2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference
Multilateral Success in the Face of Adversity
COP24 was expected to be among the most difficult conferences in the history of climate negotiations. The conference took place after Brazil’s election of a climate-skeptic leader in an environmentally critical and developing economy. The host country was facing new elections and an economy traditionally rooted in coal. There was political upheaval in the city and country where the Paris Agreement was born. Many observers predicted the worst for COP24.
Despite these challenging circumstances, this year’s COP was a powerful example of how multilateral systems can overcome unforeseen shocks and produce tangible results. In the face of this adversity, COP24 still concluded with the adoption of the Paris Agreement Work Programme, also known as the “Katowice Rulebook,” which explicitly details the implementation of the Paris Agreement. Although some technical details were pushed to next year’s COP in Chile, the essential components for delivering multilateral climate action are now in place.
Advocacy Outcomes
COP24 in Katowice represented the intersection of three important moments: The the drafting of implementation of the Paris Agreement; conclusion of the year-long Talanoa Dialogue consultation; and facing the alarming the scientific evidence to limit global warming to 1.5oC released in the form of a special report from the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Analysis of COP24
Insights into what was accomplished at COP24.
Key LGMA Interventions
In Katowice, more than 100 political and technical representatives of cities and regions and their networks participated, hosted or supported around 50 events inside or outside the premises of COP24.
Opening Plenary
The joint opening plenary of COP24/CMP14/CMA 1.3/SBSTA49/SBI49/APA1.7
Download opening statement (PDF)
Presidency Open Dialogue
The Presidency Open Dialogue between Parties and non-Party stakeholders.
Marrakech Partnership
The mission of the Marrakech Partnership is to strengthen collaboration between Parties an non-Party stakeholders to allow greater mitigation and adaptation action as well as action on means of implementation to be implemented in the pre-2020 period and beyond.
Human Settlements Action Event
The objective of these activities is to provide a space for impact-driven focused dialogues and interactions between non-Party stakeholders and Party representatives.
Presidency Open Dialogue
The Presidency Open Dialogue between Parties and non-Party stakeholders.
Wrap-Up Video
A summary of the Marrakech Partnership’s activities relating to the seven thematic areas can be found in this video.
