Submission from Norway, 16th of February, 2010
Views on how to best advance the work in 2010, including the need for additional meeting time
Letter | Date: 16/02/2010 | Ministry of Climate and Environment
Originally published by: Ministry of the Environment
Views on how to best advance the work in 2010, including the need for additional meeting time
- Norway welcomes the joint invitation from the chairs of the AWG-KP and the AWG-LCA, to submit views, on the need for additional meeting time, and how to best advance the negotiations towards the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun in Mexico at the end of this year. We are fully committed to the UNFCCC process, aiming at a legally binding agreement in line with a 2 degree target, as soon as possible.
- We further welcome the election of the Ms. Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe and Mr. Dan Reifsnyder, as Chair and vice Chair of the AWG-LCA. We encourage them, together with the chairs of the AWG-KP to work closely with the UNFCCC Secretariat, the Danish Presidency and the upcoming Mexican Presidency, in the preparation for the Cancun meeting.
- The negotiations in 2010 must build on and make constructive use of, progress achieved in Copenhagen. The draft texts contained in the reports from the eight session of the AWG-LCA and the tenth session of the AWG-KP is a good basis for the further work of the AWGs. In addition, like a large number of countries, Norway associates itself with the Copenhagen Accord, which resolves key issues on, and which should be reflected in the further negotiations.
- The number of meetings organized before the COP-16/CMP-6 in Mexico, should be balanced against the need for parties to, inter alia, prepare for meetings (including coordination); undertake further analyses and the need for more informal meetings. Based on the experience from 2009, where we had a large number of meetings without being able to take full advantage of those, we believe that it is important to carefully consider the number and the duration of individual meetings, ensuring that meetings are as efficient and productive as possible, including by engaging ministers in the process.
- In our view one meeting of the AWG-KP and the AWG-LCA prior to the planned SB meetings in June, is desirable. Such a meeting should primarily focus on how to best achieve progress on substance towards COP-16/CMP-6 and could be kept short (2-3 days).
- In the broader context of how to best advance the negotiations, we would encourage the AWG chairs and all Parties to consider in a pragmatic way, the need to restructure the negotiation groups. Working arrangements should be flexible and focus on substantive outcomes, taking into account inter-linkages between the two negotiating tracks and topics under negotiations.
- In addition to organizing sessions of the AWG-LCA and AWG-KP during the SB meeting in June, two more meetings could preferably be planned before COP-16/CMP-6, each with a duration of one week.
- Norway supports arrangements that make it possible to have ministerial meetings back to back with meetings of the AWG as necessary, to allow for political input and guidance on substance throughout the year.