Road-map for Talanoa Dialogue prepared at Bonn UN Climate Change Conference

2017 United Nations Climate Change Conference, which incorporated the twenty-third Conference of the Parties (COP23), the thirteenth meeting of the parties for the Kyoto Protocol (CMP13) and the second meeting of the parties for the Paris Agreement (CMA2) concluded on November 18, 2017 in Bonn, Germany. The conference concluded with ‘Talanoa Dialogue’, a year-long process to assess countries’ progress on climate actions.

What is ‘Talanoa Dialogue’?

• ‘Talanoa’ refers to a traditional approach used in Fiji and the Pacific to conduct an inclusive, participatory and transparent dialogue.
• As per the agreement under ‘Talnoa Dialogue’, countries will hold special stocktaking sessions to review progress towards emissions cuts and discuss pre-2020 actions of rich nations.
• ‘Talanoa Dialogue’ focuses on three questions – where are we? where do we want to go? and how do we get there?– and seeks answers to these questions based on consensus.

Highlights of 2017 United Nations Climate Change Conference:

• The conference ended on a mixed note as developing countries including India succeeded in rich nations to discuss their pre-2020 actions under the ‘Talanoa Dialogue’, but could not get any commitment for climate finance.
• However, European Union (EU) has shown willingness to fill the gap which has been created due to US decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord.
• Besides, final decision at COP23 outlined tasks to be performed by all rich nations with regards to their pre-2020 actions under the Kyoto Protocol (KP).
• If negotiators succeed in arriving at consensus under ‘Talanoa Dialogue’, new rules which would be adopted during next Conference of Parties (COP24) in Poland in 2018.

Quick Facts about Conference of the Parties (COP23):

• Date: 6^th – 18^th November, 2017
• Location: Bonn, Germany
• Presided over by: Government of Fiji