Thread by @DrSimEvans

#COP27 update 7 Nov

Team @CarbonBrief is watching closely, draft text by draft text, for the next 2wks

Here's some highlights from negotiations so far:

📋#LossAndDamage finance on the agenda…
🎯…"finance flows" & 1.5C are not
🌲Concerns over CO2 "removals" guidance

🧵

First, orientation

There are in fact 5 "sessions" taking place at #COP27

COP27 (27th conf of parties to UN climate convention)
CMP17 (17th of Kyoto Protocol)
CMA4 (4th of Paris Agreement)
SBSTA57 (57th of sci/tech body)
SBI57 (57th of implementation body)

😱

So there are actually 5 separate agendas at #COP27

It's a nightmare to navigate and the @UNFCCC website doesn't exactly help. Seriously.

unfccc.int/event/cop-27
unfccc.int/event/cma-4
unfccc.int/event/cmp-17
unfccc.int/event/sbsta-57
unfccc.int/event/sbi-57

The final agendas for the five sessions were only adopted after a marathon 48-hours of negotiations over what to negotiate, aka an "agenda fight"

Per must-read @IISD_ENB daily report, the biggest fight was over finance, esp loss and damage

enb.iisd.org/sharm-el-sheik…

Anyway, finance for #LossAndDamage did finally make the COP agenda, as widely reported

Crucially, there's a 2024 deadline for reaching a deal

(Follow @Josh_Gabbatiss for all things loss & damage)

However, a push to get the 1.5C target itself onto the #COP27 agenda was not successful

Neither was G77 request on adaptation finance (Tho adaptation finance did make the agenda elsewhere)

Left: Draft agenda
Right: Final agenda

unfccc.int/sites/default/…

Similarly, a push to get Article 2.1c on the #COP27 agenda also failed

Left: draft agenda
Right: Paris text it refers to, on making "finance flows" consistent w/ climate goals

It's v broad but potentially hugely important

See our explainer for more:

carbonbrief.org/explainer-how-…

All of these matters (1.5C, adaptation finance & Article 2.1c) live on in the form of #COP27 "presidency-led consultations"

HT @IISD_ENB daily (READ IT!)

This means they may reappear at the summit later on

enb.iisd.org/sharm-el-sheik…

Another matter I'll be following closely is the snappily-named "mitigation work programme" on "urgently scaling up mitigation ambition and implementation in this critical decade"

(In short: How to cut emissions faster)

unfccc.int/sites/default/…

When they met in June in Bonn, countries struggled to agree basic questions like how long should this mitigation work programme last (1yr? until 2030?) and what should it talk about (specific sectors?)

carbonbrief.org/bonn-climate-t…

Countries remain divided on the mitigation work prog

Ever-diplomatic ENB doesn't name the two country groups that only want it to last until 2023…

…but you can see more on who wants what from the process here:

carbonbrief.org/interactive-wh…

Now for some more technical but v impt discussions on Article 6.4, the global carbon mkt created by Paris & kicked off at #COP26

Backgrounder:
carbonbrief.org/in-depth-q-and…

The "supervisory body" for this mkt has now issued recommendations on CO2 removals:
unfccc.int/sites/default/…

These recommendations are not yet final – the COP has to "consider and adopt" them first (see pic)

It isn't clear if the COP can amend the text before adoption, or only accept/reject it

I'll update when I find out

unfccc.int/sites/default/…

For now, the current text is raising major concerns from NGOs – they want it to be rejected for failing to properly safeguard ecosystems and human rights

Now some nerdy details…

Russia proposed reviews of Annex I/II of the UN climate convention

This is v important b/c Annex II countries have to give climate finance

But it's political can of worms, hence per ENB being "held in abeyance" (=> long grass)

unfccc.int/sites/default/…

Interestingly (🤓) Russia has made the same proposal at COPs 21-25 inclusive, so we can surmise it won't go anywhere, anytime soon

unfccc.int/documents/6903

Here is Russia's proposal (link/image)

It's asking for periodic reviews of the lists of developed vs developing countries

EU/US might welcome this, in theory, as they're keen to widen pool of climate finance donors…

…but it is coming fr Russia so 🤷‍♂️

unfccc.int/sites/default/…

I'll bring updates as I can through the two weeks

We will bring you a detailed @CarbonBrief of #COP27 after the gavel comes down on the summit

Here's our #COP26 summary from last year

/ends

carbonbrief.org/cop26-key-outc…