Belem: The COP30 Presidency has released a summary note outlining four key issues that remain unresolved after recent consultations. One of the most critical points is Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement, which clearly states that developed countries are required to provide financial support to developing nations for both climate mitigation and adaptation.
How this obligation is interpreted, and whether developed countries agree to stronger, clearer commitments, will be a major focus of negotiations this week, especially for developing countries such as India.
This summary will further form the basis for a package out of Belem, the Presidency has said.
On Article 9.1, the summary provides three options: (1) a three-year Belem work programme and Action Plan on the implementation of Article 9.1, tripling adaptation finance, establishing fair burden-sharing arrangements; (2) achievement of the USD 100 billion in 2022, New Collective Quantified Goal, fully covers the commitment of developed countries to provide support to developing countries, welcome the efforts to reform the international financial architecture, including MDBs’ reform; (3) reaffirm NCQG and resolve to accelerate implementation, with developed countries taking the lead in delivery on USD 300 billion and noting ‘Baku to Belem Roadmap to USD 1.3T’.
HT had reported on Sunday that a summary of countries’ views will be published on Sunday on rich and developing country views on some of the most debated issues.
The other two are: responding to the status report on nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and addressing the 1.5°C emissions and implementation gap; and reporting and review pursuant to Article 13 of the Paris Agreement, including synthesis of biennial transparency reports — priorities for small island nations and developed countries such as the EU.
On the issue of unilateral trade measures, another concerning issue for India which it has been raising in the past few COPs also, the first option is to implement and operationalise Article 3.5 of the Convention, including through an annual dialogue on climate change-related trade restrictive unilateral trade measures. Article 3.5 of the UNFCCC states that parties should cooperate to promote a supportive and open international economic system that would lead to sustainable economic growth and development in all Parties. The second option is to hold discussions related to cross-border impacts of climate policies to continue being addressed under response measures forum, while the third option is to hold roundtables on the nexus between trade and climate change in 2026 and 2027, with outputs serving as inputs to second global stocktake. The fourth option is of parties introducing a climate-related trade measure (e.g., green standards) for consultations under the UNFCCC (potential role WTO, UNCTAD, etc), while the last option is to create a platform on climate-related trade measures for understanding the cross-border impacts on developing countries.
Observers said developing countries will not accept roundtables or dialogues on this matter since it is of huge consequence for their economies.
On addressing the NDC gap, again there are 5 options with some of them being consequential. For example, one of the options is annual consideration of the NDC and biannual transparency report synthesis report. Exploration of opportunities, barriers and enablers to achieve the global efforts agreed in the context of the first GST, notably by tripling renewable energy and doubling energy efficiency by 2030; (2) accelerate action to transition away from fossil fuels and halting and reverting deforestation. Link to action agenda; (3) COP30 Presidency to re-invigorate Mission 1.5, working inclusively with parties, sub-national actors, civil society, and the private sector, to develop a 1.5°C response plan to address the pre 2030 action and ambition gaps; (4) Invites COP Presidencies to develop the roadmap to identify opportunities to accelerate the implementation of, and international cooperation and investment in NDCs, to close the gaps; convene a Coalition of Climate Ministers to inform the roadmap to be published before COP31 and present findings at the annual high-level roundtable on pre-2030 ambition at COP31; (5) high-level roundtable discussion on the mitigation, adaptation and finance gaps in relation to keeping 1.5°C alive, among others.
“The Presidency identified a high degree of convergence and alignment emerging both from written and oral inputs. The Presidency sees an opportunity for this summary to serve as a preliminary glimpse of where an overall package of outputs from the consultations could emerge from parties. Where we saw potential divergence of views, we tried to reflect them in options that could be taken by parties as either mutually supportive or mutually excluding, as they see fit. In the Presidency consultations on November 17, we will invite parties to reflect on balance and potential misrepresentation of topics within or outside of options, to ensure our process continues guided by what parties feel is the right direction and pace,” the summary stated.