An overview of climate change and preparation for Glasgow UNFCCC 2021

1. August
2020
Preparing for Glasgow
Climate Change
Conference
United Nations climate talks and its relevance to us
campaigners
Felix Dodds, Adjunct Professor
University of North Carolina

2. 2
UNFCCC – quick recap
• Two World Climate Conferences
• 1979 – led to the creation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
• 1990 - led to the establishment of the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC)
• Earth Summit in 1992
• UNFCCC signed (165 countries – currently 196)
• Needed 50 ratifications by national parliaments to come in force (December 1994)
• Kyoto (1996)
• Developed countries agree to set binding emission reductions targets. (55 countries – 55% of world
emissions) (2004)
• Copenhagen (2010) – Climate Accord – (not binding)
• $100 billion by 2020, establishes the Green climate fund, ALL countries to report,
• Paris (2015) –
• $100 billion (2020) and keeping global average temperature to well below 2°C (1.5°C) [55 countries –
55% of world emissions] (November 2016)

3. 3
How does the UNFCCC work
• To attend the meetings your
organization must be
accredited to the UNFCCC
• The UNFCCC meets annually
and usually has two or three
preparatory meetings before
the conference
• The meetings are organized
around elements in the
Convention, Kyoto, and the
Paris Agreement
• Bonn 31 May – 10 June
• Italy October 2021
• UNFCCC Glasgow 1-12
November 2021
• Other key meetings for 2021
• UN General Assembly – Climate
Week September 2021
• G7 UK hosted (date TBC) NGO 7,
Youth 7, Women 7, Labour 7,
Business 7, Think Tanks 7,
Science 7,
• G20 Italy hosted (date TBC) –
Civil 20, Business 20, Labour20,
Women’s 20, Think 20, Urban 20

4. How to engage:
Stakeholder
organizations
4
• BINGO: Business and industry NGOs
• ENGO: Environmental NGOs
• Farmers: Farmers and agricultural
NGOs
• IPO: Indigenous peoples organizations
• LGMA: Local government and municipal
authorities
• RINGO: Research and independent
NGOs
• TUNGO: Trade union NGOs
• WGC: Women and gender constituency
• YOUNGO: Youth NGOs

5. Case Study Water
and Climate
Coalition
5
2007: Create a multi-stakeholder global coalition
2008: Scope out the UNFCCC process
2009: Seek text in Copenhagen outcome text
(a) Organize side events
(b) Set up Friends of Climate and Water member
state group
(c) Publish a daily magazine
(d) Have text ready for member states
(e) Lobby from 7am to 10pm daily
2010: Secured text in the Cancun plenary outcome
2011: Workshops at UNFCCC on meeting organized by
UNFCCC on water and climate for national adaptation
plans

6. Why attend
UNFCCC?
6
• To influence the text that will be
negotiated (inside and outside);
• To build and cultivate alliances for future
work;
• To show case studies of successes that
your organization has achieved;
• To learn about how intergovernmental
negotiations work; and
• To raise funds for your work.

7. 7
UNFCCC agenda for the next
meeting
• Revision of the UNFCCC reporting guidelines on
annual inventories for developed countries to the
Convention; and outline for the modalities,
procedures and guidelines for the transparency
framework
• Common metrics to calculate the carbon dioxide
equivalence of greenhouse gases; and
• Emissions from fuel used for international aviation
and maritime transport.
• Land use, land-use change and forestry
• Market and non-market mechanisms under the
Convention:
• Where are we on National Determined
Contributions (country targets) and the Green
Climate Fund

8. UK gov aims for
Glasgow
8
• All countries to submit more ambitious Nationally
Determined Contributions, committing to further
cuts in carbon emissions by 2030.
• All countries to commit to reach net zero
emissions as soon as possible.
• Developed countries to honour their
commitments, including meeting the 100-billion
dollar goal for climate finance.
• Seeking to agree a package which takes forward
the Paris Agreement.

9. UK gov priority
areas
9
• Clean energy:
• low costs of renewables to boost growth
and create jobs
• Clean transport:
• investing in zero-emission transport
nature-based solutions
• Adaptation and resilience:
• into our recovery plans
• Finance:
• align our public and private finance

10. 10
Possible outcomes
• National Determined Contributions
• further cuts in carbon emissions by
2030 and to reaching net zero as
soon as possible.
• Clean energy
• low costs of renewables to boost
growth and create jobs.
• Clean transport
• Air fuel – waste to energy, synthetic
fuels.
• Ocean - ammonia used as fuel is
that it contains no carbon.
• Cars-lorries – electric (Norway 40%
new cars are electric).
• Adaptation and resilience:
• into our recovery plans, we can better
prepare for the next crisis while
supporting the global economy.
• Finance
• $100 billion
• Private sector finance – Green Bonds,
SDG Public Private Partnerships –
People First.
• Coalition of the Willing
• America’s Pledge - states, cities and
businesses and other non-national
actors.
• US Climate Alliance.

11. 11
Campaigning focus
• Know Your Own Goals
• Know the agenda being discussed
• Know the Decision-making Process in Your
Country
• Know When To Work at What Level
• Know the Decision-making Context
• Know the Tools at Your Disposal
• Know When To Make Your Position
• Know the Government Officials
• Know the Key UN Officials
• Know Your Allies
• Know Your Adversaries

12. THANK YOU!
Felix Dodds
September workshop on lobbying in UN Meetings (TBC)
Web site
www.felixdodds.net
Email
felix@felixdodds.net