CRIN has joined 200+ NGOs calling for reforms of the UN climate talks
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is at a breaking point. In marginalising vulnerable States, Indigenous Peoples and civil society, while allowing the largest historical polluters to avoid legal obligations and accountability, the UNFCC is running out of trust. Effective multilateralism is essential to navigate coming crises without leaving anyone behind.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has reached a critical breaking point. Climate negotiations have systematically failed to deliver climate justice and undermined international law, from marginalizing vulnerable States, Indigenous Peoples, and civil society, to allowing the richest countries and the largest historical polluters to avoid legal obligations and accountability. The massive expansion of COPs has not translated into better and more inclusive decisions, to the contrary: it has further opened the door for the fossil fuel industry and other major emitters, allowing them to continue polluting with impunity and proposing costly illusions to greenwash their image. To add fuel to the fire, climate talks have been hosted in countries with problematic human rights records and significant fossil fuel interests. Global climate governance is increasingly perceived as out of touch, driven by vested interests, and running out of relevance and trust.
With this proposal, Climate Action Network (CAN), the Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice (DCJ), the Children and Youth Constituency (YOUNGO), the Women and Gender Constituency (WGC), and +200 organizations come together to say “enough is enough!” The world is on fire, and effective multilateralism is essential to navigate through these crises without leaving anyone behind. This requires an urgent, drastic, and comprehensive change of pace and process within the UNFCCC and complementary action outside of it.
Restoring power and equity
Restoring the balance of power and reforming decision-making: a climate regime that favors action instead of allowing major polluters, in particular wealthy nations with historic responsibility, to hold the world hostage, answering to the needs of climate-vulnerable countries and their communities.
Majority-based decision-making when consensus fails: End the ability of a few to block progress and move towards more ambitious, fair, and democratic outcomes. The climate process must no longer be held hostage by the narrow interests of a few.
Ensure integrity of host countries and COP Presidencies: Guarantee that future COP Presidencies demonstrate tangible progress on climate action, and commit to binding safeguards in publicly available and accessible host country agreements. Provide guidance for Presidencies on organizing open, inclusive, and transparent negotiations.
UNFCCC visas: Establish a unified, simple, equitable, digital visa system with guaranteed approval within one week for all accredited participants to UNFCCC meetings, to ensure equitable participation and avoid visa discrimination.
Ending the trade show and stopping corporate capture
Protecting the climate talks from undue influence and ending the stranglehold that polluting industries – most responsible for the climate crisis – currently have on climate action.
Put in place a Conflict of Interest Policy: Establish a strong accountability framework to protect against corporate interference and those with vested interests, especially from fossil fuel and high-emitting industries. Ensure full disclosure of funding and potential conflicts of interest of COP participants.
Kick Big Polluters out and rightsize COPs: End undue influence of polluting industry representatives from official spaces, including observer organizations, party delegations, and Presidency teams. End commercial partnerships and ensure that COPs, including their size, are fit for purpose while ensuring equitable and predictable observer access.
Moving away from accountability-free blackbox negotiations
Making negotiations open and transparent, and advancing implementation by ensuring that States and other actors are accountable for their actions.
Strengthen the UNFCCC compliance mechanism: Compel effective implementation of national commitments and obligations through effective incentives and address failure to comply.
Improve transparency of the negotiations: Guarantee access to documents and negotiation rooms for observers, and end the practice of negotiations behind closed doors.
Closely monitor declarations and the Action Agenda: Improve transparency and accountability of initiatives, pledges, and declarations; ensure that they do not undermine progress within the negotiations.
Respecting and protecting human rights
Guaranteeing the basic minimum for effective negotiations: respect for and the protection of the human rights of all, including the rights to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, and meaningful participation.
Respect for the rights to assembly, freedom of speech, and participation: Ensure that COP hosts uphold international human rights standards, particularly freedom of expression and peaceful protest. Guarantee accessibility for all, including persons with disabilities.
Establish an independent focal point for human rights issues: Establish an impartial mechanism to address threats, harassment, and other human rights violations faced by observers and delegates, ensuring accountability and swift redress.
Aligning and strengthening international climate governance
Delivering climate action by taking all necessary steps to ensure that international cooperation in all forums is coherent and comprehensive, and leads to an urgent, full, and fair fossil fuel phase out as part of a just transition.
Strengthening the existing framework: Strengthen synergies with the Rio Conventions and build a climate regime centralized around international obligations by guaranteeing alignment with international courts' rulings.
Building additional pathways: Scale up climate action beyond the UNFCCC by strengthening complementary efforts such as the Plastics Treaty and the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
We call on all Parties to the UNFCCC, the COP Presidencies, and the UNFCCC Secretariat and other authoritative voices to come together and respond to our call for a renewed and strengthened climate regime that delivers the action urgently needed and protects the lives of people and communities on the frontlines of the crisis: an urgent, just, and full phase-out of fossil fuels, massively scaled up public finance for just climate solutions, and redress for those already harmed by devastating climate impacts.
Read the full statement here.