VOSITHA WIJENAYAKEPOLICY AND ADVOCACY COORDINATOR CLIMATE ACTION

NETWORK SOUTH ASIA

UNFCC Negotiations, SB40 and Sri Lanka

The Bonn Climate Change Conference

Held in Bonn,Germany, from 4-15 June 2014 The fifth meeting of the second session of the Ad Hoc

Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (ADP 2-5) Brought together approximately 2790 participants, 1689

representing parties and observer states, 1068 from observer organizations, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and 37 media.

Marked the first time in UNFCCC history that high-level ministerial events convened outside of the Conference of the Parties (COP)

Outcomes

Good news : Negotiations are working, there is growing momentum for a international climate agreement to be signed in Paris in 2015

There were no big fights on the floor, and the chairs have secured a way forward to construct the outline of the agreement with the parties.

The momentum around the climate agreement to come into affect from 2020 is being matched with good news from the outside - US and China have made strong political signals around climate action in recent weeks.

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The co-chairs will take submissions from the countries to form a "table of contents" for the international climate agreement which we expect to come out ahead of the next session in October.

The content of and information expected about countries' contributions (INDCs) to the Paris agreement has become clearer, though whether actions other than mitigation will be in or out remains unclear.

Countries have a better idea of what they need to start preparing back in capitals in order that they are ready to put their commitments on the table by the end of March next year.

BUT

While the timeline towards Paris remains in tact, it is still unclear whether we will get a deal that is enough to limit the

worst impacts of climate change.

Its heartening to hear more and more countries talk about phasing out fossil fuel emissions entirely and phasing in

100% renewable energy, heads of government still need to put climate at the top of their own agendas.

Sri Lanka at the SB40, Bonn

Sri Lanka is a member of Group 77 and China group and Like Minded Developing Countries group on climate change.

The position of these groups in line with the principles, objectives and provisions of the UNFCCC is the stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

Two negotiators present at the session : Dr Sunimal Jayathunga, and Prof. Marambe

Followed Issues related to agriculture”. The Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) took note of the report on the in-session workshop on the current state of scientific knowledge on how to enhance the adaptation of agriculture to climate change impacts while promoting rural development, sustainable development and productivity of agricultural systems and food security in all countries, particularly in developing countries, taking into account the diversity of the agricultural systems and the differences in scale as well as possible adaptation co-benefits.

Contributed nd strongly stoodby the position of G77 and China taken on this matter.

Followed the SBSTA Agenda Item 6 on Research and systematic observations, which also a significant theme in which the country is highly interested in terms of contributing and sharing knowledge to fill the gaps in scientific information/communications.

The SBSTA encouraged the research programmes and organizations to continue sharing experiences, knowledge and views, inter alia, on ecosystems with high-carbon reservoirs, including on capacity-building elements, as appropriate, in particular in developing countries.

Sri Lanka to put forward country’s INDCs by March 2015

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