thedeliberative

"who" won the hand?

I am no expert, but here is the rough outline as I understand. So this negotiation - the Conference of Parties (COP) - is an annual event rotated around the world in different places. Paris this year, Lima last, and so on. Throughout the year, the COP is also supplemented by a smaller event called the intersessional in Bonn.

At the COP, it is a huge event. Basically all states send a delegation (between 5000 to 20000 people in total), civil society turn up (2000 to 10000 in total) and the media. There are events inside the official venue and outside in the city, in the streets, at conference halls. Inside the venue is where national delegates and accredited civil society and media go. Also inside there are civil society venues, national spaces, and other fora. The national delegates do meet, hold discussions both closed and open, and some areas are closed only for national delegates.

In terms of negotiations, for Paris things have been a bit different. The UN has given up on the 'legally binding timetables' approach and instead states have been submitting intended contributions (INDCs). These tell each state how much other states are trying to cut down on emissions and other efforts. Throughout the year states also have been working on a draft text. This was discussed in Lima, in Bonn, and through other meetings. This draft is fairly long and had, before Paris, around 1500 'brackets'. A bracket is inserted when not all states agree on the wording or substance.

So in Paris, national delegates are meeting trying to remove these brackets. States will be using INDCs as indicators to work out other states' negotiating position, and trying to get other states to agree on a final 'Paris Accord'. There will be some 'increase carbon reduction efforts by x%', and other 'finance our clean development sector'.

Does this help a bit?

Hi guys!

Great, great work with the disclosure. Just out of curiosity, have you read or seen Zucman's new book called 'The hidden wealth of nations'?