IISD and the Conference of the Parties

IISD at COP 18

cop18

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) was in Doha, Qatar, for the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP 18) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from November 26 to December 8, 2012. Through our Reporting Services, IISD continued to supply the international community with daily updates and analysis on “what’s hot” at the COP 18 negotiations. Our Climate Change and Energy team worked with partners to promote global efforts that transition development pathways to clean energy and climate-resilient futures. And our Global Subsidies Initiative continued to build momentum for fossil fuel subsidy reform.

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 18, including on the topics of:



Low-Carbon Climate-Resilient Development: The Kenyan experience

Date: Monday, December 3, 2012

Time: 8:15pm–9:45pm

Place: Side Event Room 5

The side event showcased the low-carbon, climate-resilient pathway developed for Kenya's Climate Change Action Plan. Speakers provided information on the action plan, the low-carbon scenario assessment developed as the evidence base for identifying NAMAs and the process to embed climate change in the planning process. The side event included high-level participation by the Government of Kenya, IISD, ECN and CDKN.

The Private Sector and REDD+: Trends, challenges and opportunities

Date: Thursday, November 29, 2012

Time: 9:00am–10:15am

Place: Diplomatic Club, Doha, Qatar

The International Emissions Trading Association (IETA), in partnership with IISD and the ASB Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins at the World Agroforesty Centre (ASB–ICRAF) hosted a discussion exploring the role of the private sector in REDD+. As part of IETA’s Side Events at COP 18, this interactive panel discussion explored:

  • In the REDD+ supply chain, who are the private sector players and what are their motivations and types of interventions?
  • What are the current challenges for private sector engagement in REDD+?
  • How can private sector engagement in REDD+ be enhanced?

Speakers included:

  • Tony La LaViña, facilitator, Informal Group on REDD+ of LCA
  • Alfred Gichu, REDD+ readiness coordinator, Kenya Forest Service
  • Florence Bernard, program associate, ASB Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins
  • Armin Sanhoevel, CEO, Allianz Climate Solutions GmbH
  • Jonathan Shopley, managing director, The CarbonNeutral Company

Taming the Tiger: Guidelines on border carbon adjustment

Date: Thursday, November 29, 2012

Time: 3:15pm–4:30pm

Location: Diplomatic Club, Doha

When governments take strong unilateral action on climate change, they will always consider border carbon adjustment (BCA) as a means to deal with competitiveness and leakage issues. But while this tool appears straightforward, it is plagued by deeply complex problems in practice, including trade law considerations, methodological challenges and consistency with principles such as common but differentiated responsibility.

As part of IETA's Side Events at COP 18, this session presented the product of an international expert drafting group that wrestled with those issues and others for over two years: guidance on the elaboration and implementation of border carbon adjustment.

Principles for Climate Change Policy Design

Date: Friday, November 30, 2012

Time: 10:30am–12:30pm

Place: EU Pavilion, Qatar National Convention Centre

This event focused on principles of climate policy development that can help to maintain the competitiveness of the mining and metals industry in a low-carbon future. Discussions highlighted the results of two pieces of research commissioned by the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM): one on a comparative analysis of how different regulatory authorities' carbon pricing schemes may affect the competitiveness of the mining and metals industry; the other providing a comprehensive summary of current climate revenue recycling scheme. This work is intended to help position ICMM as constructive contributors in the space of national and international climate change policy development.

Speakers included:

  • John Drexhage (ICMM) – Introduction and “on the ground insights”
  • Aaron Cosbey (IISD) – National policies and competitiveness
  • Philip Summerton (Cambridge Econometrics) – Revenue recycling
  • Simone Cooper – KPMG global summary report
  • Robert Savage (Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Resource Development Government of Alberta, Canada) - Technology fund in Alberta

Fossil Fuel Subsidy Reform: Best practices and international governance opportunities

Date: Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Time: 1:00pm–3:00pm

Location: EU Pavilion

IISD's Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) jointly hosted a side event with the Friends of Fossil-Fuel Subsidy Reform group of countries. The panel, including ministers from the Friends countries (Denmark, New Zealand and Costa Rica), senior officials and experts from the OECD and World Bank, addressed best practices and opportunities for fossil fuel subsidy reform.

For further information on IISD's engagement at the COPs, please contact Jessica Boyle.