreement, namely: serving the Paris Agreement effective immediately, as well as serving the Kyoto Protocol; serving the Protocol until a future date when it begins serving the Agreement exclusively; and serving both the Agreement and the Protocol until a future date, after which it would only serve the Paris Agreement. [Matters Related to Implementation of the Paris Agreement and Preparing for Convening CMA 1: Matters Relating to the Adaptation Fund (Agenda item 8 (a))]

An additional tool under further matters related to implementation of the Paris Agreement addresses: preparing for the convening of CMA 1 (Agenda item 8 (a)); and taking stock of progress made by the subsidiary and constituted bodies regarding their work under the Paris Agreement (Agenda item 8 (b)). The tool contains options for recommendations the APA could forward to CMA 1-3 (which will meet during the COP 24 in December 2018) regarding: initial CMA guidance to the operating entities of the Financial Mechanism, namely the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF); initial CMA guidance to the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF); modalities for biennially communicating finance information on the provision of public financial resources to developing countries; and setting a new collective quantified goal on finance.

The tool explains that Parties did not support forwarding options for recommendations to CMA 1-3 regarding: guidance on the adjustment of existing NDCs, but that the APA could state, in its report to COP 24, that the CMA may wish to address this issue at a future date; and an in-session submission, made at APA 1-5, calling for space to consider MPGs for enhancing understanding, action and support for loss and damage. [Additional Tool on Further Matters Related to Implementation of the Paris Agreement (Agenda item 8)]