Small Island Voice, Big Impact: On being a UNFCCC Fellow amidst the worst Climate Crisis of our Generation
As I write, the news in my home region - the Caribbean - is dominated by the horrific images of Hurricane Beryl's wrath on Grenada and St. Vincent. Images of the devastation left in the wake of this Category 4 hurricane, the first of its kind to ever reach Category 4 status in June, are strewn across my social media platforms, and really lay the brutal reality of the climate crisis bare. The abnormally warm ocean waters which spawned Hurricane Beryl’s strengthening at an unprecedented rate; according to Jim Kossin, Science Advisor and hurricane expert, would normally be seen later around the peak of hurricane season, and Hurricane Beryl, which is still currently barreling towards Jamaica, has also strengthened to a Category 5 hurricane at the time this is posted, making it the earliest ever on historical record. I can’t stop scrolling, or look away because the photos serve as a stark reminder of the immense vulnerability faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like my own home, Antigua and Barbuda, and the current images are eerily similar to imagery which emerged of Barbuda’s devastation post hurricane Irma in 2017.
Being a United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Fellow at this moment feels both heavy and urgent. The weight of responsibility for those impacted by Beryl, and the countless others facing climate disasters across the globe, is immense, and yet, the urgency for action has never been clearer. My initial application for this Fellowship was rooted in my interest in the synergies between trade, and the environment, against the backdrop of my background in international trade law. I saw the potential for trade to be a powerful tool for sustainable development, but also the dangers of environmental degradation if not carefully managed. The climate crisis casts a long shadow over the pursuit of sustainable development for countries in the global south, we have to grapple with securing financing for climate action while pursuing economic growth without environmental harm, in the midst of natural disasters of increasing intensity which continue to ravage our islands, only to reset the clock on the arduous process of rebuilding infrastructure post disaster when the russian roulette of a hurricane strikes. Rebuilding becomes a constant cycle, leaving very little room for long-term planning and advancement. Then there’s also grappling with the fact that trade liberalization, while offering opportunities for economic growth, can have environmental and social implications, and fostering sustainable trade practices through policies aimed at greening supply chains, promoting renewable energy, and ensuring fair labor practices are all crucial elements of a just transition strategy towards sustainable development, but require significant finance, which is limited in the region.
Consideration of this endless cycle solidified my desire to be part of some kind of solution, and the UNFCCC, with its focus on convening Parties towards shaping global climate action, while not a perfect organisation, nonetheless presented a unique opportunity for me to help in bridging existing gaps. My aim is to play a part in the behemoth machinery of the international community, that yes, will grind on with, or without me, but nonetheless to do my small bit in greasing the wheels necessary to move us beyond rhetoric, and into an era of translating commitments into substantial investments in adaptation and resilience for SIDS, and robust financing mechanisms that support infrastructure upgrades, early warning systems, and climate-smart agriculture. In today’s post I take the time to share not only my motivations, but some of what the Fellowship has entailed so far, explaining the system as I’ve come to understand it, and answering some of the questions I’ve received in the process.
Inside the Maze: The UNFCCC and the Bonn Climate Change Conference (SB60)
For context on the organisation, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international treaty that aims to limit dangerous human interference with the climate system, and it’s also the main international forum for discussing and negotiating climate change solutions. Through the work of the UNFCCC secretariat, member state Parties (198 in total) share information and best practices, and hold each other accountable for their commitments. Here at the secretariat, I often hear climate action under the UNFCCC referred to as a party-driven process, and that’s because the role of the secretariat is seen to be that of a convener, providing a platform for Parties to collaborate and drive the global response to climate change.
Parties are the ones who request and negotiate decisions on various climate change issues, which can range from setting ambitious mitigation targets to establishing new adaptation frameworks, and they don't just decide on goals, they also dictate how those goals are achieved. Parties also determine the work programs of the UNFCCC, outlining specific activities and tasks the secretariat and subsidiary bodies need to undertake to implement the agreed-upon decisions. The secretariat in turn provides Parties with technical expertise on climate change science, policy options, and best practices; the UNFCCC analyzes data, compile reports, and offers guidance based on science, in this way also serving as a central information hub for all things climate change, maintaining a comprehensive website with resources, data, and updates on the latest developments. As a neutral facilitator, the secretariat coordinates and plans meetings, workshops, and conferences where Parties can discuss, negotiate, and reach agreements and manages the logistical aspects of these events.
On that note, you might be wondering: what exactly happens at the climate conferences? Here in Bonn, at the heart of international climate negotiations, we grapple with crafting the language that will guide global action. While Conference of the Parties/COPs often capture the media spotlight, the real groundwork for climate action happens at subsidiary body meetings like the recently past 60th meeting of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB60), which were held from June 3rd to 13th 2024. The Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) support the work of the UNFCCC and meet twice a year: during the Bonn Climate Change Conference and COP to discuss and negotiate various aspects of climate change mitigation, adaptation, finance, capacity-building and technology transfer. The SBI focuses on the implementation of climate policies and actions, while the SBSTA provides scientific and technological advice for implementing the Paris Agreement and other climate policy processes. SB60 focused on crucial issues often overshadowed by headline news, on:
Financing, progression towards a new collective quantified goal for climate finance is essential to support developing countries in mitigation and adaptation efforts;
Mitigation ambition, enhancing greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments is critical to achieving our Paris Agreement goals;
Global Stocktake Follow-up, building on the assessment of national pledges completed at COP28, SB60 considered how far countries are off track in meeting their commitments; and
Just Transition; my area of work is on the Just Transition work programme, which is concerned with ensuring a fair and equitable shift towards a low-carbon future, across all countries, which leaves no one behind. While “just transition” as a concept and as a work area is evolving, this is not just a new trendy term; for me, just transition in the UNFCCC context is probably one of the most powerful tools and concepts at the organisations disposal to enable ambitious climate action which is necessary, and generate the buy-in of all societal groups for transformational development.
Despite some shared goals, so far I’ve found that navigating the path forward in the climate process amoung the Parties is difficult, because developed and developing countries often have divergent priorities. For example, during SB60, the European Union and many developed countries pushed for discussions around cutting emissions (mitigation work programme), while China and other developing countries prioritised adaptation plans. Other points of contention included phasing out fossil fuels, renewable energy reliance, and addressing "loss and damage" from climate disasters.
As a lawyer, I've been particularly fascinated by the process of drafting decision text, and being part of the secretariat drafting team for the Just Transition negotiations has been an eye-opening experience. But truthfully, to be from a region grappling with living through the climate crisis on a daily basis is surreal, and the technicalities of country positions and decision text can start to feel almost insignificant in the face of anticipating devastation like that of Beryl, and the other hurricanes which will form this season, with precise nuances of whether to use words like "noting" or "recognising" paling in comparison to the immediate needs of those of us in the global south who are face displacement and who desperately need finance to rebuild.
The rules of the game (…kind of)
Written rules of procedure govern the proceedings of the COP and its subsidiary bodies, SBSTA and SBI, they were presented for adoption at the first ever COP 1 in Berlin, but since they have still not been formally adopted because of disagreement between the Parties on the voting rule (some countries fear that specific voting mechanisms might disadvantage their interests or dilute their influence in negotiations) they continue to be applied at each session in their “draft” form, except for the rule on voting, and instead, decisions are reached through consensus, meaning no country formally objects (which is different from unanimity). Other norms are that Plenary sessions (formal meetings of all the Parties) are interpreted into all six UN languages to ensure inclusivity, delegates speak only when recognised by the Chair of proceedings, and a quorum of two-thirds of Parties present is needed for decisions.
The Negotiations process
Negotiation groups are where the real work happens; under the facilitation of a pair of designated co-chairs/co-facilitators, one from a developed and one from a developing country Party, group discussions typically occur 3-6 times during a session, where parties are urged towards concrete decision text. Contact groups (CGs) and informal consultations (ICs) are types of negotiation group which can be established by the governing (COP/CMA/CMP) and subsidiary bodies (SBSTA/SBI). Working during the SBs put a pause on all other aspects of ones social life as negotiations can be scheduled at crazy hours, and to ensure that small delegations can participate in all meetings, no more than 6 negotiation meetings can occur in parallel.
At the heart of the process are coalitions of countries with shared interests which work towards common positions. Key country groups include the G77 & China, the European Union (EU), the Environmental Integrity Group (EIG - Mexico, Liechtenstein, Monaco, the Republic of Korea, and Switzerland), the Umbrella Group (UG), which is a group of non-EU developed countries, made up of Australia, Canada, Iceland, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Kazakhstan, Norway, Ukraine, the United States and the United Kingdom, and others, which are under the umbrella of the G77 & China within which there are further sub-groupings, representative of diverse interests and national circumstances, such as the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), the Arab States, the Like-minded developing countries (LMDC) group comprising a diverse range of developing countries, including China, India, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and others from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) of which Antigua and Barbuda is a member.
In terms of proceedings, Parties outline their positions by making opening and intervening statements, and then a draft text is prepared by the UNFCCC secretariat, based on the countries’ positions. Areas of disagreement are sometimes bracketed as options to reflect diverging views, and then the text is refined across the remaining contact group meetings, sometimes negotiated line-by-line, with each new iteration circulated to all Parties, with a goal of building consensus and reaching agreement on a "clean" final text without brackets that can be presented for adoption at the closing plenary. If consensus isn't reached during the session, the issue is deferred to the next session under Rule 16.
The Anatomy of a Decision
Beyond the Just Transition negotiations themselves, which I supported, as secretariat staff, there's a whole other layer of work happening behind the scenes. Drafting clear and concise decision text involves countless hours of us as the drafting team poring over previous decisions, note-taking, and multiple rounds of revisions, sending the document to the editing staff, and then further clearances internally.
During this process I've also learned that there's no one-size-fits-all guide for crafting these decisions, while choosing the right words is crucial, the seasoned secretariat drafters I've queried emphasised that that the more you read existing decisions, the better you understand the flow and language that resonates with particular Parties, as well as the specific terminology that might engender consensus. Decisions themselves follow a specific structure, there’s the Preamble, which is at the beginning of a Decision, and references past decisions and acknowledges relevant concerns, and then there are Operative Paragraphs which outline concrete actions and mandates for further work, typically phrased as "the COP/CMP/CMA decides...” As a lawyer, we tend to be very obsessed with precedent, so after asking for a drafting guide multiple times, I started making my own to categorise key terms and when to use them:
“Noting” and “Recognizing”
These can be preambular language or language in the body of the text of a decision which acknowledge the existence of something brought to the table, like a report or a proposal. They don't necessarily imply agreement, but simply acknowledge its presence in the discussion;“Reaffirming”
This can be used to show a strong commitment to previously agreed-upon principles or actions, basically emphasising support for existing frameworks;“Welcoming”
This expresses approval or satisfaction with something new that’s being introduced in the decision, like a report or initiative, conveying a positive reception;“Highlighting” and “Underscoring”
These emphasise the importance of a specific point or finding. "Highlighting" draws attention, while "underscoring" strengthens its significance.“Appreciating”
This can be used in a decision text to convey gratitude for a specific contribution, like efforts made by a party or organization;
“Recalling”
This acknowledges past decisions relevant to the current issue, and is used for establishing continuity and reminding everyone of the existing framework being built upon;
“Encouraging”
This urges or motivates parties to take a particular action and expresses a desired course of action for the future;“Decides to”
This one takes us to the core the heart of a decision, it introduces the concrete actions or steps that Parties agree to take; and then of course“Requests the secretariat to”
This assigns and outlines specific tasks or actions for the UNFCCC Secretariat to carry out, typically supplementary, in order to support the implementation of the decisions.
It's a complex process, but ultimately, it's about crafting clear and impactful language that ensures all parties understand their commitments and that can build consensus towards driving progress on climate action. And while the secretariat remains neutral, I can admit that I did feel a sense of accomplishment when Parties accepted particular paragraphs or phrasing which the Secretariat has proposed.
This year at SB60, the SBSTA and SBI Conclusions which Parties were able to agree on for the United Arab Emirates just transition work programme can be found here. They provide some procedural clarity on dialogue topic selection, reinforce the importance of increasing non-party participation, and give guidance on the publication of informal summaries post-dialogues. Our team will need to continue our substantive work in COP29 in Baku.
Your Questions (from my various socials) answered:
Q: Are Caribbean & SIDS climate concerns heard and prioritized?
A: SIDS voices are increasingly recognized, but appear to be hardly prioritised globally amoung other Parties, so my answer to this would be that challenges remain, especially on the fronts of adaptation, mitigation and climate finance. In relation to climate finance, a significant proportion of the finance flows existing which are counted as climate finance tend to be provided in the form of loans, which many developing countries have outlined constrains their fiscal space and should not be counted as climate finance. Developed countries also diverge on determining a a quantum for “loss and damage” in a concrete way. In many ways it feels difficult for SIDS voices to be acknowledged, let alone addressed.
On a positive note, I believe that the Just Transition work programme offers an opportunity to elevate SIDS priorities within the broader climate agenda, and to this end I was happy to see AOSIS representatives attending contact group negotiations on this front and actively making interventions in order to inform the body of the conclusion text to the benefit on of SIDS.
Q: Are you having fun?
A: It's been exhausting, at some times, mentally draining, but equally thrilling and for the most part, rewarding. So yes! As the type of person that needs the work I do to be for a greater good and mean something, being a part, or atleast feeling a part, of the solution is incredibly motivating,
Q: Do you miss food from home?
A: I do, and not just the food, I miss my beaches and my loved ones, but I also really enjoy exploring and adapting to new places and spaces. So far I’ve found the only Caribbean restaurant in Bonn (and taken my Fellow fellows there for dinner already, lol) as well as been notified about a Trini that sells doubles in Cologne, but other Caribbean staff members at the secretariat have also welcomed me with open arms, and invited me to Caribbean events and a potluck, so all of this is holding me over until August when I’ll visit home.
In sum, so far the experience of being a UNFCCC Fellow has pushed me beyond the realm of international trade law for now, which is ultimately where I see myself, working on my many interests at the intersection of trade, environment, and development, and ultimately the chance to contribute to a better future makes it worthwhile. In writing this, the devastation of Beryl so early in the hurricane season which has just begun for the Caribbean is a stark reminder of the stakes involved. As I continue my journey at the UNFCCC and as the international community moves towards COP29, there is a clear need for innovative solutions to address the multifaceted challenges of climate change, and I’ll continue to share here at intervals in order to keep this audience aware of what I’m doing if there’s an appetite for this type of musing. I hope, if nothing else that this has served to shed some light on the intricate negotiations that underpin international climate action, and how far we still have to go.
Information on donations towards relief efforts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines can be found here and here.