Gender Mandates in Climate Policy

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling the relevant provisions of the Convention, in particular Article 4, paragraphs 1, 3 and 7, and Article 12, paragraphs 1, 4, 5 and 7,

Also recalling decisions 8/CP.5, 3/CP.8, 17/CP.8, 8/CP.11, 5/CP.15, 1/CP.16, 2/CP.17, 14/CP.17, 17/CP.18 and 18/CP.18,

Acknowledging that the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention has made a substantial contribution to improving the process of the preparation of national communications by Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (non-Annex I Parties) by providing technical advice and support and therefore enhancing the capacity of such Parties to prepare their national communications,

Recalling decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 60, that decided to enhance the reporting in national communications from non-Annex I Parties, and emphasizing that the Consultative Group of Experts could continue to provide technical advice and support for the preparation of biennial update reports,

Emphasizing the importance of providing relevant technical advice and support for the process of the preparation of national communications and biennial update reports, as well as the importance of providing a forum for non-Annex I Parties to share their experiences of this process,

Recognizing that developing countries require enhanced support in the process of enhanced reporting,

Also recognizing that the preparation of national communications and biennial update reports is a continuous process,

1. Decides to continue the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention for a period of five years from 2014 to 2018;

2. Also decides that the Consultative Group of Experts, in fulfilling its mandate, shall function in accordance with the revised terms of reference contained in the annex to this decision;

3. Further decides that the membership of the Consultative Group of Experts shall be the same as set out in decision 3/CP.8, annex, paragraphs 3–8;

4. Decides that the Consultative Group of Experts shall be composed of experts drawn from the UNFCCC roster of experts with expertise in at least one of the sections of national communications or biennial update reports in accordance with the relevant guidelines;

5. Encourages regional groups, in nominating their experts to the Consultative Group of Experts, to make every effort to ensure balanced representation in the areas of expertise referred to in paragraph 4 above, as well as take into account gender balance in accordance with decisions 36/CP.7 and 23/CP.18;

6. Requests the secretariat to publish the list of the members of the Consultative Group of Experts, including their respective area of expertise and experience relating to national communications and/or biennial update reports, and to notify the Subsidiary Body for Implementation of such appointments;

7. Also requests the Consultative Group of Experts to submit a progress report annually on its work to the Subsidiary Body for Implementation for its consideration at the sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation which are held in conjunction with the sessions of the Conference of the Parties;

8. Decides to review, at its twenty-second session (November–December 2016), the mandate and terms of reference of the Consultative Group of Experts, with a view to adopting a decision at the same session;

9. Requests the secretariat to facilitate the work of the Consultative Group of Experts by:

(a) Organizing meetings and workshops of the Consultative Group of Experts and compiling reports on its meetings and workshops for consideration by the Subsidiary Body for Implementation;

(b) Providing technical support to the Consultative Group of Experts, as required, in relation to the process of and the preparation of national communications or biennial update reports by non-Annex I Parties;

(c) Liaising with other relevant multilateral programmes and organizations with a view to providing additional financial and technical support to the Consultative Group of Experts, as required, related to the preparation of national communications and biennial update reports;

(d) Disseminating the information materials and technical reports prepared by the Consultative Group of Experts to Parties, and other relevant experts and organizations;

(e) Providing assistance, including technical and logistical support, to the Consultative Group of Experts for developing and organizing appropriate training programmes for nominated technical experts, on the basis of the most updated training materials of the Consultative Group of Experts, with a view to improving the technical analysis, taking into account the difficulties encountered by non-Annex I Parties in the preparation of their biennial update reports;

10. Urges developed country Parties included in Annex II to the Convention and other developed country Parties in a position to do so to provide financial resources to enhance the support provided by the secretariat to the work of the Consultative Group of Experts and to support the full operation of the work of the Consultative Group of Experts;

11. Takes note of, as provided by the secretariat, the estimated budgetary implications of the actions requested of the secretariat in paragraph 9 above and other actions contained in the annex to this decision;

12. Also takes note that the requirements for additional resources for the implementation of the relevant actions referred to in paragraph 9 above and in the annex to this decision cannot be met by the approved core budget of the secretariat for the biennium 2014–2015;

13. Requests that the actions of the secretariat called for in this decision be undertaken subject to the availability of financial resources.

Annex

Terms of reference of the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention

1. The Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (CGE) shall have the objective of improving the process of and preparation of national communications and biennial update reports by Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (non-Annex I Parties) by providing technical advice and support to such Parties.

2. The CGE, in fulfilling its mandate, shall:

(a) Identify and provide technical assistance regarding problems and constraints that have affected the process of and the preparation of national communications and biennial update reports by non-Annex I Parties;

(b) Provide technical assistance and support to non-Annex I Parties to facilitate the process of and preparation of their national communications and biennial update reports in accordance with the “Guidelines for the preparation of national communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention” contained in the annex to decision 17/CP.8 and the “UNFCCC biennial update reporting guidelines for Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention” contained in annex III to decision 2/CP.17;

(c) Provide technical advice to non-Annex I Parties to facilitate the development and long-term sustainability of processes of the preparation of national communications and biennial update reports, including the elaboration of appropriate institutional arrangements and the establishment and maintenance of national technical teams, for the preparation of national communications and biennial update reports, including greenhouse gas inventories, on a continuous basis;

(d) Provide recommendations, as appropriate, on elements to be considered in a future revision of the guidelines for the preparation of national communications and biennial update reports from non-Annex I Parties, taking into account the difficulties encountered by non-Annex I Parties in the preparation of their national communications and biennial update reports;

(e) Provide technical advice and support to Parties, upon request, and information on existing activities and programmes, including bilateral, regional and multilateral sources of financial and technical assistance, to facilitate and support the preparation of national communications and biennial update reports by non-Annex I Parties;

(f) Provide technical advice and support to Parties, upon request, on the provision of information on steps to integrate climate change considerations into relevant social, economic and environmental policies and actions, in accordance with Article 4, paragraph 1(f), of the Convention;

(g) Provide information and technical advice based on, where possible, lessons learned and best practices in the process of and preparation of national communications and biennial update reports by non-Annex I Parties, including in relation to finance and other support available;

(h) Provide guidance and periodic advice to the secretariat to assist it in fulfilling the selection criteria for the composition of the team of technical experts, in accordance with decision 20/CP.19, annex, paragraphs 3–5, taking also into account the reports provided by the secretariat in this regard on a semi-annual basis;

(i) Develop and organize, with assistance of the secretariat, appropriate training programmes for nominated technical experts to begin no later than in 2014, based on the most updated training materials of the Consultative Group of Experts, with a view to improving the technical analysis taking into account the difficulties encountered by nonAnnex I Parties in the preparation of their biennial update reports.

3. The Consultative Group of Experts shall, in defining and implementing its work programme, take into account other relevant work by expert groups under the Convention in order to avoid duplication of work.

4. The Consultative Group of Experts shall revise its rules of procedure, if needed.

5. The Consultative Group of Experts shall develop, at its first meeting in 2014, a work programme for 2014–2018.

6. The Consultative Group of Experts shall forward recommendations on the matters referred to in paragraph 2 above for consideration by the Subsidiary Body for Implementation as appropriate.

The Conference of the Parties,

Recalling the relevant provisions of the Convention,

Also recalling decisions 1/CP.16, 7/CP.17 and 3/CP.18,

Acknowledging the contribution of adaptation and risk management strategies towards addressing loss and damage associated with climate change impacts,

Also acknowledging that loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change includes, and in some cases involves more than, that which can be reduced by adaptation,

Recalling its decision to establish, at its nineteenth session, institutional arrangements, such as an international mechanism, including functions and modalities, to address loss and damage associated with the impacts of climate change in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, 

1. Establishes the Warsaw international mechanism for loss and damage, under the Cancun Adaptation Framework, subject to review at the twenty-second session of the Conference of the Parties (November–December 2016) pursuant to paragraph 15 below, to address loss and damage associated with impacts of climate change, including extreme events and slow onset events, in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change (hereinafter referred to as the Warsaw international mechanism), and in line with the provisions contained in paragraphs 2−15 below;

2. Also establishes an executive committee of the Warsaw international mechanism, which shall function under the guidance of, and be accountable to, the Conference of the Parties, to guide the implementation of functions referred to under paragraph 5 below;

3. Requests the executive committee to report annually to the Conference of the Parties through the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation and make recommendations, as appropriate;

4. Decides that, as an interim measure, the executive committee shall consist of two representatives from each of the following bodies under the Convention, ensuring that there is a balanced representation between developed and developing country Parties: the Adaptation Committee, the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, the Standing Committee on Finance, the Technology Executive Committee and the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention;

5. Also decides that the Warsaw international mechanism shall fulfil the role under the Convention of promoting the implementation of approaches to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, pursuant to decision 3/CP.18, in a comprehensive, integrated and coherent manner by undertaking, inter alia, the following functions:

(a) Enhancing knowledge and understanding of comprehensive risk management approaches to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including slow onset impacts, by facilitating and promoting:

• (i) Action to address gaps in the understanding of and expertise in approaches to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including, inter alia, the areas outlined in decision 3/CP.18, paragraph 7(a);
• (ii) Collection, sharing, management and use of relevant data and information, including gender-disaggregated data;
• (iii) Provision of overviews of best practices, challenges, experiences and lessons learned in undertaking approaches to address loss and damage;

(b) Strengthening dialogue, coordination, coherence and synergies among relevant stakeholders by:

• (i) Providing leadership and coordination and, as and where appropriate, oversight under the Convention, on the assessment and implementation of approaches to address loss and damage associated with the impacts of climate change from extreme events and slow onset events associated with the adverse effects of climate change;
• (ii) Fostering dialogue, coordination, coherence and synergies among all relevant stakeholders, institutions, bodies, processes and initiatives outside the Convention, with a view to promoting cooperation and collaboration across relevant work and activities at all levels;

(c) Enhancing action and support, including finance, technology and capacitybuilding, to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, so as to enable countries to undertake actions pursuant to decision 3/CP.18, paragraph 6, including by:

• (i) Providing technical support and guidance on approaches to address loss and damage associated with climate change impacts, including extreme events and slow onset events;
• (ii) Providing information and recommendations for consideration by the Conference of the Parties when providing guidance relevant to reducing the risks of loss and damage and, where necessary, addressing loss and damage, including to the operating entities of the financial mechanism of the Convention, as appropriate;
• (iii) Facilitating the mobilization and securing of expertise, and enhancement of support, including finance, technology and capacity-building, to strengthen existing approaches and, where necessary, facilitate the development and implementation of additional approaches to address loss and damage associated with climate change impacts, including extreme weather events and slow onset events;

6. Further decides that the Warsaw international mechanism should complement, draw upon the work of and involve, as appropriate, existing bodies and expert groups under the Convention, as well as on that of relevant organizations and expert bodies outside the Convention, at all levels;

7. Decides that, in exercising the functions outlined in paragraph 5 above, the Warsaw international mechanism will, inter alia:

(a) Facilitate support of actions to address loss and damage;

(b) Improve coordination of the relevant work of existing bodies under the Convention;

(c) Convene meetings of relevant experts and stakeholders;

(d) Promote the development of, and compile, analyse, synthesize and review information;

(e) Provide technical guidance and support;

(f) Make recommendations, as appropriate, on how to enhance engagement, actions and coherence under and outside the Convention, including on how to mobilize resources and expertise at different levels;

8. Invites the Executive Secretary, in consultation with the President of the Conference of the Parties, to convene the initial meeting of the executive committee by March 2014, the meetings of which will be open to observers, and invite representatives of relevant international and regional organizations having the necessary skills in approaches to addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including extreme weather events and slow onset events;

9. Requests the executive committee to develop its initial two-year workplan for the implementation of the functions outlined in paragraph 5 above, including the scheduling of meetings, taking into account the issues outlined in decision 3/CP.18, paragraphs 6 and 7, for consideration at the forty-first sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (December 2014);

10. Also requests the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation to consider the composition of, and procedures for, the executive committee, and to make recommendations thereon for adoption by the Conference of the Parties at its twentieth session (December 2014), with a view to finalizing the organization and governance of the executive committee;

11. Invites relevant international and regional organizations, institutions and processes to integrate, where appropriate, measures to address the impacts of climate change and to explore and strengthen synergies in the context of addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse impacts of climate change, especially in particularly vulnerable developing countries;

12. Also invites Parties to work through the United Nations and other relevant institutions, specialized agencies and processes, as appropriate, to promote coherence at all levels in approaches relevant to addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including extreme events and slow onset events;

13. Further invites Parties to strengthen and, where appropriate, develop institutions and networks at the regional and national levels, especially in particularly vulnerable developing countries, to enhance the implementation of relevant approaches to addressing loss and damage in a manner that is country-driven, encourages cooperation and coordination between relevant stakeholders and improves the flow of information;

14. Requests developed country Parties to provide developing country Parties with finance, technology and capacity-building, in accordance with decision 1/CP.16 and other relevant decisions of the Conference of the Parties;

15. Decides to review the Warsaw international mechanism, including its structure, mandate and effectiveness, at the twenty-second session of the Conference of the Parties, with a view to adopting an appropriate decision on the outcome of this review;

16. Takes note of the budgetary implications of the activities to be undertaken by the secretariat pursuant to the provisions contained in this decision;

17. Requests that the actions of the secretariat called for in this decision be undertaken subject to the availability of financial resources.

The Conference of the Parties,

7. Also encourages interested Parties and relevant organizations to support these training and capacity-building efforts, particularly for delegates from Parties that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, including the least developed countries, small island developing States and countries in Africa;

8. Requests the secretariat to support the organization of these training and capacity-building efforts, inter alia, in conjunction with sessions of the subsidiary bodies;

9. Invites Parties to increase the representation of women and active participation of women in the bodies established under the Convention;

10. Decides to clarify the meaning of the term “gender-responsive climate policy” from an implementation perspective, and improve the development and effective implementation of gender-responsive climate policy;

11. Requests the secretariat to organize an in-session workshop on gender-responsive climate policy with a focus on mitigation action and technology development and transfer during the forty-second session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (June 2015), and prepare a report on the workshop for consideration at its forty-third session (November–December 2015);

12. Also requests the secretariat to organize an in-session workshop on gender-responsive climate policy with a focus on adaptation and capacity-building, and training for delegates on gender issues during the forty-fourth session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (May 2016) and prepare a report on the workshop for consideration at its forty-fifth session (November 2016). Future work could include in-session workshops on other themes;

13. Invites Parties and admitted observer organizations to submit to the secretariat, by 18 February 2015 and 3 February 2016, respectively, their views on the matters to be addressed at the in-session workshops referred to in paragraphs 11 and 12 above;

14. Requests the secretariat to prepare a technical paper on guidelines or other tools on integrating gender considerations into climate change related activities under the Convention for consideration by the Subsidiary Body for Implementation at its forty-fourth session;

15. Invites Parties and admitted observer organizations to provide information on progress made in meeting the goals of achieving gender balance and gender-responsive climate policy;

16. Agrees to review this information at its twenty-second session (November 2016) with a view to taking any necessary action needed to strengthen the progress of furthering these goals;

17. Requests the Executive Secretary to appoint a senior gender focal point, who is an expert in this subject matter, to develop and ensure the implementation of, within existing resources, an action plan for the two-year work programme on gender and climate change;

18. Invites Parties and relevant organizations to provide the means for implementing gender-related activities within the two-year work programme;

19. Takes note of the budgetary implications of the activities to be undertaken by the secretariat referred to in this decision;

20. Requests that the actions of the secretariat called for in this decision be undertaken subject to the availability of financial resources.

The Conference of the Parties,

1. Welcomes the report of the Adaptation Committee;

2. Also welcomes the progress made by the Adaptation Committee in the implementation of its three-year workplan, including:

(a) Promoting coherence in adaptation under the Convention, in particular in collaboration with the Least Developed Countries Expert Group, the Technology Executive Committee and the Standing Committee on Finance and in the context of the Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change;

(b) Engaging relevant institutions, organizations, frameworks, networks and centres;

(c) Conducting a joint meeting with the Nairobi work programme on available tools for the use of indigenous and traditional knowledge and practices for adaptation, needs of local and indigenous communities, and the application of gender-sensitive approaches and tools for adaptation; 

(d) Conducting a special in-session event on promoting synergy and strengthening engagement with national, regional and international organizations, centres and networks;

(e) Conducting an in-session meeting of the Adaptation Committee organized in collaboration with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group II;

(f) Publishing its 2014 thematic report on institutional arrangements for national adaptation planning and implementation; 

3. Notes with appreciation the continued work of the Adaptation Committee on providing technical support and guidance to the Parties on adaptation action, including through the work carried out by the task force on national adaptation plans of the Committee;

4. Requests Parties, operating entities of the Financial Mechanism and other relevant entities working on adaptation to consider the recommendations contained in chapter V of the report of the Adaptation Committee, as included in the annex;

5. Reiterates its encouragement made in decision 2/CP.17, paragraph 103, for Parties to nominate experts to the Adaptation Committee with a diversity of experience and knowledge relevant to adaptation to climate change, while also taking into account the need to achieve gender balance in accordance with decision 36/CP.7;

6. Welcomes the initiation of consideration by the Adaptation Committee of its next workplan, starting in 2016.

Annex

Recommendations for the Conference of the Parties

1. The Adaptation Committee (AC) agreed to include the following recommendations in its report for consideration by the Conference of the Parties (COP) at its twentieth session.

2. The AC recommends that the COP invite Parties, operating entities of the Financial Mechanism and relevant entities working on adaptation to take into account the following recommendations, which are based on the outcomes of the meeting of the task force on national adaptation plans (NAPs) referred to in paragraphs 38 and 39 of the report of the AC referred to in paragraph 1 above:

(a) Recognizing the importance of raising awareness and buy-in for the NAP process by all stakeholders, in order to:

• (i) Generate interest in, demand for and leadership of the NAP process at the national level;
• (ii) Make available support for the NAP process better known;

(b) Improving coordination, collaboration and coherence among:

• (i) Bilateral and multilateral agencies and institutions, including the operating entities of the Financial Mechanism;
• (ii) Various national ministries;
• (iii) Parties and regions, with a view to:
  • a. Enhancing the accessibility of NAP support;
  • b. Further understanding effective pathways to achieving the objectives of the NAP process, on the basis of experience;
  • c. Fostering coherence in the provision of support, including by better matching needs with support, involving more financial institutions in the NAP process and helping countries to prepare for accessing funding, including from the Green Climate Fund (GCF);

(c) Enhancing learning as stakeholders increasingly engage in the NAP process, particularly around aspects such as the role of institutional arrangements and monitoring and evaluation.

3. In supporting the monitoring and evaluation of adaptation, the AC recommends that the COP invite Parties, operating entities of the Financial Mechanism and relevant entities working on adaptation to take into account the following recommendations:

(a) Monitoring and evaluation frameworks need to be appropriate, relevant to needs and tailored to country circumstances. A common set of global indicators is not useful, owing to the context-specific nature of adaptation;

(b) National-level assessments can play a different role in measuring adaptive capacity from subnational or project-based assessments. National-level assessments could, for example, measure the degree of coordination and integration of adaptation in national priorities;

(c) A positive learning environment, which encourages formal and informal learning, including peer-to-peer learning, and which encourages learning from negative as well as positive experiences, is important;

(d) Planning and allocation of resources, both technical and financial, are key for effective monitoring and evaluation systems.

4. In the context of the monitoring and evaluation of adaptation, the AC also recommends that the COP invite the Board of the GCF, with respect to its Results Management Framework, to consider:

(a) Keeping indicators simple;

(b) Designing indicators that are qualitative as well as quantitative;

(c) Designing indicators in such a way as to capture the progress that countries are able to make in integrating adaptation into their development and sectoral planning, policies and actions;

(d) Giving countries sufficient flexibility to define their indicators in line with their national and local planning, strategies and priorities.

5. Furthermore, the AC agreed to forward the following recommendations resulting from the workshop on best practices and needs of local and indigenous communities referred to in paragraph 45 of its report referred to in paragraph 1 above for consideration by the COP. The COP may wish to:

(a) Invite Parties to underline the importance of indigenous and traditional knowledge and practices, in a manner commensurate with modern science, for the effective planning and implementation of adaptation, including by encouraging the integration of indigenous, traditional and local knowledge into the NAP process;

(b) Encourage the Adaptation Fund, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the GCF to enhance their consideration of local, indigenous and traditional knowledge and practices and their integration into adaptation planning and practices, as well as procedures for monitoring, evaluation and reporting.

6. Regarding the operating entities of the Financial Mechanism, the AC recommends the following actions for consideration by the COP:

(a) Inviting the Board of the GCF to consider the significant work undertaken under the Cancun Adaptation Framework and on the NAP process as it continues to provide the governance of the Fund;

(b) Inviting the Board of the GCF to engage with institutions that have started initiatives on countries’ readiness to access GCF funding and exploring how more countries can benefit from such initiatives;

(c) Inviting the GEF, in supporting the NAP process and when implementing its new programming strategy on adaptation for the Least Developed Countries Fund and the Special Climate Change Fund for the period 2014–2018, to consider the findings arising from the meeting of the NAP task force referred to in paragraph 84 and the initial conclusions of the AC on the monitoring and evaluation of adaptation referred to in paragraph 85 of the report of the AC referred to in paragraph 1 above.