![\"838CA440-2B6B-44C2-A967-FD95DF07C504\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/cop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/838CA440-2B6B-44C2-A967-FD95DF07C504.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nI’ve heard from some of the more experienced RINGO attendees that Jo (left) and Sara (right) have done a terrific job, especially in comparison with the former (male) co-chairs.<\/p>\n
I came a little late to the briefing, too late to hear the co-chairs’ opening remarks. I was just in time to hear a round of questions building on the metaphor of the Paris Agreement as a baby, growing toward toddlerhood (someone told me that Sara might be the one who started that metaphor, much earlier than this particular meeting). BINGO said something like, “We want to help the baby learn to walk. One of the issues with the baby wandering the halls is transparency–not that one wants a completely transparent baby.” Everyone laughed.<\/p>\n
ENGO took the metaphor further: “We are concerned about the health of the baby. There is the transparency of the rulebook. Going forward there are political and technical issues: finance, loss and damage. How can technicalities be addressed? Is there any thinking about how good proposals from last week could be brought forward?”<\/p>\n
Women and gender took the metaphor home: “The baby has been born, but what future will the baby be living?\u00a0Where are rights in the rulebook?\u00a0<\/span>For the baby to survive, it needs rights.”<\/span><\/p>\n The co-chairs responded to these and other questions, stressing the limitations of their role as experts and facilitators: “When it comes to this role as experts, we are always going to be guided by the parties’ input and their take<\/span>.” Sara said, “You must be tired of us telling you that this is a party-driven process. The value of having you here is to tell parties the importance of these issues.” (It’s worth remembering here that Sara and Jo are continuing to act as facilitators trying to help the Parties come to consensus.)<\/p>\n There was some reassurance: “The parties have not given up. They will address some of the proposals that came up last week, will see if they offer a path forward.” But there was also a caution, addressed partly to YOUNGO: “You were concerned about the risk of trade-offs. We are at the point of compromise to reach consensus. There will be trade-offs. We are\u00a0looking for an outcome that is workable, has buy-in, but also remains critical and consistent with the Paris Agreement.”<\/span><\/p>\n Still, Sara, said,\u00a0this\u00a0rulebook was an\u00a0important development, taking forward human rights, gender, Indigenous People. “<\/span>The core part of the work you will see.”<\/span><\/p>\n They closed with a\u00a0last encouragement to the focal points (and the rest of us crowded into the room and sitting on the floor).<\/p>\n Sara: “We always valued the opportunity to meet with you. It never felt like quite enough\u2014one opportunity each COP. We l<\/span>oved hearing your questions. There has been a constant theme: it’s clear\u00a0where your interests and priorities lie.\u00a0<\/span>You play a hugely important role and influential role in this process.”<\/span><\/p>\n Jo: “All power to your elbow.\u00a0<\/span>May you continue to keep Parties’ feet to the fire.”<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Once during each of the past few COPs, the co-chairs of the Ad-Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement have held a briefing for the various non-state actors at the COP. I’ve heard from some of the more experienced RINGO attendees that Jo (left) and Sara (right) have done a terrific job, especially in comparison … Continue reading Briefing with APA chairs for constituencies (RINGO, YOUNGO, ENGO, WGC, etc.)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/cop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/827"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/cop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/cop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/cop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/cop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=827"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/cop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/827\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":834,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/cop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/827\/revisions\/834"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/cop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=827"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/cop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=827"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.swarthmore.edu\/cop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=827"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}