Much more of the UNFCCC process can be undertaken online than was anticipated 18 months ago. Fifty-three percent of respondents in a survey conducted for our stakeholder-based assessment, Building climate diplomacy back better: imagining the UNFCCC meetings of tomorrow, said they could see some parts of the process go online.
There is clearly a window of opportunity to transform the UNFCCC process – including but going beyond a digital transition – to make it more effective, inclusive and transparent.
However, mistrust is a big barrier to increasing acceptance of an online process, with the fierce debate about moving more of the process online a proxy conflict for long-standing diverging interests and perspectives related to trust and power.
This online event presented the key findings of research commissioned by Sweden’s Ministry of the Environment and provide a platform for discussions about the results. It explored an initial range of reactions and responses on the implications of bringing the UNFCCC process online from a number of different stakeholder perspectives.
13:00–13:05 Opening remarks
- Annika Jacobson, State Secretary for Environment and Climate, Sweden
13:05–13:15 Key findings of the “Building climate diplomacy back better” report
- Richard Klein, Senior Research Fellow, Stockholm Environment Institute
13:15–13:50 Panel discussion
Moderated by Chloé Farand, Climate Home News
- Mattias Frumerie, Head of Delegation to the UNFCCC, Sweden
- June Budhooram, former Secretary of the Governing Bodies of the UNFCCC
- Tasneem Essop, Executive Director, Climate Action Network International
13:50-14:00 Reflections and key takeaways from the discussion
- Cecilia Kinuthia-Njenga, Director, Intergovernmental Support and Collective Progress, UNFCCC
