The year 2011 marks a critical deadline for the UNFCCC negotiations, with the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol set to expire in 2012. Delegates at United Nations Headquarters will partake in far-reaching decisions related to the international regimes to protect the environment and the climate, amongst others in the lead-up to the next Conference of States Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in South Africa end of this year. Many developing countries, least developed countries and, in particular, small island states have vital interests in the climate change negotiations. However, the importance of environmental sustainability for the future development of their countries is often not matched by the necessary resources and negotiation power to achieve desired negotiation outcomes.
As part of UNITAR’s 2011 Negotiation Training Series, this workshop is designed to equip delegates, particularly from developing countries, least developed countries and small island states, with the skills and knowledge to perform efficiently in negotiations related to environmental sustainability and climate change at the General Assembly of the United Nations, the Economic and Social Council, the Commission for Sustainable Development, negotiation processes under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and other fora.
- Analyze the particular characteristics of environmental negotiations;
- Identify key negotiation issues, dynamics and elements in UNFCCC climate negotiations;
- Further refine their negotiation skills in preparation for the Durban conference.
The first part of the workshop will review basic principles of negotiating for mutual gain in the multilateral framework and present the facts about climate change. Senior experts and diplomats will also discuss the current status of climate change negotiations. The second part of the workshop will be devoted to simulation exercises on selected case studies in preparation for the Durban Conference.