The Polish government hosted the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 24th Conference of the Parties (COP 24) from 1-14 December 2018, which welcomed over 20,000 participants from the around the world.  COP 24 oversaw negotiations for the UNFCCC and its two subsequent protocols: the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement.  This year, negotiations under the Paris Agreement focused on finalizing the Paris Agreement “Rulebook.”  Although the Paris Agreement entered into force on 4 November 2016, the mechanisms for implementation left for further negotiation.  After many long nights in the second week of the COP, the negotiators continued working long into the weekend after the official end of the conference to reach agreement on issues such as compliance and monitoring under the Paris Agreement.  

The IUCN sent a diverse delegation to COP24 led by Sandeep Sengupta Global Coordinator – IUCN Climate Change Portfolio.  Read more about IUCN’s participation at COP24 and other climate work in the IUCN 2018 Climate Bulletin.  

WCEL members are COP24 included: WCEL Climate Change Specialist Group Chair Christina Voigt (lead negotiator for Norway and co-facilitator for the COP24 group on the procedures of the compliance committee established under Article 15 of the Paris Agreement); WCEL Deputy Chair Denise Antolini (member IUCN Delegation); WCEL member Amber Pant (Nepal), Simone Borg (Malta state delegation), Dan Bodanksy (USA), Jessica Owley (USA), and Clement Mulalap (Yap state delegation).

IUCN hosted a High-Level Side Event on “Ten Years of Ecosystem-based Adaptation:  Recognizing Champion Governments and Effective Approaches,” at the Japan Pavilion on 13 December, which was chaired by IUCN VP Malik Amin Aslam, organized by Ali Raza Rizvi and Katherine Blackwood, with support from Sandeep Gupta and Angela Andrade.  IUCN also led a side event on Nature Based Solutions, chaired by Sandeep Gupta.  The IUCN Delegation also participated in the High-Level Plenary Sessions and the official observer meetings with the Polish Presidency of the COP24 under its intergovernmental organization (IGO) status.   The IUCN held daily delegation briefing meetings on the status of negotiations.

WCEL extends its warm congratulations to Christina Voigt for her indefatigable and successful leadership of her COP24 negotiating group and to Sandeep Gupta for his successful leadership of the IUCN Delegation.