14 of November at COP27 was about raising the Global Stocktake profile. Today there was a high-level discussion to raise awareness towards a key element of the Paris Agreement (PA), the Global Stocktake (GST).
The discussion hosted ministers and heads of delegations from all parties to the UNFCCC and its PA, High-Level champions, representatives of international organizations, and non-Party Stakeholders. The aim of the high-level event was to ensure the inclusivity and richness of the discussion and to ensure a smooth transition from the technical discussion of GST to the political level, in order to reach a consensual, and yet impactful GST outcome at COP27 and COP28. The event started with brief opening remarks from the COP27 and COP28 presidencies, the UNFCCC Executive Secretary, the High-Level Climate Champion, and the co-facilitators of the technical dialogue, followed by a moderated ministerial discussion. The High-Level Champion (UNHLC) of Egypt, Mahmoud Mohieldin and that of the United Kingdom, Nigel Topping have previously expressed that they were delighted with the progress as well as with the representation of GST: they perceived it as a holistic and not just a government-driven agenda. They highlighted that by sharing success examples we could build on the current mitigation momentum and strengthen confidence that mitigation was possible.
The GST is a key element of PA’s architecture (article 14). It aims to periodically take stock of the implementation of the PA to assess the collective progress towards achieving the purpose of the Agreement and its long-term goals and it shall do so in a comprehensive and facilitative manner, considering mitigation, adaptation and the means of implementation and support and in the light of equity and the best available science. Indeed, the start of the global stocktake (a series of technical dialogues) has so far reflected its initial determination for the process to be comprehensive and inclusive. The first GST, set to conclude at COP28 in 2023 (the next one will conclude in 2028), is to inform Parties in updating and enhancing, in a nationally determined manner, their actions and support in accordance with the relevant provisions of the PA, as well as in enhancing international cooperation for climate action.
Everybody can agree that ambition and urgency are needed in mitigation to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C. To get an overview of the arsenal of mitigation tools it is also important to mention that the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (paragraph 27 of decision 1/CMA.3) in Glasgow decided to establish a Mitigation Work Programme (MWP) to urgently scale up mitigation ambition and implementation in this critical decade in a manner that complements GST. While GST has a role of reporting to countries, MWP is there to encourage concrete actions in a facilitative and not mandatory way to increase mitigation ambition. While GST is reporting outcomes–showing that all work is having an impact –it will not resolve the pre-2030 ambition and implementation gap, as it is not its purpose.
Today’s discussion was an important milestone on the road to reaching a consensual, and yet impactful Global Stocktake outcome at COP27 and COP28. Participants discussed the key results and political messages that would lead to strengthening action and enhancing support to boost the implementation of the UNFCCC and its PA on national, and international levels. Participants also discussed the most promising opportunities and the key challenges relating to GST in the light of equity and the best available science, lessons learned and good practices, in relation to the thematic areas of the global stocktake, with a view to achieving the outcome of GST identified in Article 14 of the PA.
While the consideration of the outputs phase of the GST will only conclude at COP28, today it was extremely important to ensure a strong connection and a smooth transition from the technical assessment phase of the GST towards the political momentum of the formal process. Leveraging political moments and sending strong signals can help maintain attention and manage the expectations for what kind of GST outcome can be achieved by COP28 and discuss opportunities to cooperatively drive toward the objective of achieving the purpose of the PA and its long-term goals.
Photo: Official website of COP27.
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