UNFCCC workshops facilitate further action towards 2015 global climate agreement

After three days of focused discussion, several key issues central to negotiations towards the 2015 global climate agreement have been further elaborated The Joint Workshops on the Framework for Various Approaches (FVA), Non-Market-Based Approaches (NMA) and the New Market-based Mechanism (NMM), were held in Bonn, Germany from 7-9 October. Mandated by the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), the workshops were intended to clarify key issues and options to be discussed on each of these three work programmes at the November UN Climate Change Conference in Warsaw, Poland. “Non-market and market-based-approaches together with the framework for various approaches represent one important avenue to increasing ambition and mitigation levels worldwide,” said UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres. “I am heartened by the progress made on these issues over the past three days as progress here will lead to progress elsewhere on the road to the 2015 climate agreement.” Highlights from the discussions in each of the work programmes include: •On NMAs, participants analysed how the contribution of such approaches to achieving the objective of the Convention can be further advanced •On the NMM, elements of the work programme were discussed as well as the modalities and procedures and the role of the NMM in relation to other mechanisms and approaches under the Convention •On the FVA, participants elaborated options for defining environmental integrity, avoiding double counting and institutional arrangements. Discussions also addressed possibilities to define the purpose and scope as fundamental elements for the framework in Warsaw. Three reports, one from each workshop, will be issued in the coming weeks and made available for consideration at SBSTA 39. The co-facilitator summaries, identifying possible areas of convergence and areas for further discussion, will also be made available on the UNFCCC website. More than 110 countries and 16 observer organizations attended the workshops. Thanks to the assistance of donors, specifically Switzerland, New Zealand, Norway, the European Commission and the UK, all Parties eligible for funding were offered financial support to attend. For more information on the workshops, including submissions, technical synthesis papers, presentations, workshop reports and summaries, visit: http://unfccc.int/cooperation_support/market_and_non-market_mechanisms/items/7712.php For the opening statement made by UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres, visit: http://unfccc.int/files/press/statements/application/pdf/20130710_speech_cf_jointworkshop_nmm.pdf For photos of the event, visit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/unfccc/sets/72157636278593853/ For further information please contact: David Abbass, Communications Officer, UNFCCC at: dabbass@unfccc.int, +49 (0)173 561 7448 See also See also: http://cdm.unfccc.int Twitter: @UN_ClimateTalks, @UN_CarbonMechs, @CFigueres Facebook: facebook.com/UNclimatechange, facebook.com/ UNcarbonmechs