Sub-agenda items 16 (a) and (c)

Outcome of the

negotiations

Under agenda sub-items 16 (a) and (c), the SBI considered and successfully concluded the fourth review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in countries with economies in transition under the Convention and under the Kyoto Protocol, respectively. 

Under the same agenda sub-items, the SBI reached consensus on the annual monitoring of the implementation of the capacity-building framework in developing countries under the Convention and under the Kyoto Protocol, respectively.

Under the Convention

FCCC/SBI/2017/L.25

FCCC/SBI/2017/L.25/Add.1

Under the Kyoto Protocol

FCCC/SBI/2017/L.27

FCCC/SBI/2017/L.27/Add.1

Under the Convention

FCCC/SBI/2017/L.24

Under the Kyoto Protocol

FCCC/SBI/2017/L.26

Sub-agenda item 16 (b)

Outcome of the

negotiations

Under sub-agenda item 16 (b), the SBI discussed and reached consensus on its consideration of the annual technical progress report of the Paris Committee on Capacity-building (PCCB). 

The annual technical progress report of the PCCB, contained in document FCCC/SBI/2017/11, covers the work undertaken between its first meeting , held in May 2017, and August 2017. It includes information on the first meeting of the PCCB and on PCCB membership. The report further contains the rules of procedure and working modalities of the PCCB, its rolling work plan for the period 2017–2019 and covers progress made in the implementation of the work plan. Information on the implementation of the 2017 focus area or theme of the PCCB is also included, as are recommendations of the PCCB for the Subsidiary Body for Implementation to consider and forward to the Conference of the Parties.

The PCCB held its first meeting in May 2017 in conjunction with the SBI 46 in line with the provisions contained in decision 2/CP.22. It dedicated one full day of its three-day meeting to a technical exchange on its 2017 focus area or theme – “capacity-building activities for the implementation of nationally determined contributions in the context of the Paris Agreement”

More information on the first meeting of the PCCB is available here.

The forty-sixth session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 46)

SBI 46 featured relevant discussions on:

• The fourth review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in countries with economies in transition
• The annual monitoring of the implementation of the capacity-building framework in developing countries

Parties agreed to continue the consideration of the above matters at SBI 47 (November 2017). Draft conclusions are available in documents FCCC/SBI/2017/L.11 and FCCC/SBI/2017/L.12.

SBI 46 also hosted the capacity-building events listed below:

The forty-forth session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 44)

• The terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building
• The third comprehensive review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in developing countries under the Convention/under the Kyoto Protocol; more>>

Summary of results

On the terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building:
Parties started and concluded  their consideration of this matter at this session. The draft decision on the terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building, contained in document FCCC/SBI/2016/L.24/Add.1, were recommended for consideration and adoption by the COP at its twenty-second session (November 2016).

In the draft conclusions proposed by the Chair related to the terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building, the SBI invited Parties:

• to consider their nominations to the Paris Committee on Capacity-building, as outlined in contained in document FCCC/SBI/2016/L.24/Add.1, with a view to the work of the Paris Committee on Capacity-building commencing at SBI 46 (May 2017)
• to submit by 29 August 2016 their views on the annual focus area or theme for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building for 2017, and on which representatives of the bodies established under the Convention and of the operating entities of the Financial Mechanism should be invited to the first meeting of the Paris Committee on Capacity-building, with a view to the SBI making a recommendation on this matter for consideration and adoption at COP 22. 

The draft conclusions proposed by the Chair related to the terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building are contained in document FCCC/SBI/2016/L.24.

On the third comprehensive review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building under the Convention in developing countries: Parties started the discussions on the third comprehensive review, and agreed to continue their consideration of this matter at SBI 45 (November 2016) on the basis of the text contained in the annex of the draft conclusions (FCCC/SBI/2016/L.21), with a view to recommending a draft decision for consideration and adoption by the COP at its twenty-second session and by the CMP ant its eleventh session.

Documents prepared  for this session:

• Third comprehensive review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in developing countries. Technical paper by the secretariat. FCCC/TP/2016/1
• Information and views on capacity-building matters. Submissions from Parties. FCCC/SBI/2016/MISC/1

SBI 44 also hosted the 5th meeting of the Durban Forum on capacity-building. Background documents prepared for the 5th meeting are available on the dedicated page.

The forty-forth session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 44)

Negotiations

SBI 44 engaged Parties in negotiations on the following topics, as per the mandates contained in decisions 1/CP21, 14/CP.21 and 9/CMP.11:

• The terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building
• The third comprehensive review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in developing countries under the Convention/under the Kyoto Protocol; more>>

Summary of results

On the terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building:
Parties started and concluded their consideration of this matter at this session. The draft decision on the terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building, contained in document FCCC/SBI/2016/L.24/Add.1, were recommended for consideration and adoption by the COP at its twenty-second session (November 2016).

In the draft conclusions proposed by the Chair related to the terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building, the SBI invited Parties:

• to consider their nominations to the Paris Committee on Capacity-building, as outlined in contained in document FCCC/SBI/2016/L.24/Add.1, with a view to the work of the Paris Committee on Capacity-building commencing at SBI 46 (May 2017)
• to submit by 29 August 2016 their views on the annual focus area or theme for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building for 2017, and on which representatives of the bodies established under the Convention and of the operating entities of the Financial Mechanism should be invited to the first meeting of the Paris Committee on Capacity-building, with a view to the SBI making a recommendation on this matter for consideration and adoption at COP 22.

The draft conclusions proposed by the Chair related to the terms of reference for the Paris Committee on Capacity-building are contained in document FCCC/SBI/2016/L.24.

On the third comprehensive review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building under the Convention in developing countries: Parties started the discussions on the third comprehensive review, and agreed to continue their consideration of this matter at SBI 45 (November 2016) on the basis of the text contained in the annex of the draft conclusions (FCCC/SBI/2016/L.21), with a view to recommending a draft decision for consideration and adoption by the COP at its twenty-second session and by the CMP ant its eleventh session.

Documents prepared for this session:

• Third comprehensive review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in developing countries. Technical paper by the secretariat. FCCC/TP/2016/1
• Information and views on capacity-building matters. Submissions from Parties. FCCC/SBI/2016/MISC/1

SBI 44 also hosted the 5th meeting of the Durban Forum on capacity-building. Background documents prepared for the 5th meeting are available on the dedicated page.

The eleventh part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 2-11)

Negotiations

At ADP 2-11, negotiations on capacity-building on item 3. (a) Matters related to paragraphs 2 to 6 of decision 1/CP.17 (Workstream 1) were co-facilitated by Mr. Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Mr. Artur Runge-Metzger (European Union).

Negotiations during this session were based on a non-paper prepared by the Co-Chairs, (85 kB) with the assistance of the co-facilitators and the support of the secretariat. This non-paper, which contained the basis of negotiation for the draft Paris climate package on workstreams 1 and 2, was based on the Geneva negotiating text and views and positions expressed by Parties on the Co-Chairs’ tool presented at the tenth part of the session.

The work on capacity-building concentrated mainly on the draft agreement section of the non-paper. The result of Parties’ efforts was a streamlined text with clean options on Article 8 (Capacity-building) and Article 8 bis (Climate change education, training and public awareness). Because of time restrictions, Parties could not advance on the draft decision section of the non-paper. Inputs received by Parties during this session are contained here.

Here is Parties’ work on the draft Agreement and the draft decision (102 kB) on capacity-building at the October 2015 Conference.

Other

At the margins of ADP 2.11, a workshop on potential ways to enhance capacity-building activities took place on 17 October 2015. More information on this workshop is available here.

The tenth part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP2-10)

Negotiations

At ADP2-10, negotiations on capacity-building on item 3. (a) Matters related to paragraphs 2 to 6 of decision 1/CP.17 (Workstream 1) were co-facilitated by Mr. Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Mr. Artur Runge-Metzger (European Union).

During this session Parties considered the Co-Chairs Tool (1490 kB) , a fully streamlined, consolidated and concise version of the Geneva negotiating text prepared by the ADP Co-Chairs with the support of the secretariat and the Co-Facilitators. The purpose of this tool was to put the various paragraphs of the Geneva negotiating text into three parts, with clear options. Relevant capacity-building sections of the above mentioned tool are available below.

• Part One (80 kB) , entitled “Draft Agreement”, contained provisions that are appropriate for inclusion in an agreement.
• Part Two (116 kB) of the tool, entitled “Draft decision”, featured provisions that are appropriate for inclusion in a decision.
• Remaining provisions were allocated in Part Three (153 kB) of the tool, entitled “Provisions whose placement requires further clarity among Parties in relation to the draft agreement or draft decision”.

The Co-Chairs Tool contain also a section on the work programme for the interim period pending the entry into force of the agreement (7 kB) .

Party outputs of the facilitated meetings on capacity-building were captured in a working document (137 kB) .

The forty-second session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 42)

Negotiations

At SBI 42, informal consultations on capacity-building under the Convention (agenda sub-item 9(a)) and capacity-building under the Kyoto Protocol (agenda sub-item 9(b)) were co-facilitated by Mr. Bubu Jallow (The Gambia) and Mr. Kunihiko Shimada (Japan). During this session Parties considered the issue of capacity-building for developing countries and discussed the terms of reference for the third comprehensive review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in developing countries. As they could not conclude their consideration of these two areas, they agreed they would continue the discussions at SBI 43 (November–December 2015) on the basis of the draft texts contained in the annexes of documents FCCC/SBI/2015/L.15 and FCCC/SBI/2015/L.16.

The SBI requested the secretariat to organize a workshop back-to-back with a session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, with a view to further discussing potential ways to enhance capacity-building activities as expressed by Parties during this session.

The ninth part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP2-9)

Negotiations

At ADP2-9, negotiations on capacity-building on item 3. (a) Matters related to paragraphs 2 to 6 of decision 1/CP.17 (Workstream 1) were co-facilitated by Mr. Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu (Democratic Republic of Congo) and Mr. Artur Runge-Metzger (European Union).

During the June session Parties had the first opportunity to begin negotiating on the basis of the Geneva negotiating text (FCCC/ADP/2015/1). Party inputs to the negotiations as well as the outputs of the facilitated meetings on capacity-building were captured in two non-papers: a working document (171 kB) and a streamlined and consolidated text (163 kB) .

The eighth part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 2.8)

Negotiations

During ADP 2.8, Parties met to continue their work to advance the draft text of a new climate change agreement. The capacity-building elements for a draft negotiating text contained in the annex to decision 1/CP.20 were considered by the contact group, whose work is captured in the texts below.

Section I. Capacity-Building - 11/02.2015_REV@2030

Section I. Capacity-Building - 10/02/2015@1445

The forty-first session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 41)

Negotiations

At SBI 41, informal consultations on capacity-building under the Convention (agenda sub-item 13(a)) and capacity-building under the Kyoto Protocol (agenda sub-item 13(b)) were co-facilitated by Mr. Bubu Jallow (The Gambia) and Ms. Ulrika Raab (Sweden).

During these consultations, Parties welcomed the Summary report of the 3rd meeting of the Durban Forum and discussed the need to establish new institutional arrangements for capacity-building. Parties could not conclude on the latter issue, and decided to continue consideration of the matter at the next SBI session in June 2015, with a view to recommending a draft decision for consideration and adoption by the Conference of the Parties at its twenty-first session (November–December 2015) and a draft decision for consideration and adoption by the Conference of the Parties serving as meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol at its eleventh session.

Conclusions adopted by the SBI in Lima are contained in documents FCCC/SBI/2014/L.40 (Capacity-building under the Convention) and FCCC/SBI/2014/L.41 (Capacity-building under the Kyoto Protocol).

The 40th session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 40)

Negotiations

At SBI 40, Parties resumed, but did not conclude, discussions suspended in Warsaw (SBI 39) on capacity-building for developing countries under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol. They agreed to continue working on this matter at SBI 41 (Lima, December 2014) on the basis of the draft decision texts contained in the annexes to documents FCCC/SBI/2014/L.13 and FCCC/SBI/2014/L.14, with a view to recommending draft decisions for consideration and adoption at COP 20 / CMP 10.

The fourth part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 2.4)

Negotiations

During ADP 2.4, Parties continued discussing issues regarding capacity-building, including on transparency requirements

The thirty-ninth session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 39)

Negotiations

During SBI 39, Parties considered the summary report on the 2nd meeting of the Durban Forum and matters related to the capacity-building for developing countries under the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol. As they did not conclude their discussions, Parties decided to continue negotiating capacity-building matters at the next SBI session (SBI 40, June 2014). The basis for these discussions would be the draft decision texts contained in the annexes of draft conclusions, one under the Convention and the second under the Kyoto Protocol. The objective was to recommend, draft decisions for consideration and adoption by the Conference of the Parties at its twentieth session, and by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol at its tenth session (December 2014).

The third part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 2-3)

Negotiations

Capacity-building was discussed during ADP 2-3. Parties emphasized the importance of capacity-building, including the need to explore institutional arrangements, enhance country ownership, focus on development priorities and facilitate the implementation of transparency requirements. Such discussions are captured in the note by the Co-Chairs, ‘Reflections on progress made at the third part of the second session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action and on its work in 2014’, available here

The thirty-eighth session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 38)

Negotiations

SBI 38 opened on 3 June and closed on Friday, 14 June, without governments formally adopting an agenda for the body’s work at this two-week session.

Other

The 2nd meeting of the Durban Forum on Capacity Building took place on 4 and 6 June, co-facilitated by Helen Plume (New Zealand) and Kishan Kumarsingh (Trinidad and Tobago). More information on this meeting is available here.

The thirty-seventh session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 37)

Negotiations

Under SBI 37, Parties concluded the third review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in countries with economies in transition. This resulted in the adoption of decisions on the implementation of the framework in these countries under the Convention (decision 21/CP.18) and under the Kyoto Protocol (decision 11/CMP.8).

The review found that significant progress has been made in building the capacity of countries with economies in transition to mitigate and adapt to climate change. It further found that some of these countries are no longer only recipients of assistance but have also started to transfer their own expertise, knowledge and lessons learned on capacity-building to developing countries. Notwithstanding progress made, the decisions recognize the need for further capacity-building in these counties, in particular for developing and implementing low-carbon development strategies and for carrying out their commitments under the Kyoto Protocol. The fourth review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in countries with economies in transition would take place in 2017.

Under the SBI, Parties further agreed that the Durban Forum on capacity-building, established by the Conference of the Parties (COP) in 2011 (decision 2/CP.17), also provides an appropriate arrangement for sharing experiences and exchanging ideas, best practices and lessons learned for capacity-building activities related to the Kyoto Protocol. The relevant CMP decision is 10/CMP.8.

Parties also discussed the possibility of establishing a work programme on capacity-building under the Convention for developing countries as contained in document FCCC/SBI/2012/L.42, and agreed to continue deliberations on this issue at the Bonn Climate Change Conference in June 2013, with a view to recommending a draft decision for adoption by COP 19.

The second part of the fifteenth session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA 15-2)

Negotiations

The Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-Term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) concluded its work in Doha. In the agreed outcome pursuant to the Bali Action Plan (decision 1/CP.18), the COP recognized the success of the first meeting of the Durban Forum and decided that the second meeting shall explore ways to enhance the implementation of capacity-building at the national level. The relevant COP decision is 1/COP.18.

The fifteenth session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA 15)

Negotiations

In Bangkok, Parties discussed whether or not the negotiations on capacity-building issues under the AWG-LCA should continue. The work of the AWG-LCA is expected to come to an end in December as the focus of international negotiations begins to shift beyond 2012. Issues that reemerged at the AWG-LCA session in Bangkok included the development of performance indicators and modalities for evaluation of capacity-building activities, as well as the provision of financial resources to support this work. Details on Parties’ exchanges can be found in the informal overview note of the Chair.

The thirty-sixth session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 36)

Negotiations

SBI 36 initiated a third review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in countries with economies in transition. The texts of draft decisions, agreed unanimously during the discussions, were recommended by the SBI for adoption in Doha.

The first Durban Forum on Capacity-building

The Bonn conference helped raise the profile of capacity-building in the climate change process. One of the highlights was the inaugural meeting of the Durban Forum on Capacity-building.
The meeting shed light on the capacity-building work that has been happening on the ground and the challenges that lay ahead. It gave voice to more than 200 participants from diverse backgrounds who came together to share experiences and good practices in building the capacity of developing countries to address the causes and effects of climate change.
Participants and presenters spoke about the need to create a snowball effect, whereby capacity-building action builds on itself, becoming larger and more effective as it goes. Some of them also highlighted the need for country-driven action, as well as for the right project in the right place.
Read the summary report of the meeting here.

The fifteenth session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA 15)

AWG-LCA 15 noted the success of the first meeting of the Durban Forum. Some Parties highlighted the need to further discuss the implementation of capacity-building and the use of performance indicators to monitor and assess capacity-building. More details on the discussions can be found in the oral report of the AWG-LCA Chair.

The thirty-fifth session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 35)

Negotiations

Under SBI 35, Parties concluded the second review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in developing countries. This resulted in the adoption of decisions on capacity-building under the Convention and under the Kyoto Protocol. The review found that progress was made with respect to capacity-building in developing countries but many gaps still remain. The review also reaffirmed that capacity-building should be a continuous process that is participatory, country-driven and consistent with national priorities and circumstances. A third comprehensive review of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in developing countries would begin in June 2015 and should conclude by December the following year.

The fourth part of the fourteenth session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA 14-4)

Negotiations

Under AWG-LCA 14-4, Parties agreed to a decision that requests the SBI to continue working on ways to further enhance the monitoring and review of the effectiveness of capacity-building, including through the newly created Durban Forum on capacity-building. The COP decided that the Durban Forum would take the form of an annual, in-session event open to the participation of Parties, experts and practitioners from United Nations organizations, as well as representatives from the private sector, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations, including research and academia. The meetings of the Forum would give them the opportunity to exchange ideas and share experiences, lessons learned and good practices on the implementation of capacity-building activities in developing countries.

The decisions on capacity-building adopted in Durban by the COP and CMP reaffirm the importance of gender and acknowledge the role and needs of youth and persons with disabilities in capacity-building activities.

The second part of the fourteenth session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA 14-2)

Parties focused their discussion under AWG-LCA 14-2 on two issues that needed to be considered at the Durban Climate Change Conference at the end of 2011, namely: ways to further enhance the monitoring and review of the effectiveness of capacity-building and modalities regarding institutional arrangements for capacity-building. Parties noted difficulties in accessing and/or providing adequate information on capacity-building for purposes of its monitoring and review. For Annex I Parties, capacity-building is well integrated in projects on mitigation and adaptation and it is therefore a challenge to extract information on funding dedicated specifically to capacity-building. For non-Annex I Parties, lack of capacity and weak institutions at the national level impede the reporting on capacity-building activities undertaken and support received. A summary of the discussions held during the meetings is contained in a note by the facilitator.

The thirteenth session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA 13)

Negotiations

Under the AWG-LCA, Parties reached agreement on a number of capacity-building issues, captured in decision 1/CP.16 (pages 22-23).

Issues included:

• Scope and principles of capacity-building
• Provision of financial resources for capacity-building
• Reporting by Annex I Parties on support to developing countries in building their capacity
• Reporting by non-Annex I Parties on progress in building capacity and on the use of the support received

The COP requested the AWG-LCA to consider the following unresolved issues by COP 17/CMP 7:

• Ways to enhance monitoring and review of capacity-building
• Modalities for institutional arrangements for capacity-building