18 September 2015: The UNFCCC Secretariat has released a summary report of the fourth Durban Forum on Capacity-building (FCCC/SBI/2015/14), which focused on the information and capacity-building services available to developing countries for the preparation of intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs). The Forum also addressed the advancement and coordination of capacity building in developing countries through various bodies created under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol.
The Forum was held during the 42nd session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) on 3 and 8 June 2015, in Bonn, Germany, with representatives of Parties, intergovernmental institutions, non-governmental organizations and academia in attendance.
During the first session on capacity building-related work of bodies established under the Convention and its Kyoto Protocol, representatives from the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (CGE), the Adaptation Committee, the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) and the Executive Board of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) explained the particular strengths and comparative advantages of their respective bodies in building capacity in developing countries.
Members from the Technology Executive Committee (TEC) and Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), Standing Committee on Finance (SCF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) then shared how they collaborate with other constituted bodies to ensure maximum impact.
The second session focused on support available for the preparation of INDCs, with a speaker from the NewClimate Institute presenting progress on INDC preparation worldwide, noting barriers like lack of clarity and limited expertise. A final session discussed building capacity for the preparation of INDCs, with country representatives from the developing world presenting their experiences and lessons learned from the process.
The Durban Forum on Capacity-building was established by the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC by decision 2/CP.17. SBI is invited to consider the report prepared by the Secretariat and possibly identify appropriate actions based on the information contained therein at its 43rd session, scheduled to take place in Paris, France, during the period between 30 November – 11 December 2015. [Publication: Summary Report on the 4th meeting of the Durban Forum on Capacity-building]