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December 12, 2019
At COP25, negotiators are focused on shaping the next era of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)—the era of implementation of the Paris Agreement. The official hashtag of the Conference of the Parties (COP), #TiempoDeActuar (#TimeForAction), is a recurring theme throughout the conference halls and the negotiation rooms. During this critical phase for the future of international climate governance, one of the most frequently asked questions from outside the conference center is, what is going on with the United States?
It is a good question, with a fairly complicated answer. In November 2019, the Trump Administration provided notice to the UNFCCC that it intends to leave the Paris Agreement as early as possible—November 4, 2020. The Paris Agreement required all signatory countries to remain in the Agreement for the first three years after it entered into force, on November 4, 2016. After three years, parties can leave the Agreement following a one-year wait period. The United States, therefore, remains a party to the Paris Agreement until November 4, 2020, and so the State Department continues to be engaged in the negotiations at COP25. The U.S. delegation is led by Ambassador Marcia Bernicat, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
At this COP, the Chilean Presidency is guiding a process that seeks to finalize most of the remaining rules for implementation of the Paris Agreement. As noted by the U.S. State Department, it is critical for U.S. negotiators to be in the room to ensure that these global structures are fair and consistent with U.S. interests. The priorities for the United States, and for most countries, are the discussions on establishing a global market for carbon trading (Article 6 of the Paris Agreement); reviewing how countries will manage loss and damage (the impacts of climate change that cannot be addressed through adaptation); and how countries will report on their greenhouse gas emissions and reductions.
In addition to the negotiators, the United States is represented in Madrid in three other significant ways: Congressional delegations, the U.S. Climate Action Center, and civil society groups.
COP25 Congressional Delegations
On day one at COP25, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and a delegation of 13 Representatives and one Senator met with high-level officials in Madrid to deliver the message that Congress remains committed to the Paris Agreement. At their press conference, Speaker Pelosi emphasized, “Our delegation is here to send a message that Congress’s commitment to taking action on the climate crisis is ironclad.”
A bipartisan group of Senate and House staffers also attended COP25 throughout the two weeks. Both Republican and Democratic staffers highlighted the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2019 as a significant piece of climate legislation that they hope can move through the full Senate. There was also a shared emphasis on moving bills that can achieve immediate carbon reductions, including energy storage and waste-heat-to-power tax credit legislation. The overall message from these staffers seemed to be one of cautious optimism about the political will to pass relevant legislation.
The U.S. Climate Action Center
At the COP, countries can feature their climate action and ambition in the form of pavilions—mini buildings inside the conference center designed and hosted by each individual country or region. Pavilions provide a space for countries to host panel discussions, receptions, and roundtables to share their work. In lieu of a U.S. federal government pavilion, sub-national entities have worked together since 2017 to continue to showcase U.S. work through the U.S. Climate Action Center. This year, the U.S. Climate Action Center emphasized the importance of the rapid acceleration of climate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support adaptation efforts across the United States. The Center featured panels of farmers, investors, and corporations committed to the goals of Paris. It also showcased the ongoing efforts of alliances such as We Are Still In, America’s Pledge, Climate Mayors, and the US Climate Alliance.
Civil Society Groups
Civil society has engaged with the UNFCCC since its inception. Today, these constituency groups, including environmental NGOs, researchers, farmers, youths, businesses, and women and gender NGOs, provide critical support for and pressure on the negotiators to reach ambitious outcomes. This is yet another way for U.S. organizations and businesses to demonstrate their continued support for the Paris Agreement. Environmental NGOs, in particular, are playing a critical role at COP25 as they demand more ambitious action. Their primary mouthpiece, the ECO newsletter, has tracked international climate negotiations since its launch back in 1972.
The Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) brought a significant delegation to COP25 with a message that the certainty and opportunity created by the Paris Agreement is good for business. One executive mentioned that she thought there were more U.S. businesses at COP25 than at almost any previous COP. Given that this is a fairly low-profile meeting, she considered it a testament to these companies’ serious dedication to the issue of climate change.
As one of the U.S. Climate Action Center’s organizers explained, the work of the Center and of civil society from the United States is intended to demonstrate that, in the short-term, U.S. sub-national groups can keep the United States on track to meet its Paris commitments; however, this is not a valid long-term strategy as federal engagement will be required to achieve deep decarbonization across the economy.
Author: Anna McGinn
Top-Rated Climate Nonprofit – 4-Star Charity