COP21 Update

 

Notification

On this document you will find also information for participant and guidelines for the participation of representatives of non-governmental organizations at meetings of the bodies of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Chang.

Civil Society Participation

Civil society participation in COP 21/CMP 11 can be found at: http://unfccc.int/parties_and_observers/ngo/items/9208.php

General information on COP 21/CMP 11

  1. Location and dates:

    1. The Conference will take place in the Parc des Expositions, 93350 Le Bourget, France, from Monday 30 November to Friday 11 December 2015.

  2. Provisional agenda and annotations:

    1. COP provisional agenda and annotations are available in all six UN languages at the following link: http://unfccc.int/documentation/documents/advanced_search/items/6911.php?priref=600008613 
    2. The provisional agenda and annotations for other negotiating bodies are available in English at the following link: http://unfccc.int/meetings/paris_nov_2015/meeting/8926.php 

  3. Registration: 

    1. Upon arrival, participants are required to pick up the conference badge at the Registration counter. To repeat, the registration opening hours:
      1. Sunday, 22 November, until Friday, 27 November 2015, from 8.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.
      2. Saturday, 28 November, until Sunday, 29 November 2015, from 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m.
      3. Monday, 30 November, from 1.00 p.m. until 8.00 p.m. Registration counter is closed to IGOs and NGOs until 1.00 p.m. on Monday, 30 November.
      4. Tuesday, 1 December, until Friday, 11 December 2015, from 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m.
    2. IGO/NGO representatives who did not pick up the badges by Sunday, 29 November will not be able to access the venue in the morning of Monday, 30 November until they complete the registration that starts at 13:00 of the same day. To avoid delays, it is HIGHLY recommended that you register as soon as possible and before Saturday, 28 November 2015. The acknowledgement of participant's nomination form and a valid photo ID will be required at the registration desk.

  4. Access – general terms:

    1. Access to the conference premises will only be granted to participants in possession of a valid conference badge. This includes those who are only interested in attending side events. We would appreciate it if you could pass on this information to your colleagues as widely as possible. 
    2. Ensure your badge is worn visibly at all times.
    3. Please note that everyone who needs to access the conference venue has to be registered through the Online Registration System (ORS). As you know, the system allows the replacement of names before participants are confirmed. The confirmation deadline is Thursday, 26 November at midnight CET.

  5. Access during the presence of high level figures:

    1. As per the usual practice at COPs, there will be temporary local demarcation inside the UN premises when high level figures are present and some plenary sessions that attract large audience beyond the size of the plenary halls will be managed through special badges or tickets for safety reasons.
    2. Occasions that this applies to include Leaders’ Event on Monday, 30 November 2015 and the opening of the High Level Segment (HLS) scheduled for Monday, 7 December 2015. As usual, we will use the distribution system through the constituency focal points (and CAN/CJN! focal points) for the limited number of such badges and tickets made available to NGOs. An information note containing more information on access during the Leaders’ Event will be issued soon. We will inform you when and where you can pick up those badges/tickets in due course. We thank you for your cooperation for the benefit of all participants.

  6. Information Hub,  Daily Programme and other information materials:

    1. As you might know already, the secretariat launched Information Hub on our newsroom for COP 21/CMP 11. All information that was previously part of the Information for Participants brochure will be integrated into the COP 21/CMP 11 Information hub available at: http://newsroom.unfccc.int/cop21parisinformationhub. Following the previous practice and in line with the secretariat's efforts towards climate neutrality, Daily Programme and the Side Events and Exhibits brochure will only be available in electronic format. A PDF version of the Daily Programme will be made available each morning via the UNFCCC website. We encourage participants to support this initiative by printing only the required information.

  7. Constituency offices:

    1. As usual, constituencies will be provided with offices within the conference venue. More details on this will be communicated in the next round letter.

  8. Meeting room assignment (MRA):

    1. All MRA requests from observer organizations will be coordinated by the MRA Team at the Information Counter. Bookings will be confirmed the evening before your meeting on condition that you agree to vacate the assigned rooms at any time if required to do so due to the negotiations.
    2. If you cannot agree to this condition, please secure an outside venue for your meeting on a commercial basis. 
    3. The MRA Team will book observer meetings once the negotiation meetings, which have not yet been finalized, have been entered to the booking system. The MRA Team will however file your requests in the meantime. For the request form and the e-mail address to which it can be sent, please consult our website at the following link: http://unfccc.int/meetings/paris_nov_2015/meeting/8926/php/view/logistics.php#logistics6 

  9. Constituencies’ daily meetings:

    1. We have booked one room each for BINGO, Farmers, IPO, RINGO, TUNGO and Women & Gender for daily constituency meetings from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. and for YOUNGO from 8:00 to 9:00 as requested.
    2. Colleagues in need of room booking for their network meeting are invited to contact MRA team as usual.

  10. Interventions (Time Permitting, NO Guarantee):

    1. COP and CMP:
      1. Opening: all statements will be posted online.
      2. Specific agenda items: it is foreseen that NGO constituencies will be invited to take the floor, if time permits, on a specific agenda item of their choice. The slots will be 2 minutes per constituency, if you are willing to take the floor (for ENGO CAN 1 min, CJN 1 min).
      3. Closing: NGO constituencies can take the floor 2 min each (CAN & CJN split it to 1 minute each).
    2. SBI: Information will be forthcoming.
    3. SBSTA: Information will be forthcoming.
    4. ADP: Information will be forthcoming.
    • Please read carefully and meet the following deadlines regarding all the interventions. Expression of interest to take the floor: please express the interest of your constituency to take the floor to Natalie <cool@unfccc.int> by Thursday, 13 November. Any requests beyond this deadline will risk no allocation of a slot at all. This is important for the team supporting the presiding officers (COP President, SB Chairs, ADP Co-Chairs) for their plenary time management.
    • Speaker’s names: although the speaker's name and organization will not be announced by the presiding officers, it is helpful for us to have this so that we can identify the speaker at the start of the plenary. Please provide Natalie with the speaker's name, email address and a contact telephone number by 15:00 the day before the intervention is due to take place.
    • Badge category: speaker names provided to us should be nominated to attend under an NGO delegation and not UN or Party delegations.
    • Transcripts: although it is not customary to collect transcripts, time to time the presiding officers (COP President/Chairs) may specifically request for them. We will let you know if they do. If transcripts are available beforehand, this would be helpful for interpreters; you can give copies to the conference officer seated on the side of the podium table.
    • Duration: interventions will be 2 minutes in duration and the Presiding Officers will reserve the right to interrupt in the interest of the time management for the negotiation.
    • On site seating & technical explanation: please have your speakers known to us 15 minutes before the start of the plenary so we are able to arrange the seating and alert the microphone technician. May or Natalie will greet you.
    • No guarantee: please also note that interventions are time permitting and depend on Parties' demand for the floor as well as Presiding Officers' decision. The secretariat cannot guarantee that they will take place.

  11. Observer briefing by the COP/CMP President and the Chairs:

    1. As usual, briefings with the COP President and Chairs are being explored. Dates and times will be announced on CCTV. It will be ENGO's turn to chair this meeting.

  12. Executive Secretary's briefing to observer organizations:

    1. We are enquiring with Christiana’s office about a date and time for her usual briefing to observer organizations and will inform you once details are confirmed. Questions in advance will not be required but if you have something specific to discuss we will certainly pass it on. It will be Farmers' turn to chair this meeting.

  13. High Level Segment (HLS):

    1. As at past COPs, NGO constituencies will be invited to deliver statements at COP/CMP joint high level segment.
    2. Timing: according to the COP provisional agenda and annotations, statements by representatives of IGOs and NGOs “will be heard immediately upon completion of statements by Parties”.
    3. Registration of speakers: please inform Natalie <cool@unfccc.int> of the name of the speaker and their organization no later than Thursday, 19 November 2015 for timely appearance of your speakers in the Daily Programme and the speaking notes. This time, all speaking notes will be translated into French, so it will be important that you provide the information on time.
    4. Duration: The time limit is two (2) minutes. As in usual practice, the microphone will be gradually cut off after 2 minutes (1 minute for CAN and CJN).
    5. Please also recall the SBI recommendation that the delivery of statements by representatives of Parties, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations in the joint meetings of the COP and the CMP during the high-level segment be kept concise and respect the recommended time limits established for previous sessions. (FCCC/SBI/2014/8, paragraphs 218–221) 
    6. Written statements: written statements for the interpreters are not required but strongly recommended. Please send to Natalie <cool@unfccc.int> by three hours before the start of the high level segment.
    7. Posting: full texts of the official statements will be posted on the official meeting page of the UNFCCC after the close of the high-level segment. If you wish to take this option, please email an electronic version of the statement to cool@unfccc.int. No distribution of hard copies of the statements will be permitted.

  14. Side events and exhibits:

    1. The side events rooms and the exhibit area are located within the official conference venue, after the entrance hall on the right-hand side. Maps of the venue and of the side event hall will be available at a later stage on the UNFCCC website: http://unfccc.int/meetings/paris_nov_2015/meeting/8926/php/view/logistics.php#logistics4 
    2. The schedule of side events and the list of exhibits can be viewed on our website at the following links:
      1. Side events: https://seors.unfccc.int/seors/reports/events_list.html?session_id=COP21 
      2. Exhibits: https://seors.unfccc.int/seors/reports/exhibits_list.html?session_id=COP21 
      3. The Side Event Organizer’s Reference Booklet: 
        1. http://unfccc.int/files/side_events_exhibits/application/pdf/cop21cmp11_se_organizer_reference_booklet.pdf.
      4. The Exhibitor Handbook has also been communicated to the exhibitors though their SEORS accounts.

  15. Climate Generations Area Virtual Tour: 

    1. Is available via the link: http://www.cop21.gouv.fr/en/pratical-arrangements/paris-le-bourget-site

  16. Climate Change Studio:

    1. As in past years, the "Climate Change Studio" will provide an opportunity for observers to be interviewed briefly on their actions, solutions, observations and issues that have impact on climate change. All interviews are filmed, edited and broadcast on the UNFCCC website.
    2. The Climate Change Studio will be located within the Blue Zone, inside the Side Events and Exhibits area. Interview requests can be received via email at climatechangestudio@unfccc.int. 

  17. Thematic Days and Activities:

    1. Please consult the following links for Thematic Days and Activities as well as LPAA Focus Thematic Events.
      1. Thematic Days and Activities: http://unfccc.int/meetings/paris_nov_2015/meeting/8926/php/view/seors.php
      2. LPAA Focus Thematic Events: http://newsroom.unfccc.int/lpaa/cop-21/ 
    2. If your constituencies are organizing such thematic days or activities, please let us know so that we can assist you to promote them.

  18. Press briefings:

    1. Booking requests should be directed to press@unfccc.int 

  19. Constituency Focal Points Meeting:

    1. We will be happy to organize one but only if you have agenda items because you will be all too busy to do this. Please let us know if you would like to suggest agenda items by Tuesday, 24 November. If no information is received, we will not organize this.

  20. Constituency Focal Points' contact details:

    1. Please review the following list of constituency focal points, which will be published in the Side Events and Exhibits Brochure. If your contact details have changed or you cannot attend please let us know the name and contact details of the person who will represent you as a focal point.

  21. Exchange of local mobile phones, and identification of Focal Points:

    1. We would appreciate if you could share with us your local mobile phone numbers once you have made this arrangement. If you delegate certain issues to your colleagues, please announce them and let us know their numbers as well. Our local phone numbers will be communicated to you a few days before the conference starts. 

Notes:

Observer activities in Le Bourte

  • Natalie and May will support the in-session engagement such as HLS observer statements, briefing by presiding officers and interventions. Communication on these will be made from cool@unfccc.int; 
  • Zhanna and David are in charge of side events and exhibits. They will be supported by Christina, Pelin, Janero, Pam. Communication will be made through SEORS or see@unfccc.int; 
  • Laura and Claudia are in charge of the Climate Change Studio. Communication will be made from climatechangestudio@unfccc.int;
  • Marcos@UNCCD, Fiona@UNECE Aarhus Convention and Corinne will liaise with you and the UN Security for additional activities (such as publicity stunts). Communication will be made from cool@unfccc.int. We are excited to have Fiona from the Aarhus secretariat along with our usual supporter Marcos from UNCCD secretariat.