Today, an online information session on the Detailed Review of the UNFCCC COP28 Agenda took place.
At the session, the overall agenda of the Central Asia Pavilion at UNFCCC COP28 and an analytical review of climate negotiations on the eve of UNFCCC COP28 were presented.
The analytical review outlines the main themes of the UNFCCC COP28 in Dubai and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’s specifics and provides a historical overview of the UNFCCC. As noted, a feature of the UNFCCC COP28 is the work on detailed formulations of the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Expectedly, the UN Climate Summit in Dubai will adopt an adaptation target and take further steps to develop a target on financial issues to be adopted at UNFCCC COP29.
An equally important issue will be the debriefing of the Paris Agreement as well as the financing of “loss and damage”, where climate change has led to situations where adaptation is too late or almost impossible, and losses are inevitable.
“From a practical point of view, this topic should be the main practical outcome of COP28, while the other two are more the “flag” of this COP – an indicator of the progress of global climate policy as a whole,” said international expert Alexei Kokorin.
According to Alexei Kokorin, in the Sustainable Development Mechanism for the countries of Central Asia, issues related to nature-based solutions are important, where there can be both a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation to climate change.
Namely:
- Decision on the drafts of Article 6.4. the Paris Agreement on nature conservation, leading to an increase in CO2 absorption;
- Nature-based solutions that take into account the specificities of mountainous and arid countries and vulnerable populations;
- Synthesis decision 1/CP.28 outlines actions for the Year of Glaciers, creating a two-year bridge to COP30, which prioritizes natural and ecosystem action.
According to expert Alexei Kokorin, COP28 can be considered a success for the countries of Central Asia:
- If the decision of the “Loss and Damage” Fund will include the Central Asian countries as beneficiaries;
- The decisions of the Conference of Parties consider the peculiarities of the Central Asian countries (mountains, glaciers, water scarcity);
- The Central Asia pavilion and regional statements demonstrated the readiness of the region to actively participate in solving the climate problems and promoted partnerships with a wide range of organizations, from international financial institutions to NGOs.
An equally important part of the review is the use of terminology and the list of abbreviations, which is very important because it provides an official translation of the terms used during the Conferences of the Parties.
The meeting is held within the framework of the project “Strengthening coordination and positioning of Central Asia in global climate processes” implemented by CAREC under GIZ support and is part of the series of meetings “Regional Dialogue of Central Asian Countries on Joint Preparation for the 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change”.
Additional Information:
Dilovarsho Dustzoda, Program Manager “Climate Change and Sustainable Energy”/ CAMP4ASB AF Project Coordinator, recath_manager@carececo.org
Vladimir Grebnev, CAREC Climate Change Specialist, cc_specialist@carececo.org
Recall that for the first time in the history of the Conferences of the Parties to the UNFCCC, CAREC, with the support of the governments of the Central Asian countries, development partners and non-governmental organizations, organized the Central Asia Pavilion at the UNFCCC COP26 in November 2021 in Glasgow (UK). For the first time in the history of the COP, two Regional Statements on behalf of the governments of the Central Asian countries and NGOs were also announced in the Central Asian Pavilion.
The Central Asian Pavilion, united by the slogan “5 countries – 1 region – 1 vote”, allowed the Central Asian countries to present to the international community their investment potential, role in the global climate process, prospects and current funding needs and opportunities for cooperation. The Pavilion hosted over 60 events at COP26.
