24 June 2016: The first ever Alliances and Coalitions Global Forum has concluded in Rabat, Morocco, with speakers emphasizing the importance of engaging all actors, not just States, in climate action. The event looked to reinforce the global climate action agenda being driven by two high-level champions appointed by France and Morocco, and to foster new voluntary initiatives in the lead up to the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 22), to be held in Marrakesh, Morocco, in November.
With a focus on maintaining the “spirit of Paris” that ushered in the Paris Agreement in December 2015, and building momentum toward the high-level event on climate action planned for COP 22, the two-day Forum was hosted by the incoming Moroccan COP 22 Presidency, in collaboration with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, France, Peru and the UNFCCC Secretariat. During the event, the Climate Champions, Hakima El Haite of Morocco and Laurence Tubiana of France, presented their Global Climate Action Roadmap, gathering stakeholders’ input on how to strengthen the agenda.
Through the event, the COP Presidencies and the Climate Champions sought to gather ideas on ways “to strengthen voluntary initiatives to accelerate the trajectory from 2°C to 1.5°C.” Questions that speakers and participants sought to answer included: how contributions under the Paris Agreement could help deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); how to report on initiatives and their impacts; which deliverables COP 22 should aim towards; and what organizational support could best accelerate voluntary initiatives.
At the opening of the conference, COP 22 President Salaheddine Mezouar, Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, emphasized that the coordination of climate actions among alliances and coalitions “is the best way to ensure their coherence and efficacy all while optimizing their chances for success.” Following the opening, the over 300 Forum participants took part in panels and discussions, including on: reinforcing cooperative action; impacting national trends; institutional arrangements to strengthen the existing ecosystem; tracking climate action progress; supporting nationally determined contribution (NDC) implementation; and designing the concept for the high-level event in Marrakesh.
To continue the momentum as part of their Global Climate Action Roadmap, the Climate Champions will be convening the NDCs and Mitigation Forum on 28 June and the NDCs and Adaptation Forum on 29 June, both in Rabat. [Alliances and Coalitions Global Forum Website] [COP 22 Presidency Press Release] [COP 22 Presidency Event Webpage] [UNFCCC Press Release] [IISD RS Story on Climate Champions’ Global Climate Action Roadmap] [Aide Memoire on the Forum] [UNFCCC Press Release]