Strengthening LDC Strategy in UNFCCC Negotiations

1. ecbi Title: LDC strategy in the UNFCCC negotiations Author: Pa Ousman Jarju european capacity building initiative initiative européenne de renforcement des capacités for sustained capacity building in support of international climate change negotiations pour un renforcement durable des capacités en appui aux négociations internationales sur les changements climatiques

2. The Least Developed Countries (LDCs) LDCs: Group of countries which, according to the United Nations, exhibits the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development, with the lowest Human Development Index ratings of all countries in the world. The latest classification, as of 1 January 2011, applies to 48 countries.

3. Special circumstances under the UNFCCC Article 4.9 “The Parties shall take full account of the specific needs and special situations of the least developed countries in their actions with regard to funding and transfer of technology.” (United Nations, 1992) LDCs special circumstances have been explicitly recognized in UNFCCC which requires Parties to take full account of the specific needs and special situations of the LDCs in their actions with regard to funding and transfer of technology.

4. Constraints LDCs face unique challenges in negotiating, planning and implementing climate change decisions due to : • Human, institutional, financial and technical resource constraints. • Under representation in the negotiations • Most LDC negotiators’ portfolios at the national level cover not only climate change issues, but also other environmental issues. They are also often required or expected to follow other Conventions or Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs).

5. Key challenges • Effective participation of LDC negotiators in the process • Better coordination within the group • Better understanding by the group members of the topics especially the new issues • Timely provision of submissions and proposals as a group • Discussion of views/positions as individual countries and harmonizing them towards joint positions in accordance with the overall progress of the negotiation • Having an appropriately report and feed back mechanism at country level • Inadequate capacity to follow-up issue for implementation at the country level

6. Strategic planning within the LDC group: -from reactive participation to more proactive participation -from following the process to driving the process The LDCs at the UNFCCC CHAIR Coordinators Core group advisers

7. Support • Efforts to mobilize partners to support LDCs within the UNFCCC negotiations (under the framework agreement to support the LDC chair) • Personal legal and technical advice to the chair • Advice on strategic planning and coordination between groups (e.g.- advice for better coordination between LDC and Africa and SIDS groups)

8. The supporting team The ‘friends of the chair’ • The thematic coordinators • A core team • Advisers • Members of the LDCs Support Unit of the UNFCCC secretariat

9. Focusing on key messages • Update of the key messages of LDCs • Position on the two tracks of the BAP • KP (Article 3.9 provisions), . • LDCs are strongly against any replacement of neither the Kyoto Protocol nor its merger with any new Agreement. • Reduction of GHG emissions by at least 45% below 1990 levels by 2020 and at least 95% below 1990 levels by 2050 in order to ensure GHG and aerosol concentration below 350 ppm CO2 equivalent and temperature rise below 1.50C.

10. Focusing on key messages cont. • AWGLCA • Shared Vision • Adaptation • Mitigation • Finance • Technology Transfer and capacity Building • LDCs paper series to be regularly published

11. Developing supportingtools • Booklets/ Synthesis documents to support the LDC group • UNFCCC decisions and documents to support LDCs negotiators (first version) • Key UNFCCC decision related to LDCs • Key documents of the UNFCCC process • The SBI conclusions related to LDCs ( in preparation) • Language • Proposed program to support non English speaking African negotiators • Paper series in French and English • Translations in workshops

12. Providing trainings • Capacity building workshops • Current ECBI workshop for west and central Francophone African countries • Upcoming workshop for Anglophone African LDCs and Asian LDCs • Individual capacity building through bursaries (subject specialists) • ‘Friends of the chair’ meeting in Panama • Pre COP meeting in Durban • Long term courses: oriented with in-depth content at preparatory session • Proposed legal residencies

13. Improving communications • Plans for better connection with media • Appointing a spokesperson for the LDC group • Improving communication within the group

14. LDC expectations for Durban • Decision for the implementation of the Cancun Adaptation Framework • Adaptation Committee to be operationalized • A process to enable LDCs formulate and implement NAPs and guidelines and modalities for LDCs and other developing countries • Commitment for a legally binding agreement under the LCA ( all the Bali Action Plan building blocks) • Commitment for the replenishment of the LDCF to enable the full implementation of NAPAs • Strong political commitment for a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol • Advanced steps for operationalization of the Standing Committee • Advanced documents from the Transitional Committee (TC) for the operationalization of the GCF