UN discusses 'operating manual' for climate action in Bonn

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Delegates from 193 countries are in Bonn for a crucial set of meetings to further develop the guidelines for implementing the landmark Paris Climate Change Agreement signed in 2015.

The outcome of the 10-day long negotiations will be a key part of the agenda at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-24) in Poland at the end of the year.

The primary focus of the Bonn meeting will be on the Paris Agreement Work Programme (PAWP), and a set of decisions required for operationalizing the Agreement.

The Paris Agreement guidelines assess whether the world is on track to achieve the agreement’s goals of limiting the global temperature increase to below two degrees Celsius while pursuing efforts to restrict it to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The deadline for reaching agreement on the details needed to implement the Paris Agreement is December 2018. PAWP work is to be completed at the Katowice Climate Change Conference in the same month.

"To reach success at COP24, it is essential that nations begin working towards draft negotiating texts at the May meeting. This will provide a solid foundation for work in the second half of 2018 and help them to deliver a strong result,” Patricia Espinosa, executive secretary of UN Climate Change said.

The sessions at the meeting will also focus on the Talanoa Dialogue, an idea originally brought forth by Fiji. Talanoa is a traditional word used in Fiji and across the Pacific to reflect the process of inclusive, participatory and transparent dialogue.

During the dialogue process, participants aim to build trust through empathy and understanding. “Talanoa fosters stability and inclusiveness in dialogue by creating a safe space that embraces mutual respect for a platform for decision making for a greater good, UN maintained in a statement.

The dialogue examines the progress, reaffirms the goals of the Paris Agreement and provides solutions to how countries can increase their target for the next round of their national climate action plans, officially termed "Nationally Determined Contributions" (NDCs).

“2017 witnessed many extreme weather events and disasters that caused suffering for millions of people around the world. The consequences of climate change impacts are already being felt, particularly by the most vulnerable communities,” Espinosa maintained.

“The Talanoa Dialogue is a key opportunity for all stakeholders to come together and share stories on how we can significantly step up climate action to prevent even greater human suffering in the future. I encourage widespread participation in the Dialogue,” she stated.

[Top Image: Delegates gather for start of the Bonn Climate Change Conference 2018. /VCG Photo]