To address the climate crisis, we need solutions that impact all aspects of development. In the lead up to COP29 in Azerbaijan, this blog series reflects on climate action and approaches around the region.
 

Climate change negotiations are crucial in addressing one of the most pressing issues of our time. These negotiations bring together countries across the world to discuss measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate impacts. The outcomes of these negotiations drive collective efforts toward a more sustainable and resilient future.

Engaging in climate negotiations is not without its challenges, especially for countries in Europe and Central Asia region. The fast-evolving nature of climate science and policy can be overwhelming, making it challenging for countries to stay updated and effectively communicate their positions. Some countries struggle with limited technical knowledge, resources and experience, which hinders their ability to understand and navigate the details of climate agreements.

Members of national delegations need to be sufficiently equipped with the appropriate technical and thematic support and relevant information to participate effectively in climate change conferences and effectively advocate for their national positions.

Recognizing the significant challenges faced by climate negotiators from the region, UNDP’s Istanbul Regional Hub in cooperation with the UNFCCC Secretariat developed a comprehensive training to address their specific needs. The eight-module programme starts from the history and significance of the Climate Change Convention and the Paris Agreement and moves in detail through the main pillars - mitigation and adaptation, climate finance, emissions trading mechanisms, just transition, as well as the impact of climate change on mountain regions.

This initiative is particularly timely, as the upcoming Climate Conference (COP29) will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, marking a pivotal moment for countries in the region.

We are equipping participants with the necessary knowledge to better engage in climate negotiations, ensuring their voices are heard and their interests are represented. By targeting climate change negotiators and making sessions available online for future use, the training improves prospects for achieving ambitious and equitable outcomes from COP sessions. The eight sessions look to the past and then to the current state of climate change negotiations, including but not limited to:

History of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement: The first two sessions will cover history of the 1992 Climate Convention, which sets the stage for international cooperation to combat climate change. It was strengthened by the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and further advanced by the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global temperature increases and urges all nations to participate in climate action. Strong international cooperation is critical for addressing climate change in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication, and so it is critical to understand that history.

Mitigation: Limiting global warming to 1.5°C requires rapid, deep and sustained reductions in greenhouse emissions, including cutting global CO2 emissions by 45 percent by 2030. This means a systemic transformation in energy production, agriculture and consumption patterns. Countries need to urgently scale up mitigation ambition and implementation in this critical decade by revisiting their national targets every five years and implementing long-term low greenhouse emissions strategies.

Adaptation and Resilience: As climate impacts intensify, countries need robust adaptation plans. This module covers the growing importance of adaptation at all levels—global, regional and national—and new developments on adaptation under the climate negotiations, such as a global goal on adaptation. It also introduces strategies for developing and implementing these plans, emphasizing a participatory, transparent approach that considers vulnerable groups.

Climate Finance: Ultimately, finance knits together all climate action. Many are calling COP29 the “finance COP”, seeing it as an opportunity to align climate finance contributions with estimated global needs to combat climate change, and setting a new collective quantified goal on climate finance. Participants will learn about the current financial mechanism under the Convention, and the long-term finance process for the mobilization of resources from a wide variety of sources: public and private, bilateral and multilateral, traditional and alternative.

Carbon markets under the Paris Agreement: When countries set a limit on greenhouse gas emissions, they create something of value: the right to emit. Reducing emissions below their limits gives them something to sell: an unused right to emit. Countries and companies that don’t meet their target can buy these units to make up the shortfall. This emissions trading requires clear rules and transparency, which are set under the Paris Agreement. The countries in the region have experience with past market-based mechanisms and will now learn the new ones and rules for their implementation.

Just Energy Transition: A sustainable future requires transitioning to renewable energy sources in a fair and equitable manner. This means creation of decent work So far, the impacts of mitigation policies and actions have been considered and addressed mainly from the environmental and economic perspective, while the social impacts receive less attention and consideration. Countries must take into account a just transition of the workforce and the creation of decent work and quality jobs in accordance with their national plans. In this session, participants also learn about the recently established work programme on just transition pathways.

Mountains and Climate Change: Despite their global relevance, mountains still do not receive appropriate attention in UN processes. Climatic variations have severe consequences on socioeconomic activities, especially those closely linked to biodiversity, landscape and nature. The issue is important for many of the countries in the region, in particular Central Asia. At COP 28 Kyrgyzstan initiated the establishment of a negotiating group on mountain partnerships but there is a need to give more visibility at future climate conferences. This session highlights the urgent need for adaptation strategies in these areas, and for countries from the region to collaborate for stronger voice of mountainous countries.

By participating in this training and gaining a better understanding of key issues, climate negotiators from Europe and Central Asia will be better prepared to engage in international discussions, advocate for their countries' needs and contribute to global climate action. By the end of these sessions, the delegates should feel more confident understanding and participating in the climate change negotiations in their context. Strengthened collaboration among participants and increasing their engagement in international negotiations will improve prospects for achieving ambitious and equitable outcomes.