United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Durban Climate Change Conference - November/December 2011

The United Nations Climate Change Conference, Durban 2011, delivered a breakthrough on the international community's response to climate change. In the second largest meeting of its kind, the negotiations advanced, in a balanced fashion, the implementation of the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, the Bali Action Plan, and the Cancun Agreements. The outcomes included a decision by Parties to adopt a universal legal agreement on climate change as soon as possible, and no later than 2015. The President of COP17/CMP7 Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said: "What we have achieved in Durban will play a central role in saving tomorrow, today."

Decisions adopted by COP 17 and CMP 7

COP 17	CMP 7
Establishment of an Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (123 kB)	Outcome of the work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol at its sixteenth session (271 kB)
Report of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (398 kB)	Land use, land-use change and forestry (229 kB)
Launching of the Green Climate Fund (191 kB)	Emissions trading and the project-based mechanisms (92 kB)
Technology Executive Commitee - modalities and procedures (171 kB)	Greenhouse gases, sectors and source categories, common metrics to calculate carbon dioxide equivalence of anthopogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks, and other methodological issues (155 kB)
National adaptation plans (161 kB)	Consideration of information on potential environmental, economic and social consequences, including spillover effects, of tools, policies, measures and methodologies available to Annex I Parties (120 kB)

Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change (127 kB)	Report of the Adaptation Fund Board (106 kB)
Work programme on loss and damage (144 kB)	Review of the Adaptation Fund (107 kB)
Forum on response measures (103 kB)	Further guidance relating to the clean development mechanism (154 kB)
Financial mechanism of the Convention: LDCF: support for the implementation of elements of the LDC work programme other than NAPAs (110 kB)	Materiality standard under the clean development mechanism (85 kB)
Amendment to Annex I to the Convention (80 kB)	Modalities and procedures for carbon dioxide capture and storage in geological formations as clean development mechanism project activities (194 kB)
Report of the Global Environment Facility to the Conference of the Parties and additional guidance to the Global Environment Facility (97 kB)	Issues relating to joint implementation (159 kB)
REDD+ : Safeguards and reference levels (120 kB)	Compliance Committee (79 kB)
Capacity-building under the Convention in developing countries (102 kB)	Proposal from Kazakhstan to amend Annex B to the Kyoto Protocol (85 kB)
National communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention - Work of the Consultative Group of Experts on National Communications from Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (86 kB)	Appeal by Croatia against a final decision of the enforcement branch of the Compliance Committee in relation to the implementation of decision 7/CP.12 (86 kB)
Revision of the UNFCCC reporting guidelines on annual inventories for Parties included in Annex I to the Convention (304 kB)	Capacity-building under the Kyoto Protocol for developing countries (112 kB)
Research dialogue on developments in research activities relevant to the needs of the Convention (77 kB)	Administrative, financial and institutional matters (82 kB)
Administrative, financial and institutional matters (87 kB)	Programme budget for the biennium 2012–2013 (68 kB)
Programme budget for the biennium 2012–2013 (433 kB)
Dates and venues of future sessions (115 kB)
Resolution adopted by COP 17 and CMP 7
Expression of gratitude to the Government of the Republic of South Africa, the province of KwaZulu-Natal and the people of the city of Durban (79 kB)

News
	Launching the Green Climate Fund 22 December 2011 Bonn, Germany Following the decision of the COP in Durban regarding the Green Climate Fund, the interim secretariat of the GCF has issued a message to Parties concerning actions called for by the COP. These actions include nominations to the Board of the GCF and offers to host the GCF. Notification (170 kB)
	Durban conference delivers breakthrough in international community's response to climate change 11 December 2011 Durban, South Africa Countries meeting in Durban, South Africa, have delivered a breakthrough on the future of the international community's response to climate change, whilst recognizing the urgent need to raise their collective level of ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to keep the average global temperature rise below two degrees Celsius. Press release (193 kB) View webcast of final press conference with UNFCCC Executive Secretary and COP 17/CMP 7 President
	Full information on the Durban Climate Change Conference can be found on the dedicated homepage. See link below. Durban Climate Change Conference homepage
	SS-GATE, UNDP and UNFCCC join hands to help green COP 17 08 December 2011 Certified emission reduction (CER) credits from a clean development mechanism project in Johannesburg will be used to offset the travel of UNFCCC secretariat staff and supported delegates to COP 17 in a three-way initiative by the South-South Global Assets and Technology Exchange (SS-GATE), the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation in the UNDP, and the UNFCCC. Press release (170 kB)
	Launch event of UNFCCC Momentum for Change Initiative 6 December 2011 Durban, South Africa The secretariat has launched an initiative that aims to enhance the visibility of projects that both benefit communities and either increase climate resilience, or reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The launch event in Durban was moderated by Lord Nicholas Stern and opened by UN Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon, H.E. Mr. Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa, and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres. More View webcast of launch event
	UNFCCC roster of experts The UNFCCC frequently requires specialized consultants with broad experience in the domestic and international arena to undertake professional level assignments. Potential consultants can register directly online via the UNFCCC roster of experts. More
	Decision on the host of COP 18/CMP 8 29 November 2011 Durban, South Africa The State of Qatar and the Republic of Korea have agreed to closely cooperate to make the next major UN Climate Change Conference at the end of 2012 a success. The 2012 UN Climate Change Conference, COP 18/CMP 8 (the 18th Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC, plus the 8th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol), will take place in Qatar from 26 November to 7 December 2012. Press release (159 kB)
	Previous News and Events

Other meetings
	Enforcement branch of the Compliance Committee, 17th meeting 20-21 December 2011 Bonn, Germany The provisional agenda and its annotations for the 17th meeting of the enforcement branch are now available online. More View webcast (available as of 20 December 2011)

NEGOTIATIONS

PROCESS

KEY DOCUMENTS

Meetings

Durban Climate Change Conference - November/December 2011