The 14th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC and the 4th meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol opened today in Poznan, Poland. The conference will draw almost 11000 participants, including government delegates from the 187 Parties to the UNFCCC and representatives from business and industry (See announcement video by the UNFCCC Executive Secretary on Climate Change or read on for more details).
The UNFCCC stated that the two-week meeting is the halfway mark in the negotiations on an ambitious and effective international climate change deal to be wrapped up in Copenhagen in 2009. Parties have little more than a year to agree on strengthened action on mitigation, adaptation, finance and technology. A compilation paper of proposals for solutions has been put together, which will serve as a first version of a negotiating text in Poznan. Because of the limited time still available, it is critical that real progress is made and that Parties identify which proposals to take forward in 2009.
It was added that the Poznan Climate Change Conference will provide the opportunity to draw together the advances made in 2008 and move from discussion to negotiation mode in 2009.
It was also added that at the meetings in Poznan, parties are expected to:
- Agree on a plan of action and programmes of work for the final year of negotiations after a year of comprehensive and extensive discussions on crucial issues relating to future commitments, actions and cooperation.
- Make significant progress on a number of on-going issues required to enhance further the implementation of the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, including capacity-building for developing countries, reducing emissions from deforestation (REDD), technology transfer and adaptation.
- Advance understanding and commonality of views on "shared vision" for a new climate change regime.
- Strengthen commitment to the process and the agreed timeline.
The Secretary ended his speech by saying that such an outcome at Poznan would build momentum towards an agreed outcome at Copenhagen in December 2009.
key dates:
1 December: Opening of the conference. Opening sessions of the AWG-LCA, AWG-KP, SBI and SBSTA
9 December: No meetings will be held - date of the Islamic festival Eid al-Adha
10 December: Closing day of the 29th sessions of SBSTA and SBI, the 4th session of the AWG-LCA and the resumed sixth session of the AWG-KP.
11-12 December: High-Level Segment of COP 14 and CMP 4.
To see further details of the conference agenda, daily programmes and latest meeting schedules, please go to the UNFCCC webpage:
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