The UN Climate Change Conference is taking place in Cancun, Mexico between 29 November – 10 December 2010. This conference will include the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the sixth session of the Conference of Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP/MOP6). In addition, the conference includes the 33rd sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies, the fifteenth session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP15), as well as the thirteenth session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the UNFCCC (AWG-LCA13).

The UNFCCC anticipates roughly 15,000 attendees including delegates from the 194 Parties to the UNFCCC as well as representatives from industry and business, research institutions, and environmental organizations.

Over the course of these two weeks, negotiators will tackle issues outstanding from last year’s UN Climate Change Conference held in Copenhagen, Denmark – the original deadline for completing these framework negotiations – and try to improve long-term international climate change cooperation under the Protocol and the Convention. The two AWGs are also expected to report on their outcomes to the COP16 and COP/MOP6 – an issue left unresolved in Copenhagen.

Day 1 – Nov 29 2010

The first day of the conference kicked off with a welcoming ceremony which included speeches by the UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres and Mexican President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa. Following the ceremony, the opening plenaries of the COP and the COP/MOP took place, along with the first sessions of the AWG-LCA and the AWG-KP in the afternoon. The evening included the contact groups for the AWG-LCA and AWG-KP in preparation of the outcome for the COP16 and a Welcome Reception for conference participants was held later into the night.

Christiana Figuera addressed the media, stating that Cancun will not solve everything, but must keep ambition alive and can be successful if Parties are willing to make compromises. In addition, she stated that Cancun can launch a new era of global action on climate change with each year bringing increasingly effective answers to keep humanity on track for a safer future.

Day 2 – Nov 30 2010

Day two of the Conference saw opening plenaries of the SBI and SBSTA, as well as informal groups under the two AWGs.  Chaired by Robert Owen-Jones of Australia, the SBI parties accepted the agenda and organization of work. Opening statements were made by Yemen for the G-77, Mexico for the Environmental Integrity Group, Australia for the Umbrella Group, the EU, Grenada for AOSIS, Belize for the Central American Integration System, Lesotho for the LCD and finally, the Democratic Republic of Congo for the African Group.  Various annexes and organizational matters were introduced, including financial mechanisms and annex 6 on education, training and public awareness.

The SBSTA also met, chaired by Mama Konaté of Mali. Again, parties adopted the agenda and organizational matters. Opening statements continued in the same vein as above, with the noted addition of opening statements by NGOs: The International Trade Union Confederation, Youth, Climate Action Network, and Climate Justice Now.  The SBSTA introduced matters of a more technological nature, including matters related to research and systemic observation, methodological issues and the scientific, technical and socio-economic aspects of mitigation of climate change.

The day held standard opening sessions and the conference can be expected to turn from organizational matters to the issue at hand.

Day 3 – Dec 1 2010

On day 3 of the Conference, the COP/MOP plenary convened in both the morning and the afternoon, alongside the COP plenary. Informal group meetings were also held throughout the day under the SBI, SBSTA, AWG-KP and AWG-LCA.

The main focus of the COP plenary was a legal framework. Grenada, for AOSIS, highlighted the magnitude of discussing legal form and its relevance for both governments and the private sector, and called for an open-ended contact group to address the three main issues: the legal form of the outcome, interlinkages with existing instruments, and an appropriate strategy to adopt a legally binding outcome at COP17 in Durban. In the discussion that followed, support was expressed by Tuvalu, Costa Rica and the DRC, though concern was expressed by the DRC that the contact group not take away from the AWG-LCA progress. China, while highlighting the importance of discussing legal issues, stressed the workload and urged focusing on the two AWGs instead.  COP President Espinosa proposed, and parties agreed, to establish a contact group chaired by Michael Zammit Cutajar (Malta) to focus on the protocol proposals. Participants expressed positive surprise to these developments, considering that the legal framework was a point of deadlock in COP15.

In the COP/MOP plenary session, several issues were highlighted and reports presented on progress. These include:

• Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): reporting on the Board’s work in 2010, with achievements in the areas of: development and adoption of procedures for registration, issuance and review, elaboration of a loan scheme, and elaboration of an appeals procedure against decisions of the Board;
• Joint Implementation: The Joint Implementation Supervisory Committee Chair presented their annual report and identified the need for fundamental changes in Joint Implementation and increased financial support;
• Compliance: Compliance issues by Bulgaria and Croatia were discussed;
• Adaptation Fund: Adaptation Fund Board Chair presented their annual report, highlighting that the fund is now fully operational and addressing that the main task going forward was to operationalize direct access;
• The Kazakhstan proposal to Amend Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol was introduced by the secretariat; and the Parties proposals for protocol amendments were discussed, highlighting a need to break deadlocks in time for a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol;

Working groups were set up for each of the above issues.

Finally, Christian Figueres held a UNFCCC Press Briefing where she stressed that compromise was key, and mentioned that she saw the spirit of compromise at the Summit.

Day 4 – Dec 2 2010

Day four of the conference saw the delegates getting down to business in their contact groups and informal negotiations. The COP/MOP group discussed the adaptation fund; the SBI group discussed arrangements for intergovernmental meetings, Annex I national communications, and joint implementation; the AWG-LCA discussed mitigation and a shared vision for long-term cooperative action; the AWG-KP discussed Chapter III (flexibility mechanisms), Chapter I (numbers) and Chapter II (LULUCF); and the SBSTA discussed standard baselines under the CDM. Also noteworthy, in COP/MOP, co-chair Calvo Buendia introduced a list of issues prepared by the co-chairs built on parties’ interventions in the COP/MOP plenary and the CDM Executive Board’s report. Parties were then invited to suggest additions if necessary.  One of the most important topics of the day was carbon markets, discussed in several groups.

Day 5 – Dec 3 2010

During the week-end press conference, Christiana Figueres said that governments are now engaged in what will be presented to the Ministers on Tuesday, and that working groups progressed diligently.

The first contact group meeting took place under the Convention Article 17 (Protocols) for the COP, opened by Chair Michael Zammit Cutajar (Malta), with five proposals submitted under the Article before COP 15 (Australia, Costa Rica, US, Japan and Tuvalu) and a sixth in 2010(Grenada). Many countries participated in the discussion, highlighting the importance of legal reform, the future of the Kyoto Protocol and the importance of both participation and adequate support. The AWG-KP discussed Agenda Item 3 (Annex I Further Commitments), and LULUCF. The COP/MOP considered draft terms of reference for the initial review of the Adaptation Fund. The AWG-LCA discussed mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology and capacity-building and enhanced action of mitigation (REDD+). Friday was a busy day, with the SBI contact and informal groups also discussing multiple topics: Convention Article 6 (education, training and public awareness), matters related to the LDCs and its fund,  capacity building (Convention) ,and in the afternoon, the introduction of  a text developed during information consultations=. Finally, and equally as busy, the SBSTA discussed the Nairobi Work Program, a revision of the UNFCCC reporting guidelines on annual inventories for Annex I parties and the protocol articles 2.3 and 3.14.

The business of the day can be attributed to the winding down of week one and the preparation involved as the first ministers start arriving to the COP-16.

In the news, Katie Fenrenbacher at Earth2Tech stated that there continue to be low expectations of any meaningful agreement and that the discussions seem even ‘more heated and chaotic than even last year’s disappointing event in Copenhagen,’ according to the media reports thus far. The article highlights the ‘optimistic glimmer’ from the talks as the future of greentech and green-leaning business – companies who are taking action even if governments are not.

Weekend events – Dec 4-5 2010

Saturday was a busy day for delegates, with the SBSTA and SBI Closing Plenary Sessions taking place in the morning, the working groups and informal negotiations convening and the COP and MOP/COP holding informal stocktaking plenary sessions.

A UNFCCC press release on Saturday, December 4, 2010, highlighted the importance of the work of the SBSTA and the SBI for advising and implementing Parties’ decisions related to climate change. Delegates were commended for the spirit of the Conference – of compromise, cooperation and transparency by the COP President, and Mexican Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Patricia Espinosa.

The AWG-LCA and the AWG-KP released Chair’s New Papers, which were greeted with mixed reactions. The achievements from these groups was a decision to broaden the mandate of the LDC working group (Least Developed Countries) for a five-year term, and the agreement to strengthened education, training and public awareness on climate change, and to engage civil society more strongly.

In the COP informal stocktaking plenary session, COP President highlighted her commitment to the transparency of the process, and to ensuring that there was no parallel negotiation processes or hidden texts.  In her released statement, she said that the Ministers were to build on the work being done, and to identify where balance can be found.

In the news, the source New Business Ethiopia reported on the consensus on education, training and public awareness. While this is not a contentious issue in the Conference, New Business Ethiopia says that it is a sign of the spirit of compromise and a willingness “among participants not to allow the chances of sealing deals on other significant issues slip away.”

Even though there were no scheduled meetings on Sunday, December 5, there was little rest for delegates. COP President Espinosa held an informal plenary for delegates and newly arrived ministers. During the plenary, President Espinosa announced a new type of working method of pairing ministers from developed and developed countries to focus on specific issues. In her public statement, she announced five such pairings and their respective topics: Sweden and Grenada (shared vision); Spain and Algeria (adaptation); Australia and Bangladesh (financing, technology and capacity building); New Zealand and Indonesia (mitigation, including MRV); and the United Kingdom and Brazil (Items under the Kyoto Protocol), with support from the ministers from Ecuador, Singapore, Norway and Switzerland. Going forward, it will be interesting to watch what this new working method will accomplish, and if it will succeed in building transparency, trust and integrity and if it leads to a deliverable.

Read a statement issued by COP/CMP President Patricia Espinosa to the ministers here.

Day 6 – Dec 6 2010

On Monday, December 6, informal groups and consultations were held as well as the fourth Focal Point Forum on the Nairobi Work Programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation (NWP).

During the day, work and discussion continued on the content of the reports and recommendations of both the informal working groups and informal consultations.

In the evening, COP contact group session on Article 17 was held. Chair Michael Zammit Cutajar (Malta) reiterated that six proposals submitted remain on the table, and welcomed any other proposals, with the goal being a ‘legally binding instrument’, as expressed by Grenada for AOSIS. This statement by Grenada for AOSIS was supported by AOSIS members, and was expanded upon by calling for the AWG-LCA to continue working towards this goal for a legally binding treaty at

COP-17 in Durban.  In the subsequent discussion, countries expressed their opinions and preferences for what the phrase ‘legally binding’ means, and Chair Cutajar encouraged dialogue of the disparate opinions.

In the Focal Point Forum on the Nairobi Work Programme, SBSTA Chair Mama Konate welcomed delegates and NWP Partner Organizations to the informal platform for discussion on knowledge management and learning of adaptation measures. The Secretariat updated the progress on adaption negotiations and implementation of the NWP, highlighting the 203 partner organizations and 136 action pledges.  Support was expressed among delegates for the work and positive feedback of the NWP, with several suggestions: Tajikistan requested that information be tailored to specific regions, sectors and stakeholders, UN-ISDR highlighted the diversity of stakeholders and the enabling of new partnerships, and encouraged promoting of collaboration, and the UNDP requested improving the interface between what is being accomplished on the global level versus that at the national level, and recommended establishing a NWP ‘help desk’ to connect parties and organizations to partners.

Day 7 – Dec 7 2010

Tuesday afternoon held the opening ceremony of the high-level segment, complete with dancing and music showcasing the beauty of Mexico.  Several notable speeches were made to welcome the officials to the negotiations. UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres emphasized both the creativity and reason in the work already completed at the Conference, and in entering into this new phase, stressed ‘conciliation’. She also encouraged ministers to think about those who are most vulnerable to climate change, and in doing so, offer compromise. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon also spoke, stressing that while a final negotiation is not essential at Cancun, progress on all fronts is expected. Finally, President Felipe Calderon, Mexico, referenced the fact that billions expect a ‘clear response to climate change that we cannot fail to give’.

A number of working groups and informal consultations continued on Tuesday with delegates working hard to prepare everything for the next stage.

A copy of Figueres speech is available here.

Day 8 – Dec 8 2010

Wednesday saw an intensification of negotiations in the COP and the COP/MOP informal stocktaking plenary sessions, the contact groups and informal consultations that met throughout the day, and as the high-level segment, with heads of state, governments and delegations, continued.

In the morning, at the COP and COP/MOP informal stocktaking plenaries, President Espinosa released the new AWG-KP and AWG-LCA texts for viewing. While most delegates were optimistic with the new texts and their direction, it is clear that more work has to be done before the completion of the Conference.  Consultations on the texts began in the afternoon. Throughout the day, delegates met in contact groups and informal consultations to discuss issues such as, Article 17 (protocols),CDM, mitigation, the adaptation fund and workshops, and JI.  While some delegates remain cautiously optimistic, others favor a more realistic view of the hurdles to be faced in the next days: the political aspect of negotiations, the legality of any deliverables and marrying different pieces of work together.

Ministerial discussions centered on reconciling political differences, especially as related to mitigation, finance, MRV and a second Kyoto Protocol commitment period.

In a statement released by the UNFCCC, COP President Patricia Espinosa reiterated the commitment to transparency by the Mexican Presidency, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Figueres, and her own personal commitment. In the days going forward, she expressed her intention to close the Conference on Friday at 6pm, and said, “What is required now is proof of our collective political will, not more time for discussions. We need to send a clear sign of our desire to meet this global challenge. We must set the state for further significant steps in Durban and beyond.” She also noted the solid base that the work produced at the conference has set, and what must occur now is to ‘raise the level of ambition’.

Pres. Espinosas statement is available here.

Day 9 – Dec 9 2010

On Thursday, contact groups, informal negotiations and ministerial discussions continued, with President Espinosa holding an informal stocktaking plenary at night. The high level segment continued throughout the day.

At the informal stocktaking plenary, President Espinosa reported that informal Ministerial meetings had been held throughout the day, upholding the standards of transparency and inclusiveness. President Espinosa believes that an agreed upon package is still within the delegate’s grasps, and invited the ministers to report on the informal consultations they had facilitated throughout the day. Examples of issues reported on include:

• For long term cooperative action, Sweden highlighted three goals: a temperature goal, a long-term global goal for emissions reduction and a peaking of global emissions;
• For MRV, New Zealand said that consultations focused on ICA and included issues, such as frequency and categorization;
• On REDD+, Norway and Ecuador reported on key outstanding issues:  financing, scope of a REDD+ mechanism, connection between national and sub-national levels, and MRV safeguards.

Highlighting the deadline, President Espinosa encouraged consultations to continue throughout the night, with another stocktaking plenary to convene at 8:30am on Friday. Leading by example, President Espinosa said that the text would not be a “Mexican Text” but rather a text based on all points of view, and reminded the delegates to look beyond national interest.

Final Day - Dec 10, 2010

The COP-16 concluded in the early morning hours of 11 December 2010, with the COP Vice-President Yeon-Sung closing the meeting at 6:22am. The parties agreed to the ‘Cancun Agreements’, with decisions under both the Convention and Protocol negotiation tracks, as well as specifications for adaption, REDD+, technology, mitigation, and finance. On top of the Cancun Agreements, the COP and COP/MOP adopted 20 decisions on issues under their mandate, and the SBI and SBSTA adopted over 20 conclusions on a range of topics.  The COP/MOP adopted its decision on 10 December, with decisions, for example, on: to include the Kazakhstan proposal in Protocol Annex B; the final report of the AWG-KP, included in the Cancun Agreement; clean development mechanism and joint implementation, among other issues. The AWG-LCA closing plenary concluded in the early morning of 11 December, at 1:43am by Chair Mukahanana-Sangarwe, with the encouragement to the delegates to strive to do better.  The AWK-KP concluded shortly after 12am on 11 December. 

On 10 December, the last informal stocktaking plenary convened at 6pm, with COP President Espinsoa explaining that negotiations had taken place continuously since Thursday evening, and presented a new text, which the delegates studied and reconvened at 9:30pm. In the discussion that followed, it was apparent that the texts were not one hundred percent satisfactory to all, but President Espinosa felt that they represented a starting point, a new stage of cooperation, and finally, a commitment to ensure the success of COP-17 in South Africa. The informal stocktaking session was then closed, and the closing plenaries of the AWG-KP and AWG-LCA convened, followed by the COP and COP/MOP closing plenaries, where the Cancun Agreements were adopted. Reactions to the Agreements were mixed, with some identifying that it is a small step in combating climate change, however, most felt restored confidence in the UNFCCC process.

On 11 December, the UNFCC released its press statement publicizing the Cancun Agreements. UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres is quoted as saying, “Cancun has done its job. The beacon of hope has been reignited and faith in the multilateral climate change process to deliver results has been restored.”