1. ecbi european capacity building initiative
initiative européenne de renforcement des capacités
Capacity Building under the UNFCCC
Penda KANTE-THIAM
Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development Division of Climate Change
for sustained capacity building in support of international climate change negotiations
pour un renforcement durable des capacités en appui aux négociations internationales sur les changements climatiques

2. Brief Background
For capacity building there have never been any guidance in terms of implementation whether in terms of a work programmed or in terms of specific guidance by the SBI.
There has been no progress in the past 4 years which has reversed the good progress that was made in Cancun.
Any structured implementation work programme or institutional arrangements have been greatly opposed by our partners citing financial burden as the key reason for their opposition.
Lacks the relevant structures for governance & guidance (adhoc efforts done by different bodies under the convention and outside)
No coherence and coordination( done by different bodies as a by element when fullfulling their mandates, therefore it can never been done efficiently)

3. Challenges with the existing model for capacity building
Lacks the relevant structures for governance & guidance (ad hoc efforts done by different bodies under the convention & outside)
No coherence and coordination (done by different bodies as a by element when fulfilling their mandates, therefore it can never be done efficiently)
No rationalization of capacity building actions ( every UN agency and other bodies of the Convention puts the simplest piece of the puzzle but does not really care about completing the puzzle)
No mechanism for mobilizing support for capacity building hence the slow progress in implementation of actions
No system or framework for feedback or recommendations ( reviews done by the secretariat therefore does not offer concrete recommendations).
Process is not Party driven therefore, most of the funding goes bilateral and not through multilateral institutions.

4. Challenges with existing system
Linkages with other bodies are not maintained hence the current gaps in other critical areas.
At international level there is no capacity needs assessment carried out which leads to the problem of taking uninformed decisions ( good example is the INDC example where parties are expected to communicate their contributions because they decided so yet they have no technical understanding of what such information might look like even how it is going to assist in the crafting and packaging of the proposed post 2020 agreement)
There is no mechanism or system for proposing or recommendation of capacity building actions as needs are identified.
No MRV framework for capacity action to determine their effectiveness and their adequacy

5. Existing standing bodies under the convention

6. Adaptation committee
Standing committee on finance
Technology executive committee
consultative Group of Experts
Permanent body
Not permanent but constituted based on expertise
Global level institution for promoting the implementation of enhanced action on adaptation in a coherent manner
Established by COP 16 to assist the COP in implementing its functions in relation to the financial mechanism of the convention
established to facilitate the effective implementation of technology transfer under the COP
Established to improve the process of preparation of nat comms from NA 1 countries
- Improving coherence for adaptation
Improving coherence and coordination for finance
Promote and facilitate collaboration on development and transfer of technologies
Members are experts with relevant expertise for preparation of nat coms
Provide technical support and guidance
Organization of a forum for communication and continued exchange of information among bodies and entities
Provide overview of technology needs & analysis of policy & technical issues
Operates on a specific mandate for specified timeframes
Provide information and recommendations drawing on good practices
Recommends for improving coherence
Recommends guidance on policies and programmes
Promotes synergies & Strengthen engagement
Maintaining linkages
Address barriers
Sharing of relevant information, knowledge and experiences
Expert input, conducting periodic reviews
Consider and recommends actions to promote tech transfer

7. Challenges with using the current institutions
They have specific mandates for specific elements of the Bali action Plan
Inclusion of capacity building could introduce an alteration of their mandates
The issue representation of capacity building people to the bodies could lead to alteration of their constitutional membership.
Handling multiple issues could lead to inefficiencies in carrying out their tasks
A body with its own mandate might not prioritize capacity building to its core mandate.
Coordination of capacity building additional to coordinating its own element could be difficult.

8. QUESTIONS
What would you do differently, in order to negotiate efficiently with our partners and move a step further in every meetings?
What strategies could you put in place to build long term capacities at national level?
How could we pair up or create the link between Action for Climate Empowerment, Article 8,12 of the Paris Agreement and capacity building?

9. RECOMMENDATIONS
Since we have successfully agreed to put in place a PCCB, we need to ensure the following:
Provision of financial resources for the implementation of capacity building activities in developing countries including a specific citing of the fact that majority of these resources should flow through the financial mechanism of the convention.
A pre-2020 work programme on capacity building aiming at making provisions for capacity building such that CB is not a barrier for developing countries post 2020.
The work programme will focus on enhancing the implementation of capacity building activities in developing countries.
Further enhancement of the monitoring and review of effectiveness of CB through the establishment of indicators (common practices, or guiding principles for consistency and comparability of efforts among parties)

10. RECOMMENDATIONS
A provision for work on modalities and procedures for the CB institutional arrangements (fully fledged mechanism consisting of a policy wing and a multi-level implementation wing)
Functions of both wings ( committee and regional centre)
A clear description of each wing
Clear hierarchy between the two structures, highlighting how the two wings could work with each other and their relationship between both the COP and other governing bodies under the convention