UNFCCC to showcase successful climate action through webinar series

Ahead of the fast approaching twenty-second Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP21/CMP12), that will take place in Marrakech, Morocco, the UNFCCC secretariat is organizing a series of four webinars to inform stakeholders and other interested Parties about the success story of countries’ national climate action plans, known as INDCs (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions) and NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions), as a major step forward in tackling climate change.

The webinars will have the following themes and the following dates:

The aggregate effect of climate action: Where do all INDCs take us?

(Wednesday 5 October)

The Paris Agreement in the longer term: Understanding the “NDC cycle”

(Tuesday 11 October)

Update on capacity building and support for implementing NDCs

(Tuesday 18 October)

Sharing information on the adaptation component of the INDCs

(Tuesday 25 October)

All four webinars will be 90 minutes in length and speakers will include UNFCCC secretariat staff, as well as representatives from countries and organizations. Each will conclude with a Q&A session.

Ahead of COP 21 in December 2015 in Paris, as part of the negotiating process, countries had submitted their climate action plans based on their national circumstances and interests, which were called INDCs (intended nationally determined contributions.) The COP mandated the UNFCCC secretariat to provide an update of the synthesis report on the aggregate effect of INDCs, which was published on 2 May 2016. The synthesis report along with all other related documents and information can be found on the UNFCCC website here. Understanding the aggregate effect of climate action will be the theme of the first webinar on Wednesday 5 October.

The Paris Agreement sets a goal to keep global warming below 2°C and to pursue further efforts to limit the rise to 1.5°C. It further aims to increase the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience and low GHG emissions development. To this end, each Party is requested to prepare, communicate and maintain successive nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and to pursue domestic mitigation measures with the aim of achieving the objectives of such contributions.

The long-term goals of the Paris Agreement will be achieved over time, which is why the Agreement implies a contribution cycle (NDC cycle) of successive NDC preparation, communication and implementation activities. Each NDC will be recorded in a public registry operated by the secretariat. On May 6, the secretariat launched the new interim NDC public registry. It is a fully transparent channel of communication where anyone can browse and search for information on what countries are doing to tackle climate change. More information on the NDC cycle, including the NDC interim registry, will be provided during the second webinar on Tuesday 11 October.

The Paris Agreement emphasizes the importance of cooperation in reaching the stated global temperature limitation goals. The secretariat is involved in several initiatives to enhance cooperation and support to developing country Parties to meet these targets. This will form the basis of the third webinar on Tuesday 18 October.

In addition to showcasing countries’ climate policies and actions to reduce emissions, NDCs also indicate policies and actions to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Sharing information on the adaptation component of the INDCs is the topic of the fourth webinar on Tuesday 25 October, which will conclude the current series.