IISD and the Conference of the Parties

IISD at COP 17

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) was in Durban, South Africa for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from November 28 to December 9, 2011. At COP 17, IISD continued to work with the international community to promote global efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

IISD's activities, developments and news at COP were updated daily through our Climate Change Policy and Practice Knowledgebase.

IISD's Reporting Services provided coverage of:

IISD staff and associates were involved in a number of events and discussions at COP 17, including on the topics of:

Specific events in which IISD was involved included :

International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) Side Events at COP 17

Date: December 1–7, 2011

Click here (PDF - 453 KB) to view the conference program overview.

IISD's staff and associates participated in the following panels, organized by the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) as part of IETA's side event program:

Extracting the Truth: The Industrial Competitiveness Impacts on Mining and Metals of National Climate Policies

Date: Tuesday, December 6

Time: 8:30–9:45 a.m.

Description: This event explored the identification and treatment of energy-intensive trade-exposed industries in carbon pricing policies across the world. IISD's Peter Wooders participated in this panel discussion.

For Mining It's Not Just About Energy: Industry Insights on Climate Change and Its Impacts on Land and Water Management

Date: Tuesday, December 6

Time: 10:15–11:30 a.m.

Description: Participants shared experiences from the mining industry in developing impact scenarios for operations under different climate change scenarios and their role in sustainable land and water management. IISD Associate Deborah Murphy participated in this panel discussion.

Are You a NAMA? Looking at NAMA MRV Developments and Possible Futures

Date: Wednesday, December 7

Time: 3:30–4:45 p.m.

Description: Uncertainty and inconsistency shrouds the world of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Activities (NAMAs), despite the potentially important role these new market mechanisms might play in a post-2012 climate regime. How are NAMAs defined, and how might they be measured, reported, and verified (MRV) in a post-2012 climate regime? What might national and international NAMA MRV guidelines look like? Will there be different MRV requirements for domestic unilateral NAMAs and multi-lateral funded NAMAs? How might it be possible to compare NAMAs with co-benefit outcomes? These types of questions were addressed by expert panellists, including IISD Associate Deborah Murphy.

Working to Bridge the Gap: Canadian Actions to Address Climate Change at the Provincial Level

Date: Wednesday, December 7

Time: 2:00–3:15 p.m.

Location: IETA Side Event Venue, Standard Bank's Kingsmead Way office. Click here (PDF - 491 KB) to download a map.

Description: As part of IETA's side events at COP 17, IISD and IETA co-hosted an event that showcased initiatives and policies being planned and implemented by several Canadian provinces. This high-level panel discussion focused on the following themes:

  • Key elements and architecture of provincial actions
  • Opportunities and challenges for "bridging the gap" between subnational actions and national approaches
  • Future policy directions

Provincial panel members included:

  • The Honourable Terry Lake, Environment Minister, British Columbia
  • The Honourable Diana McQueen, Minister of Environment and Water, Alberta
  • Dan McInnis, Assistant Deputy Minister, Climate Change and Environmental Protection, Manitoba
  • Adam Redish, Director Air Policy and Climate Change, Ontario
  • Charles Larochelle, Assistant Deputy Minister, Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks, Quebec
  • Gerald Crane, Director, Office of Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Emissions Trading, Newfoundland and Labrador

The panel was moderated by Katie Sullivan, IETA’s Canadian Director, and also included a brief presentation by Dave Sawyer, Director of IISD’s Climate Change and Energy program.

Climate Change Programming in Fragile States: Exploring Policy Options and Tools

Date: Tuesday, December 6

Time: 12:30 –2:30 p.m.

Location: Garden Court Marine Parade Hotel, walking distance from the ICC.

Description: The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Climate Change and African Political Stability (CCAPS) program of the University of Texas at Austin hosted a panel discussion on the relationship between climate change and conflict, with a particular focus on such dynamics within fragile states. The event used case studies and mapping tools to identify priority areas and highlight some of the challenges and opportunities for programming in a fragile states context. The discussion explored potential entry points and approaches to programming for a range of international actors including those from the defence, peacebuilding, development and donor communities.

The side event included a presentation entitled “Climate Security and East Africa: A GIS-Based Analysis of Vulnerability” by CCAPS. Click here (PPTX - 27 MB) to download the presentation.

IISD's Food Security and Climate Change Initiative

Description: Including agriculture in an international climate change agreement could be an important way to encourage actions that improve food security and strengthen adaptive capacity while reducing greenhouse gas emissions—the triple dividend. IISD developed a series of five policy reports to further explore a number of critical issues related to agriculture and climate change. Drafts of these reports were available for review and comment at COP 17, with final versions to be released following COP 17. Visit IISD's Food Security and Climate Change Initiative web page here to download your copies.

Durban Trade and Climate Change Symposium (organized by ICTSD

Date: December 5–6

Location: Southern Sun North Beach Hotel, Durban

Description: As part of the Symposium, IISD's Trade, Investment and Climate Change (TRI-CC) team hosted a panel discussion on December 5 entitled "Trade Policy as Response Measures: Searching for Progress."

Click here to view the full conference program..

The Missing Piece? Climate Change Mitigation and the Benefits of Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform

Date: December 7

Time: 6:30–8:00 p.m.

Location: Room 5, UNFCCC Official Side Event

Description: IISD's Global Subsidies Initiative was a part of this official UNFCCC side event being hosted by New Zealand on behalf of the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidies Reform group. Experts and high-level representatives summarized international initiatives to reduce inefficient fossil fuel subsidies and discussed how the initiatives will benefit climate change mitigation. Political and social challenges, along with potential links to the UNFCCC, were discussed by ministers from the Friends of Fossil Fuel Subsidies Reform group. Speakers included ministers and/or senior officials from the Friends Group countries (Costa Rica, Denmark, Ethiopia, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland) as well as experts from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Global Subsidies Initiative.

Roundtable on Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform

Date: December 5

Time: 5:00–6:30 p.m.

Location: ICC Lower Level, Room 14

Description: How can fossil fuel subsidy reform benefit the UNFCCC process and become one of the early deliverables for climate finance? Can reporting and NAMAs become instrumental in this reform? A recent World Bank report shows that if developed countries transferred $10 billion from fossil fuel subsidies to climate finance, this could kick start the $100 billion Green Climate Fund and pay for real solutions that cut emissions, create jobs and help the most vulnerable countries adapt to climate change. As part of the Bellona Foundation's side event program, IISD's Global Subsidies Initiative co-hosted this panel discussion.

To view the Bellona Foundation's full side event program, click here (PDF - 333 KB).

Media Workshops for Reporters on Renewable Energy

Date: December 1–8

Location: U-Shaka Aquarium, Durban

Description: To help equip journalists to track and report on the renewable energy sector, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), in partnership with the South Africa Ministry of Energy and IISD, convened a series of media training workshops on the sidelines of COP 17. The sessions gathered top experts and political leaders to explore cutting-edge issues in a manner that is concise, concrete and focused on developing stories that will resonate with editors and the public. Participating journalists benefited from:

  • An opportunity to question leading authorities from government, the private sector and intergovernmental organizations on major issues facing the renewable energy sector
  • Guidance from experienced journalists on identifying story opportunities at the Durban COP and over the coming year
  • Background materials that brought together the most recent and credible facts and figures on renewable energy and tips for journalists

For further details and agendas from each workshop, click here (PDF - 304 KB)

Adaptation Partnership: Facilitative Group Meeting

Date: December 8

Time: 1:00–3:00 p.m.

Location: EU Pavilion

The goal of the Adaptation Partnership (AP) is to facilitate effective adaptation as a platform that catalyzes action and fosters communication among actors, and resilience around the world. The event presented an update of actions, workshops and studies carried out by AP in the last 12 months. Members of IISD's Adaptation and Risk Reduction team participated in this panel discussion.

China Pavilion Activities

Date: December 1–9

Time: Various.

Location: China Pavillion, ICC

IISD Board Member Jiahua Pan participated in several panel discussions and activities as part of China Pavilion Activities.

For a detailed agenda of all China Pavillion activities, click here (PDF - 343 KB).

For further information on IISD’s activities at COP 17, please contact Jessica Boyle.