Nigeria has welcomed the progress made in the first week of the ongoing intersessional climate talks under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) taking place in Bonn, Germany from April 30 to 10 May, 2018.

Head of a four-man Nigerian delegation to the summit and Director, Department of Climate Change in the Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr Peter Tarfa, disclosed in a document made available to EnviroNews on Saturday, May 5, 2018 that the country was ready for constructive discussions in the next week to ensure progress in the Bonn session, which is aimed to further develop the guidelines needed to fully implement the Paris Climate Change Agreement, and also consider the outcome of the Talanoa Dialogue.

According to Tarfa, Nigeria’s stand, which aligns with that of the African Group of Negotiators, are that:

• A common timeframe is important to allow for clarity, transparency and agreeability of NDCs. The two hours at this session were not enough for Parties to exchange their views and engage on substantial elements in this Agenda item. To ensure that we don’t lose the progress made in this session. We recommend that an informal note is produced by the co-facilitators or an annex with elements discussed in this agenda item is attached to the procedural conclusions.
• Further work on the synergies between the two registries, through an in-session workshop to be held in Bangkok to allow Parties to exchange views on these two Agenda items to allow for further clarity.
• Extension of the mandate of the Consultative Group of Experts (CGE). The CGE is a critical body that has assisted countries to improve the reporting quality over the years. There is need for flexible to allow for the extension of the mandate of the CGE. Of course, conversion of this body into a permanent body of the Convention will be most welcome to Nigeria.
• Status of compilation, submission, synthesis and review of the national communications and biennial reports from Parties included in Annex I to the Convention. Five Parties have not submitted the documents that make the synthesis of the information contained in the national communications and biennial reports by the Secretariat incomplete. Future actions on the ambition to cut down emissions further will depend on the adequacy of information provided by Parties. Annex I Parties should lead by example in demonstrating discipline in adhering to the climate change multilateral treaty requirements.
• Nigeria welcomes progress on arrangements of intergovernmental meetings discussions. We hope further information regarding preparations of COP24/CMP14/CMA1.3 particularly plans to invite Heads of State and Government to Katowice will be provided early enough. We believe discussions on frequency of the sessions be held after 2020 when clarity of the implementation of Paris Agreement is clear.

Key focus of the meeting in Bonn entails making progress related to the completion of tasks concerning the implementation of the Paris Agreement (PA) known as Paris Agreement Work Programme (PAWP) and a set of decisions required to operationalise the Paris Agreement. The work is to be completed at the Katowice Climate Change Conference in December 2018, and a good technical progress will be required at the Bonn session to achieve the objective.

Related discussions in the negotiations focused on:

• Information that could improve the clarity, transparency, and understanding of NDCs (APA);
• Features of the NDCs (APA);
• Accounting for the NDCs (APA);
• The transparency framework for action and support, which includes reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and financial support provided to developing countries (APA);
• Matters relating to the global stocktake (APA);
• Common timeframes for NDCs (SBI);
• Modalities and procedures for the NDC registry (SBI), and
• Agriculture (SBI and SBSTA).

Other important themes in the PAWP being discussed in Bonn include:

• The committee to facilitate implementation and promote compliance under the Paris Agreement (APA);
• Accounting of financial resources provided and mobilised through public interventions (SBSTA);
• Recognising developing countries’ adaptation efforts (SBI and SBSTA);
• Adaptation communication (APA);
• The forum on the impact of the implementation of response measures (SBI and SBSTA); and
• Cooperative approaches under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which include market and non-market based approaches (SBSTA).

A major issue in Bonn, the Talanoa Dialogue, is a global conversation about the efforts to combat climate change involving both parties and non-party stakeholders. The COP launched the Talanoa Dialogue at COP23 and established the “Fiji Momentum for Implementation,” a decision that gives prominence to pre-2020 implementation and ambition.

The Dialogue focuses on three questions related to countries’ efforts to combat climate change: Where are we? Where do we want to go? How do we get there? Its preparatory phase started in January 2018 and will last until December, followed by a political phase at the COP24 in Katowice, Poland.

In line with the decision of the COP that requested all parties to hold national dialogues, Nigeria plans to hold its National Dialogue after the Bonn session through assessment exercise under the Global Stocktaking Exercise of Climate Action of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

According to Tarfa, all information gathered will feed into the UNFCCC global stocktaking portal where it will be highlighted in the UNFCCC Synthesis Report which will be released by the end of 2018.

He disclosed that a two-day national stakeholders’ Stocktaking dialogue on climate action would hold in Abuja between September and October 2018, and will also provide an opportunity for party and non-party stakeholders to discuss extensively on the progress of #ClimateActionNG, and available opportunities for improvement using the Talanoa Dialogue methodology.

The Polish Presidency to the upcoming 24th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP24) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) scheduled to hold December 2018 has been asked to step up its game for a successful COP by embracing an outcome that would deliver a political commitment for stronger ambition.

Speakers at a media session by the Climate Action Network (CAN) on Saturday, May 5, 2018 on the sidelines of the Bonn climate change conference wants emphasis placed on a strong rulebook and political commitment towards enhanced ambition.

“We have seen worrying signs that the Polish presidency thinks that it will sufficient just to get some kind of rulebook. Let’s be clear on this: if Poland wants to make the next COP a success and be seen as competent hosts, they need to work hard not only for a strong rulebook but also to ensure that the Talanoa Dialogue, the first review of the Paris Agreement, actually triggers much stronger climate commitments.  Currently we’re heading for 3 degrees C of warming rather than the 1.5 degrees C agreed in Paris and the window of opportunity to reverse this is swiftly closing,” the speakers said.

They reiterated that although negotiations started well on the first week of the summit, progress has however been slow.

They underlined the need to cut through the clutter to hash out some clear options on the negotiating text of the rulebook that countries can take forward in discussions in the run up to COP24 in Poland to ensure a strong outcome both on the Paris rulebook and a political outcome for stronger climate ambition.

Jens Mattias Clausen, from Greenpeace Nordic, said: “2018 is a crucial year in the fight against climate change and this session in Bonn has to set the right tone for the year ahead.  We need to see commitments from countries that they will scale up their ambition to stay on track with the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement. The Talanoa Dialogue this Sunday must act as the springboard for these new stronger commitments.”

On finance, the panel emphasised that the enabling factor to lay the groundwork for success at COP24 hinges on finance, which they say remains a crunch issue.

Countries, say the panellists, are yet to resolve key issues around Article 9.5 on predictability of finance and on biennial reporting on the status of financial support from developed countries.

Eddy Perez, International Policy Analyst, said: “Finance is an issue of trust. In Bonn, Parties should make sure this topic is sorted out and that by COP24, Article 9.5 is fully operational under the work programme of the Paris Agreement. While this has been a controversial issue at these negotiations, it is necessary that all countries engage constructively on this topic to address the legitimate questions, to engage on the process and on the information to be provided that still need to be resolved.

“We also encourage all developed countries to submit their biennial submissions on strategies and approaches as soon as possible. 9.5 is part of the work programme of the Paris Agreement.”

The outcome from the Suva Expert Dialogue last week to discuss loss and damage finance was a disappointment, added Perez, saying that it is necessary to carry forward the discussions to lay out a concrete road-map to support those impacted by climate change beyond just insurance.

With the Talanoa Dialogue set for Sunday, Fernanda De Carvalho, WWF Climate & Energy practice policy manager International, said the Dialogue must be seen as a real opportunity to highlight actions linked to enhanced ambition, fully supported by the political will to take outcomes from the Dialogues forward.
He said: “To change the world, we must start with changing ourselves. That is why the Talanoa Dialogue is an important process. We hope this innovative approach inspires governments with new ideas of how to reduce emissions. The outcome of this process must lay the road to COP24 in terms of commitments to revising and improving their Nationally Determined Contributions by 2020. This will determine the future for generations today and in the future.”

The CAN is a global network of over 1,200 NGOs working to promote government and individual action to limit human-induced climate change to ecologically sustainable levels.

The opening meeting of the Talanoa Dialogue took place in Bonn, Germany during the week, inviting all participants to share stories around climate ambition and to have solutions-oriented conversations on contributions to the Paris Agreement’s goals at the “May talanoas” on Sunday, May 6, 2018.

The Talanoa Dialogue is an important international conversation around ambition now, before 2020 and in the future. It will take place throughout 2018 and was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP23) held in Bonn at the end of last year under the presidency of Fiji.

The dialogue was introduced by Ambassador Daunivalu of the COP23 presidency, as well as by Mr. Chruszczow, Special Envoy for Climate Change of the incoming Polish presidency for COP24, to be held in Katowice, Poland in December this year.

The dialogue will aim to check progress, reaffirm the goals of the Paris Agreement and aim to find solutions for how countries can increase their ambition now and in the next round of their national climate action plans, officially termed “Nationally Determined Contributions”.

At the opening meeting, Ambassador Daunivalu invited all participants to register for the May 6 talanoas and to engage in the dialogue in good will, being bold yet respectful in their story-telling and to use this opportunity to increase ambition.

As per tradition in the Pacific region, the goal of a ‘talanoa’ is to share stories to find solutions for the common good. The Talanoa Dialogue in the context of the international climate change process will invite participants to share stories of three minutes each to find solutions for the global common good.

To illustrate this tradition to delegates gathered in Bonn, Fiji’s Climate Change Champion, Mr. Seruiratu told a three-minute story of how Fiji had been battered by three cyclones in a period of about two months. Tragically, the cyclones had claimed lives and in one region, it had rained more in four hours than usually falls in the period of a month. “Many Fijians now live in constant fear of the weather and worse to come,” he concluded.

Ms. Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, reminded delegates of the urgency of raising ambition in her opening remarks. “A 3 degrees Celsius rise will lead to nothing less than global destabilization. It will cost lives. It will increase instability and conflict, especially in places already undergoing economic, political and social stress”, she warned.

“Put another way, climate change will take every challenge we currently face and multiply them. The Talanoa Dialogue can help boost ambition,” she added.

The dialogue is structured around three questions:

1. Where are we?
2. Where do we want to go?
3. How do we get there?

This first phase of the Fiji-led dialogue will write history when countries and non-Party stakeholders including cities, businesses, investors and regions engage in interactive story-telling around these three questions for the first time on May 6. The event can be followed via webcast https://talanoadialogue.com/sunday-talanoas

Additionally, since the beginning of 2018, countries and non-Party stakeholders have had the opportunity to provide written submissions around these three questions. These submissions are an important resource that has been collated into an overview report, which can be viewed here.

The output from all submissions, as well as from the story-telling conversations on May 6 will feed into the Talanoa Dialogue’s second, more political phase at COP24.

A report-back session to share the highlights of the 6 May talanoas with all conference participants will take place on May 8.

The Fiji presidency has encouraged national and regional talanoas throughout the year and across the globe to feed into the Talanoa Dialogue. For example, story-telling at city and regional level will take place in 40 countries around the world. So-called “Cities and Regions Talanoa Dialogues’’ will be facilitated by ICLEI -Local Governments for Sustainability with Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy and UN-Habitat as special partners.

The environment around us is an essential part of human survival. I like to believe that people who do not care about the environment simply do not understand how important it is to all of us, and that it probably does not affect them directly. These are my reasons why we should be concerned about the environment.

A clean environment is essential for healthy living

The more you don’t care about the environment, the more it will become polluted with contaminants and toxins that have a harmful impact on our health. Air pollution can cause respiratory diseases and cancer, among other problems. Water pollution can lead to typhoid, diarrheal diseases, and other ailments. The local authorities have to promote caring for the environment.

Earth is warming

For the sake of our children and our future, we must do more to combat climate change, adapt to its impact and mitigate its effects.

Children yet unborn will appreciate it

There is the need to look ahead into the future, there must be a realisation of the fact that there are attendant consequences if we waste and destroy natural resources, and unsustainably exhaust the land – instead of using it in a way that will increase its usefulness. So it is our duty to leave the Earth in a better state that we met for the unborn generation.

Biodiversity is key

Biological diversity or biodiversity refers to the variety of plants, animals, and other living things in our world. It can be negatively influenced by habitat loss and degradation due to human activity, climate change, and pollution, among other things.

Planet earth is our home

Until when technology makes it possible for human being to permanently reside in space or any other planet, the Earth for now is our home – it is where we live, so we had better take good care of it. For sure, we would be doing our world and ourselves a lot of good if we do the simplest things in our home or wherever we find ourselves to make this a reality.

What can we do?

The problems we are facing now are tough. However, the good news is that, you don’t have to be an expert or a millionaire to save the Planet – everyone can help to do their bit for the environment. In other words, if each of us can be more conscious of environmental issues and willing to take some simple steps to save the Planet, we can make a huge difference.

Nowadays, with increasing environmental awareness among the public, people around the world are coming together to fight for a greener future, and the effort has been yielding great results. As a pioneering member of environmental advocacy community, Better World International, is always committed to improve and take care of our immediate environment, by providing practical tips to its members on the things they can do to live more sustainably and save the Earth.

By Olumide Idowu (Team Lead, Climate Wednesday; @OlumideIDOWU)

Farmers are among the first victims of climate change as they rely on the weather and the environment in its entirety for their production and livelihoods.

But until the last climate meeting in Bonn in November 2017, agriculture had been missing from the decisions of the Conference of Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The COP23 decision on agriculture, also known as the Koronivia Decision on Agriculture, which took five years of discussions to reach, is a turning point for small-holder farmers.

It indeed provides hope for farmers and processors in developing economies as it will deliver meaningful action on adaptation to adverse effects of climate change on agriculture.

“Agriculture is now being looked at as a sustainable development issue,” said Mithika Mwenda of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA). “We look at climate change not just as a scientific issue but it is an agricultural issue; it affects livelihoods of the people, it’s a human rights issue”.

Climate vulnerabilities across value-chain commodities affect farmers. The financial and technological needs of farmers to adapt are therefore as critical as the mitigation technics to reduce greenhouse gas emissions of the agricultural sector.

However, Parties and observers to the climate talks now have two years to work on bold actions needed in agriculture before more specific ones are agreed upon in 2020.

African civil society and partners believe it is now time to evaluate how the UNFCCC can provide ways for farmers and agro-processors to adapt to climate change, increase their resilience with technology transfer, information dissemination, leverage finance and capacity building.

At the ongoing Bonn Climate Talks, CUTS International and PACJA jointly convened a group of agriculture and climate experts, working across Africa, to reflect on the challenging road towards advancing decisions on the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture.

During the event, the panelists brought greater focus on integrating African agriculture sector challenges into the joint work. The panel included Mithika, Martial Bernoux of the Food & Agriculture Organisation, Catherine Mungai from the CGIAR Research Programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security as well as George Wamukoya, Expert & Consultant on Climate Change and Agriculture.

They explored how developing countries can take the process forward to effectively deal with the impacts of climate change on their agriculture.

Mithika observed the need to inspire a bottom-up approach in the discus to get local communities and farmer groups engaged in the process.

“In the next couple of months, we’ll like to mobilise communities at the local level because we want to make this very practical,” he said.

As an observer, CUTS International has submitted proposals to the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture, which explore the socio-economic and food security dimensions of climate change in developing countries’ agricultural sector.

According to the non-profit NGO, the concerns and needed related to agriculture and food security “must be heeded by all Partners by agreeing to bold actions that support developing countries and LDCs in order to enhance their agriculture resilience in facing climate adverse effects and ensuring an agricultural development that is conscious of not only its environmental, but also social and economic impacts”.

Courtesy: PAMACC News Agency