Climate Change and the International Negotiations

Since 2011, QUNO has been observing climate negotiations held under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). QUNO staff regularly attend the Conferences of the Parties, as well as intersessional meetings in Bonn, Germany. We seek a fair, ambitious and transparent international climate change agreement applicable to all parties.

QUNO engages in “quiet diplomacy” work with a diverse group of UNFCCC negotiators. Our aim is to help build communication and understanding by providing a safe, off-the- record space where participants can listen, explore sensitive issues and exchange ideas on how to move forward. QUNO also co-hosts side events at the negotiations, primarily on human rights and conflict transformation issues.

Where appropriate, QUNO develops briefing papers that bring our experience of other international processes to bear on discussions within the UNFCCC. Recent papers include Preparing for Paris, Moving Forward in International Negotiations: Four Innovative Examples and Increasing Trust and Effectiveness Under the UNFCCC: Learning from International Monitoring Processes.

Recent Timeline Events

October 2018

IPCC presents its Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5C

In October, the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) met in Incheon, South Korea, to present its Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5C, and to work with States to finalize the Report’s Summary for Policy Makers. The full Report took nearly two years to prepare, included 91 authors and review editors from 40 countries, contributions from thousands of expert and government reviewers, and cited over 6,000 scientific references.

QUNO was an expert reviewer and was present at the IPCC meeting in Incheon. We worked with scientists to engage negotiators, and made four interventions to strengthen what we considered significant research findings in the Report. This included findings that human behavior change, including diets, consumption and land-use, would make profound contributions to reducing GHG emissions, and reduce a reliance on geo-engineering that remain unproven on a large scale. QUNO calls for personal witness alongside political engagement with decision makers, to ensure humanity acts in time to protect the most vulnerable, and all future generations, from catastrophic climate change. Our summary with highlights from the report and QUNO's perspective is available below.

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August 2018

Read QUNO's latest Geneva Reporter newsletter

The latest issue of the QUNO Geneva newsletter features: perspectives on the recently concluded negotiations for a Global Compact on Migration, a brief overview of the current state of international nuclear disarmament discussion, an update on our work on climate change, and a QUNO Q&A with Rhiannon Redpath.

The full publication is available online below.

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April 2018

QUNO publishes second edition of "A Negotiator's Toolkit" featuring concise arguments for urgent climate action

"A Negotiator's Tookit" was created to support climate negotiators in their work to engage busy Ministries with reasons for urgent, rights-based climate action. Ministers and other decision makers face competing demands and priorities, but they may also be more receptive to one argument over another. One person may better respond to economic concerns, for example, another to scientific findings. The booklet offers ten concise summaries compiled from expert voices in climate change related sectors. We hope these summaries help negotiators engage with colleagues back home on why urgent, rights-based climate action is critical to the long-term well-being and stability of their countries.

The summaries are based on presentations given by experts at a side event in May 2017, during the climate change conference in Bonn. The Healthier World Argument was compiled following this event. We are thankful to colleagues at Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University and at Newcastle University, for co-hosting this side event in May 2017.

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