UNFCCC secretariat, Conference Affairs Services

Megumi Endo, Observer Organizations Liaison Officer

Observer participation in the UNFCCC process

The fourth session of the Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus ConventionChisinau, Moldova, 29 June 2011

Table of Content

• Levels of observer participation in UNFCCC process

• Conclusions of the SBI 34

• Aarhus recommendations to UNFCCC

• Conclusions

Historical Participation levels of COPs/CMPs

8691056

2044

9616140

2273

3865

3712

2112

2628

883

1653

2001

534

2215

3835

944

1819

1723

1086

2432

1569

459

1468

2089

795

1947

2698

506

2219

3147

785

2809

5848

817

2352

2933

663

3516

5815

1498

3969

4489

825

10591

13482

3221

5192

5386

1270

Participation breakdown

Media

Observers

Parties/Observer states

979

23

50328

3663

79

2357

120

1768

68 3552

107

1587

49

1327

1181858

102

2404

127

2888

965435

179

2533

161 4993

316

3869

252

12048

568

4560

351

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

COP 1 COP 2 COP 3 COP 4 COP 5 COP 6 COP 6.5 COP 7 COP 8 COP 9 COP 10 COP 11/CMP 1

COP 12/CMP 2

COP 13/CMP 3

COP 14/CMP 4

COP 15/CMP 5

COP 16/CMP 6

NGO IGO UN

Observers only

Cumulative number of admitted organizations

176

21

210

23

294

33

359

36

395

38

479

44

501

49

520

50

554

51

614

52

662

54

761

59

790

60

868

62

974

70

1319

83

1409

86

NGO IGO

Cumulative admissions of observer organizations

Progress made by SBI 34

Conclusions of SBI 34 June 2011 (→)

All Parties:

• → National level stakeholder engagement

Hosts of future COP/CMP:

• Size of venues (2010)→ recalledAarhus recommendation (ii)

• → Before and throughout the Presidency term

Progress made by SBI 34

Presiding officers:

• Contact Groups (1998)→ first and last informalAarhus recommendation (vi)

• Workshops (2002, 2007)→ presentations by observers

• Briefings (2009)→ welcome continuation→ observers to better utilize as dialogue platform

• Interventions (2004, 2007)→ seek opportunitiesAarhus recommendation (v)

Progress made by SBI 34

The secretariat where appropriate:• Submissions on web (2004, 2010)

→ web accessibility

• → Background documents

The secretariat if resourced:• Technical means of participation (2007, 2010)

→ welcomed efforts, web redesign

• → Name replacement during sessions exceptionally

• → More webcast

Progress made by SBI 34

SBI 36:• → Discuss options for new channels to formalize

observer inputsAarhus recommendation (xi)

Progress made by SBI 34

Other issues discussed by SBI:

• Guidelines for participation (2005)Aarhus recommendation (vii)

• Financial support by interested Parties (2004)Aarhus recommendation (x)

• Draft texts on the webAarhus recommendation (iv)

• Aarhus Convention and Almaty Guidelines upheld in UNFCCC’s well established practices (2007)

Other Aarhus recommendations

(i) Explicit roles in decision making → Mandates, HCA and ratified legal

instruments

(iii) Rooms not buildings → Online registration system→ Tickets to plenary halls

(viii) NGOs on Party delegation → On-going

Other Aarhus recommendations

(ix) Increase secretariat budget for observer participation→ No increase for observer liaison team

(xii) NGOs themselves need to get better organised→ Enhanced organization observed

(xiii) Interaction between UNFCCC and Aarhus Convention secretariats

→ UNFCCC in Aarhus workshops and the MOP

→ Aarhus secretariat’s practices shared→ SBI 34 & report on the good practices of

other UN processes

Conclusions

• Aarhus recommendations discussed and concluded

• Up to the Parties, collectively and individually

• Visible progress since 2004 discussions

• Message from the SBI Chair

• Continued exchange with the Aarhus Convention