Science Negotiations at COP27: Q and A with Acting Director Fiji Meteorological Service and Negotiator Terry Atalifo
Science and Review is one negotiation thread at the 27th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP27) that the Pacific Small Islands Developing States have focused on.
Seven Meteorological Directors from across the Pacific Island region are working together to negotiate this at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh this week.
Now at the mid-way mark, as week two of negotiations begin, we spent time with Terry Atalifo, the acting Director of the Fiji Meteorological Service and the vice President of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Regional Association V, to find out just where we are at.
As stated on the UNFCCC website, the Paris Agreement preamble recognises the need for an effective and progressive response to the urgent threat of climate change on the basis of the best available scientific knowledge. Action under the agreement should be carried out in accordance with best available science.
The Agreement identifies the need to enhance and strengthen systematic observation, climate services and knowledge sharing and that systematic observation and early warning systems are areas of co-operation and facilitation to enhance understanding, action and support.
Q. What is it that our Pacific Islands are calling for at these negotiations? A.
There are two key important agenda items that we follow in the science space, that is the Second Periodic Review as well as the Research and Systematic Observations.
The periodic review is on the long term goal in the UNFCCC on the 1.5 degrees Celsius goal, and the Research and Systematic Observation is our key priority which is about climate observations.
Observations are so important to us as it will help in many climate change related areas.
It is the cornerstone for Early Warning Systems, and also forms the basis of scientific information that guide adaptation and mitigation in the negotiation space.
At this COP27, Systematic Observation Finance Facility (SOFF) that was launched at COP26 by WMO provided further support for its operationalisation.
The Pacific Delegation supported the Alliance of Small Islands States (AOSIS) in the meeting to ensure Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are prioritised for funding under the SOFF initiative.
Q. We’re at the mid-way mark, what is the progress of these negotiations? A.
So far in the negotiations there is a lot of discussion.
Some of the text we do have convergence with all parties, we also have a bit of divergence in the Second Periodic Review text, but everyone is working very hard to make sure we cover some ground at the end of the day. The Pacific islands you know are looking at the text to make sure
positions are reflected in the final outcome and that 1.5C is protected in the text.
Q. What else has been on the table for negotiating? A.
On the SOFF there is a lot of progress made, the facility is basically to finance areas where there are gaps in observation including oceans and prioritising SIDS and LDCS and this is what we want.
A few developed countries have committed funding to this facility, the team in WMO have identified countries that are the most vulnerable which should be given priority in terms of the observation gaps.
We are still in the initial phases of this, there is lots of work that needs to be done as well, I think most important is that Parties have seen the importance of what the facility is trying to achieve and some are committing resources, which is a good sign.
Q. How does this work support achieving the Paris Agreement Goal of 1.5 or below? A.
This is a scientific discussion so what we are trying to do is show that our climate system has changed and that forms the basis of advising governments this is what needs to be done. This is interesting as from a scientific perspective we can see that the concentration of the Greenhouse Gases (GHG) have increased.
The initial text we are negotiating calls for a compounded reduction in GHG which is what is required, a collective and wholistic reduction.
This is met by stiff opposition from some parties expressly calling for the initial polluters to take responsibility and reduce their GHG as they are the initial and primary polluters.
The Pacific SIDS and AOSIS are trying to ensure that the references to 1.5C are not diluted or removed and is the primary target for all Parties.
Week one of the negotiations have ended in Sharm El-Sheikh.
The negotiations closed on Sunday before resuming on Monday, 14 November.