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2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference
2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference
2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference
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2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference
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Native name Konferencja Narodów Zjednoczonych w sprawie Zmian Klimatu, Katowice 2018
Date2–15 December 2018 (2018-12-02 – 2018-12-15)
LocationICC in Katowice, Poland
Also known asCOP24 (UNFCCC)
CMP14 (Kyoto Protocol)
CMA1-3 or 1.3 (Paris Agreement)
Organised byPoland
ParticipantsUNFCCC member countries
Previous event← Bonn 2017
Next eventMadrid 2019 →
Websiteunfccc.int/katowice
cop24.katowice.eu

The 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as the Katowice Climate Change Conference or COP24, was the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.[1] It was held between 2 and 15 December 2018 at the International Congress Centre in Katowice, Poland.

The president of COP24 was Michał Kurtyka. The conference also incorporated the fourteenth meeting of the parties for the Kyoto Protocol (CMP14), and the third session of the first meeting of the parties for the Paris Agreement (CMA1-3 or CMA1.3) which agreed on rules to implement the Agreement. The conference's objective was to have a full implementation of the Paris agreement.[2]

Context

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"Change the system, not the climate" at the People's Climate March in Paris, on 8 December 2018.

After the United States left the Paris Agreement, China took a leading role by hosting many of the preparatory meetings in the weeks beforehand.[3]

In November 2018, the World Meteorological Organization released a report stating that 2017 atmospheric carbon dioxide levels reached 405 parts per million (ppm), a level not seen in three to five million years.[4] In October 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C (SR15).

Speeches

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On 3 December 2018, the noted British naturalist Sir David Attenborough told delegates at the conference that:[5]

Right now we are facing a man-made disaster of global scale, our greatest threat in thousands of years: climate change. If we don't take action, the collapse of our civilisations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon.

On 4 December 2018, 15-year-old climate change activist Greta Thunberg addressed the summit and explained the severity of the problem this way:[6][7]

What I hope we achieve at this conference is that we realise that we are facing an existential threat. This is the biggest crisis humanity has ever faced. First we have to realise this and then as fast as possible do something to stop the emissions and try to save what we can save.

The same day, the 14th Dalai Lama wrote to the participants of the conference: "Climate change is not a concern of just one or two nations. It is an issue that affects all humanity, and every living being on this earth. This beautiful place is our only home. We have to take serious action now to protect our environment and find constructive solutions to global warming."[8]

Al Gore told delegates they faced "the single most important moral choice in history of humanity".[9]

António Guterres the Secretary-General of the United Nations told "We're running out of time. To waste this opportunity would compromise our last best chance to stop runaway climate change. It would not only be immoral, it would be suicidal." The IPCC special report is a stark acknowledgment of what the consequences of global warming beyond 1.5 degrees will mean for billions of people around the world, especially those who call small island states home. "This is not good news, but we cannot afford to ignore it."[9]

A US energy official, Preston Wells Griffith, senior director for energy and environment, said on 10 December 2018: "We strongly believe that no country should have to sacrifice economic prosperity or energy security in pursuit of environmental sustainability."[10] He added also: "We can achieve all of these goals and they are complementary."[11] During his speech, he reinforced that impression: "Alarmism should not silence realism."[10][12]

A youth conference with children representing over 30 countries was also held during the conference.

Events

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Side events at the conference allow for admitted observers which have limited speaking opportunities, to host side events that are categorized under three categories as part of the Paris Agreement.[13]

The categories include: Enhancing Ambition, Promoting Implementation, and Providing Support to Developing Countries. There are also outside events that are hosted by the UNFCCC secretariat, Parties and observer organizations.

There were five thematic days at the conference:

  • 4 December – Research into Practice Day
  • 5 December – Farmers Day
  • 6 December – Business and Industry Day
  • 7 December – Indigenous Peoples Day
  • 10 December – Ambition and Just Transition Day

The UNFCCC has created a YouTube account called the "Climate Action Studio" recording side events at the conference.[14]

Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa (JSW), which co-sponsored the COP24, showcased pro-ecological changes in the mining sector.[15]

All side events of COP24 are all archived by the UNFCCC.[16]

Result

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The conference agreed on rules to implement the Paris Agreement, which came into force, that is to say the rulebook on how governments will measure, and report on their emissions-cutting efforts.[17][18]

Due to difficulty to reach agreement between parties, some difficult questions such as ways to scale up existing commitments on cutting emissions, ways to provide financial help for poor countries, wording that does not allow double counting and whether countries are doing enough to cut their emissions (in the light of the IPCC report) were postponed to the next conference.[17][18]

David Waskow, of the World Resources Institute, said the deal was "a good foundation for countries to go about implementing the Paris agreement" and added that "It sets the direction of travel and will spur countries to take action. Now countries need to go home and do their homework, by increasing their commitments [on emissions]".[17]

Some achievements have been made:

  • 50 countries signed the "Solidarity and Just Transition Silesia Declaration", which emphasizes the need for emission-reducing policies to include "a just transition of the workforce" and to create "decent work and quality jobs".
  • The Polish presidency declared a "forests for climate" policy highlighting the important role of forests in solving climate problems.
  • Some countries say that they will increase their climate pledges in 2020, including India, Canada, Ukraine and Jamaica.
  • Several dozen countries forming "High Ambition Coalition" – including the EU, UK, Germany, France, Argentina, Mexico and Canada – pledged to raise their targets by 2020.
  • New members join the Powering Past Coal Alliance; now there are around 80.
  • Germany made a €70 million contribution to the Adaptation Fund. Smaller pledges made by France, Sweden, Italy and the EU raised the total to $129 million – an annual record for the fund.
  • Germany gave €1.5 billion for the Green Climate Fund – double their 2014 contribution.
  • Norway pledged $516 million to the Green Climate Fund.
  • The World Bank gave $200 billion for climate programmes in 2021–2025. It was also one of nine banks which pledged to "align... their activities" with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
  • Five other banks – ING, BBVA, BNP Paribas, Société Générale and Standard Chartered – with a capital of €2.4 trillion, pledged to adjust the climate alignment of their lending portfolios to achieve the "well below 2 °C" target.
  • The UK say it will increase by £100 million the funding for renewable energy projects in sub-Saharan Africa, and by £170 million the funding to support the creation low carbon industry in the UK by 2040.
  • Maersk, the world's largest shipping company, said it will eliminate its carbon impact.
  • Shell committed to link short-term carbon targets to executive pay.
  • There were many smaller pledges from businesses.
  • COP24 welcomes "timely completion" of the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C and "invited" countries to make use of the report. The governments of four countries (the gas/oil-producers USA, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait) blocked a proposal to welcome the Special Report outright.[19]

Many say, that there is a "lack of urgency" in the COP decisions, but some good decisions have been made.[20]

See also

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference

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from Grokipedia
The 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference, formally the 24th (COP 24) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change along with the 14th Meeting of the Parties to the and the 3rd session of the serving as the meeting of the Parties to the , took place from 2 to 15 December 2018 in , . Under the Polish presidency, the gathering focused on operationalizing the 2015 through technical negotiations on transparency, reporting of nationally determined contributions (NDCs), adaptation, finance, and the global stocktake mechanism. The centerpiece outcome was the Climate Package, a set of decisions providing guidelines for Paris Agreement implementation, including modalities for enhanced transparency in action and support, though provisions for cooperative approaches under Article 6 on were deferred to future sessions amid disagreements. Poland's hosting, in a country deriving over 80% of its electricity from at the time, sparked controversy, with critics highlighting sponsorship by Polish firms and an opening declaration by President defending the fuel's role in , which activists argued undermined the talks' credibility on . Despite the rulebook's adoption as a procedural advance, the conference yielded no upward revisions to NDCs or binding commitments on , drawing assessments of limited ambition relative to scientific calls for rapid emissions cuts, as global levels continued rising post-Paris.

Background

Historical Context

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was opened for signature at the 1992 in Rio de Janeiro and entered into force on March 21, 1994, after ratification by 50 countries, providing the foundational framework for international efforts to stabilize atmospheric concentrations at levels preventing dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. The convention's early Conferences of the Parties (COPs), starting with COP1 in in 1995, focused on establishing principles like "," but yielded limited binding commitments amid disagreements over emission reductions and participation. At COP3 in Kyoto, Japan, on December 11, 1997, parties adopted the Kyoto Protocol, which committed Annex I (developed) countries to legally binding emission reduction targets averaging 5.2% below 1990 levels during the 2008–2012 first commitment period, while exempting major developing emitters; the protocol entered into force on February 16, 2005, following Russia's ratification. Subsequent COPs extended Kyoto via the 2012 Doha Amendment for a second period through 2020, but its top-down approach faced challenges, including non-participation by the United States and insufficient coverage of global emissions as developing economies like China and India industrialized rapidly, prompting a shift toward broader, voluntary frameworks. The 2015 Paris Agreement, adopted at COP21 on December 12 and entering into force on November 4, 2016, marked a departure by enlisting all parties in nationally determined contributions (NDCs) toward limiting warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to 1.5°C, emphasizing transparency, adaptation, and finance without differentiated legal obligations. However, the agreement deferred detailed modalities for NDC implementation, reporting, review, and the , creating a need for operational rules; this gap, unresolved in interim sessions like the 2018 Bonn Climate Change Conference, positioned COP24 as the venue to finalize the "Paris Rulebook" to enable practical enforcement and comparability of commitments. Preparatory ministerial meetings, such as the Pre-COP in in October 2018 involving 35 countries, advanced these negotiations under Poland's incoming presidency.

Pre-Conference Preparations

The Polish government, assuming the presidency of the (COP), organized initial substantive preparations through informal consultations and intersessional meetings focused on advancing the 's implementation guidelines, known as the rulebook. These guidelines encompassed modalities for nationally determined contributions (NDCs), transparency frameworks, adaptation reporting, and finance tracking, with parties setting a self-imposed deadline for completion at COP24 following partial progress at prior sessions. Intersessional negotiations under the Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) and subsidiary bodies intensified in 2018, including SB48 in from May 2 to 13, where parties outlined rulebook elements but deferred resolutions on accounting flexibilities and compliance mechanisms. Further advancement occurred at APA 2.2 in from May 30 to June 10, addressing gaps in and provisions, followed by a dedicated rulebook session in from September 4 to 9, yielding textual proposals on transparency and but highlighting persistent divides between developed and developing nations over stringency and capacity-building support. These meetings built on the Paris Agreement Work Programme (PAWP) initiated at COP22 in 2016, aiming to operationalize the 2015 accord amid concerns over insufficient ambition in existing NDCs relative to limiting warming to well below 2°C. Parallel preparations included the foundational work for the Talanoa Dialogue, a facilitative process to assess collective progress toward Paris goals, with its design jointly developed by the COP22 () and COP23 () presidencies and technical expert dialogues commencing in early 2018 to inform higher ambition. The incoming Polish Presidency convened a Pre-COP meeting in Krakow on October 23–24, attended by representatives from 38 delegations, to refine the provisional agenda, foster informal consensus on rulebook brackets, and address procedural matters like admission of observers. Logistical groundwork involved securing the venue at Katowice's International Conference Centre and adjacent Spodek Arena, with Polish authorities coordinating upgrades, protocols, and for over 14,000 expected participants, while the UNFCCC secretariat managed document preparation and side-event scheduling. These efforts occurred against Poland's heavy reliance on coal for 80% of its in 2018, prompting criticism from environmental groups over potential conflicts in hosting a climate summit, though the government emphasized its role in facilitating balanced negotiations.

Organization and Participants

Host Selection and Logistics

Poland was selected as the host country for the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24) through the UNFCCC's established process of regional group nominations, with the Eastern European Group (EEG) designating Poland to hold the presidency for the third time since joining the convention. This selection aligned with the convention's practice of rotating hosting responsibilities among UN regional groups to ensure equitable representation. The Polish government announced Katowice as the specific venue on June 1, 2017, emphasizing the city's transformation from an industrial hub to a site for climate discussions. A bilateral Host Country Agreement, outlining legal and operational frameworks, was signed between Poland and the UNFCCC Secretariat on October 31, 2018. The conference convened from December 2 to 15, 2018, primarily at the International Congress Centre (MCK) and the adjacent Spodek Arena within Katowice's Culture Zone, facilities chosen for their capacity to accommodate large-scale negotiations and side events. Over 28,000 participants attended, including approximately 13,000 delegates from UNFCCC parties, observers, and media, marking a significant logistical undertaking for the host city. To facilitate access, organizers provided free shuttle services connecting the venue to nearby cities such as and Zawiercie, alongside enhanced options. Sustainability measures included documentation of the event's via a report prepared by , with unavoidable emissions to be offset post-conference. Security protocols involved extensive policing, and the venue operated under strict registration timelines, with nominations closing in September 2018 for non-party stakeholders.

Key Attendees and Delegations

The Katowice Climate Change Conference attracted 22,771 registered participants, comprising 13,898 delegates from the nearly 200 Parties to the UNFCCC, alongside observers from intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental entities, media, and other stakeholders. Government officials numbered nearly 14,000, reflecting the conference's role in advancing technical negotiations on Paris Agreement implementation. Michał Kurtyka, Poland's Undersecretary of State for Energy, served as COP24 President, presiding over sessions and guiding the adoption of the on December 15. UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa coordinated secretariat activities, opened key plenaries, and underscored the need for robust guidelines amid rising global emissions. As host nation leader, Polish President delivered the opening address on December 3, asserting compatibility between coal-dependent energy security and emission reduction pledges. The high-level segment on December 3 included addresses from 25 leaders: 18 heads of state, 6 heads of government, and one vice president. Speakers represented diverse nations, including President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama of (emphasizing Pacific vulnerabilities), Prime Minister of , and Prime Minister of the ; Vice President spoke for the . Major emitters like the , , and dispatched ministerial-level delegations rather than heads of state or government. The U.S. delegation, totaling 44 members, prioritized defending interests in fossil fuels, including a side event promoting "clean coal" technologies, which drew protests. Delegation sizes highlighted disparities, with larger contingents from select developing countries potentially aiding negotiation capacity; UNFCCC provisional data showed leading at 406, followed closely by African and host delegations.
RankCountryDelegates
1406
2Democratic Republic of Congo237
3211
4Côte d’Ivoire208
5191
6188
7153
8126
9127
10107

Proceedings

Opening Events and Speeches

The 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24) commenced with an official opening ceremony on December 3, 2018, in Katowice, Poland, marking the start of the high-level segment following initial technical sessions on December 2. The event included addresses from host nation representatives and international officials, focusing on the imperative to finalize the Paris Agreement rulebook by the conference's end to enable transparent implementation of national climate commitments. Over 150 heads of state and government were present for the proceedings, which emphasized equitable transitions amid varying national energy realities, particularly Poland's heavy reliance on coal for approximately 80% of its electricity generation at the time. Polish President opened the ceremony, advocating for inclusive dialogue to achieve a "just transition" to a low-emission economy while asserting that effective climate protection need not preclude continued utilization, reflecting Poland's economic dependencies and phased approach to decarbonization. As COP24 President, Poland's Secretary of State for Energy Michał Kurtyka welcomed participants and declared that failure to deliver concrete outcomes in would undermine the Paris Agreement's credibility, positioning the conference as pivotal for operationalizing global climate commitments through standardized reporting and transparency mechanisms. UN Secretary-General delivered remarks underscoring the crisis, stating the world was "in deep trouble" due to escalating and urging delegates to exceed minimal expectations by enhancing ambition in nationally determined contributions (NDCs), securing the $100 billion annual pledge from developed nations by 2020, and fostering equitable burden-sharing to support vulnerable economies. Naturalist addressed the plenary, characterizing as "our greatest threat in thousands of years" and calling for immediate, unified action to avert irreversible planetary damage. These speeches set a tone blending urgency with pragmatic considerations of implementation challenges, preceding negotiations on the Katowice Climate Package.

Main Negotiation Sessions

The main negotiation sessions at the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference, held from December 3 to 14, 2018, primarily involved the Ad Hoc Working Group on the (APA), the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), with their 48th sessions convening alongside the 6th session of the APA. These bodies conducted formal plenaries, contact groups, and informal consultations to advance the development of standardized implementation guidelines for the , focusing on modalities for transparency, nationally determined contributions (NDCs), adaptation communications, the , and cooperative approaches under Article 6. The APA's work, in particular, sought to recommend a comprehensive "rulebook" to the serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the (CMA 1.2) for adoption, building on prior sessions that had narrowed but not resolved key divergences among nearly 200 parties. In the initial phase from December 3 to 9, technical experts dominated discussions in spin-off groups under the APA, SBSTA, and SBI, addressing granular elements such as the enhanced transparency framework (Article 13), including common reporting tables for greenhouse gas inventories and biennial transparency reports, with progress on technical aspects but persistent divides over flexibility for developing countries. Negotiations on NDC features, including common time frames and the need for economy-wide targets, saw limited advancement due to opposition from major emitters like and against prescriptive elements that could imply stricter commitments. SBSTA focused on cooperative implementation mechanisms, including market and non-market approaches (Article 6), where and pushed for robust international carbon trading rules to enable credits toward NDCs, while the advocated safeguards against double-counting and environmental integrity. Parallel SBI sessions tackled implementation issues, such as reporting on support provided and mobilized for developing nations, with debates centering on verifiable finance flows amid claims of shortfalls from developed countries' pledges. The high-level segment from December 10 to 14 shifted to ministerial-level interventions, with over 30 ministers engaging in "confessionals" and bilateral talks to break deadlocks, particularly on Article 6, where no consensus emerged on criteria or corresponding adjustments for emissions reductions, leading to deferral of full resolution. Facilitated by the Polish presidency under Michał Kurtyka, these sessions incorporated "Majors' meetings" with key players like the , , , and to bridge gaps, resulting in compromises on transparency modalities that allowed common metrics while permitting capacity-building flexibilities for . By December 14, informal informals intensified on remaining APA texts, culminating in the APA's recommendation of draft decisions to CMA 1.2, though gaps persisted in finance accounting and loss and damage provisions. The sessions concluded with closing plenaries on December 15, where the COP, CMP, and CMA adopted the Katowice Climate Package after overnight negotiations, incorporating APA outputs on most rulebook elements but leaving Article 6 mechanisms for future COPs due to unresolved accounting and integrity concerns. Overall, the negotiations highlighted tensions between developed and developing parties on equity and ambition, with procedural advances enabling implementation but critics noting the package's vagueness on enforcement and emissions pathways insufficient for limiting warming to 1.5°C as urged by IPCC reports presented concurrently.

Side Events and Dialogues

Numerous side events were organized parallel to the main negotiations at COP24, held from December 2 to 15, 2018, in , , providing platforms for observer organizations, non-party stakeholders, and parties to discuss implementation of the , adaptation strategies, and emission reduction technologies. These events, registered through the UNFCCC's Side Event Online Registration System (SEORS) with applications closing on August 24, 2018, covered topics including carbon pricing mechanisms, sustainable maritime transport, and black carbon emissions' impacts on health and climate. For instance, the International Carbon Action Partnership (ICAP) hosted a session on December 6, 2018, featuring speakers on linking carbon markets under the . The European Union Pavilion alone facilitated over 100 side events focused on thematic debates, observer engagement, and dialogue facilitation, emphasizing areas like for urban areas and alignment of financial institutions with goals. Organizations such as the (WRI), (GEF), and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) sponsored events on transformational changes for limiting warming to 1.5°C, lessons, and coordinated action on emissions gaps, with UNEP partnering in over 30 events. Additional sessions addressed displacement risks, with the Platform on Disaster Displacement participating in events on human mobility and climate impacts from December 3 to 14, 2018. The Talanoa Dialogue, a facilitated exchange mandated by the to assess collective progress, featured a political phase at COP24 from December 3 to 12, 2018, structured around three core questions: current status of climate efforts, desired trajectory, and pathways forward. Co-facilitated by and , it included over 100 preparatory events globally and high-level roundtables with ministers, business leaders, and , culminating in a call for enhanced ambition in nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Regional variants, such as those by cities and regions, fed into the main dialogue to incorporate subnational perspectives on NDC enhancement.

Outcomes

Katowice Climate Package

The Katowice Climate Package, formally adopted on December 15, 2018, at the conclusion of COP24, comprises a comprehensive set of decisions and guidelines to operationalize the Agreement's core provisions, spanning over 130 pages of technical modalities and rules. It establishes frameworks for transparency, accounting, nationally determined contributions (NDCs), , finance, technology transfer, compliance, and cooperative mechanisms, aiming to enable consistent tracking of national climate actions while accommodating differentiated capacities among parties. The package draws on IPCC methodologies for inventories and emphasizes public registries for NDCs and adaptation communications, with implementation largely phased in from 2020 onward. Central to the package is the enhanced transparency framework under Article 13 of the , which mandates biennial transparency reports starting in 2024, covering seven categories: national greenhouse gas inventories, information on NDCs and progress toward them, adaptation actions, climate impacts and adaptation needs, support provided or received for and adaptation, and national circumstances affecting implementation. Parties must use common reporting formats and metrics, including the IPCC's 2006 guidelines for emissions accounting, though developing countries receive flexibilities such as self-determined adjustments in reporting rigor to reflect capacity constraints. A public registry for these reports is to be established, alongside technical expert reviews to assess consistency and facilitate improvements, but without punitive enforcement. Guidance on NDCs under Article 4 requires parties to communicate features ensuring clarity, transparency, and understanding, with updates every five years reflecting progressive ambition relative to prior levels, though no binding requirement for economy-wide absolute emissions reductions exists. A prototype public NDC registry is slated for completion by 2025. For adaptation under Article 7, the package outlines modalities for adaptation communications, including a synthesis report on needs every four years, and extends the Adaptation Fund's service to activities. The process under Article 14 is defined, with the first assessment in 2023 evaluating collective progress toward long-term goals using the latest IPCC reports. On finance, the package reinforces the commitment to mobilize USD 100 billion annually from developed to developing countries by 2020, requiring biennial reporting on progress from 2020 and initiating work on a new collective quantified goal post-2025. under Article 10 is bolstered through an enhanced Technology Framework and Mechanism, with the first periodic assessment in 2021. A compliance of 12 members was established under Article 15 as a non-adversarial, facilitative body to promote implementation without sanctions. Cooperative implementation under Article 6 saw partial progress: rules for internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs) under 6.2 were outlined to avoid double-counting, but comprehensive guidance for a centralized mechanism under 6.4 and overall oversight remained unresolved, deferred to COP25 due to disagreements over environmental integrity and accounting. This incompleteness has been noted as a limitation, potentially delaying robust international carbon trading until subsequent conferences.

Talanoa Dialogue Results

The Talanoa Dialogue, initiated under the to assess collective progress toward its goals, culminated at COP24 in a series of 21 high-level ministerial roundtables involving nearly 100 ministers and over 40 non-Party stakeholders, such as leaders and representatives. Co-facilitated by Fiji's COP23 Presidency and Poland's COP24 Presidency, the dialogue's preparatory phase throughout 2018 gathered inputs via sessions emphasizing three core questions: "Where are we?", "Where do we want to go?", and "How do we get there?". These sessions highlighted persistent shortfalls in global climate ambition, with existing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) projected to result in at least 3°C of warming by 2100, far exceeding the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C target. The primary output was the Talanoa Call for Action, issued on December 12, 2018, which urged immediate and fivefold increases in NDC ambition to align with net-zero emissions by and limit warming to 1.5°C. The non-binding declaration called on governments to update NDCs by 2020 with enhanced targets and long-term strategies, while directing international agencies to mobilize finance and technology, non-Party stakeholders to accelerate implementation, and —including and spiritual leaders—to foster just transitions and public engagement. It emphasized unlocking , demonstrating , and acting collectively, framing these as essential for a "just transformation" without enforceable mechanisms. In the COP24 outcomes, Decision 1/CP.24 (the Climate Package) explicitly invited Parties to consider the Talanoa Dialogue's inputs, outputs, and results when preparing updated NDCs due in , linking the dialogue to the Paris Agreement's ambition mechanism. However, the Call for Action drew criticism for its aspirational tone lacking specific metrics or accountability, reflecting the dialogue's informal, trust-building format rooted in Pacific traditions rather than prescriptive . Subsequent assessments, such as UNEP emissions gap reports, confirmed the dialogue's identification of ambition gaps but noted limited immediate shifts in national commitments.

Other Resolutions

Decision 3/CP.24 addressed long-term climate finance, urging developed country Parties to fully operationalize the collective goal of mobilizing USD 100 billion annually by 2020 from a wide variety of sources, public and private, for and in developing countries, while emphasizing the need for enhanced transparency in reporting such provision. This decision also requested the Standing Committee on Finance to prepare a report on the progress towards achieving this goal, including gaps in delivery, to inform future negotiations. Decision 4/CP.24 took note of the biennial assessment report by the Standing Committee on Finance, which analyzed USD 62-79.5 billion in tracked flows in 2016, predominantly from public sources, but highlighted persistent shortfalls relative to needs estimated at USD 1.3-1.7 trillion annually by 2030 for developing countries. The Solidarity and Just Transition Silesia Declaration, launched by the Polish Presidency and endorsed by representatives from over 50 countries including the , , and the , affirmed the imperative of a "" towards environmentally sustainable economies, stressing social dialogue, quality employment, and reskilling of workers affected by decarbonization, particularly in coal-dependent regions like . This non-binding declaration positioned labor protections and as integral to climate policy implementation, without imposing enforceable obligations. A separate declaration on "forests for climate," initiated by the Polish Presidency and supported by over 50 nations, underscored the role of forests in and preservation, calling for enhanced international cooperation to halt and promote sustainable forest management as complementary to goals. Procedural decisions included 17/CP.24, which set the dates and venues for future sessions—COP 25 in from 11-22 November 2019, with CMP 15 and CMA 2.5—and 18/CP.24 on administrative, financial, and institutional matters, approving the UNFCCC budget for 2019 at approximately EUR 200 million and electing new bureau members. These ensured continuity in the UNFCCC process amid ongoing implementation challenges.

Controversies

Environmental Advocacy Criticisms

Environmental advocacy organizations, including the , criticized the COP24 outcomes for demonstrating insufficient political will to implement the robustly, arguing that the Katowice Climate Package established procedural rules without compelling deeper emissions cuts or adaptation measures necessary to avert severe climate impacts. Groups such as and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) highlighted the Polish government's promotion of —a fuel responsible for substantial global emissions—during the summit in , a coal-dependent region, as hypocritical and obstructive to progress; they staged protests labeling it a "slap in the face" to those affected by , given Poland's reliance on for over 80% of its electricity generation in 2018. The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) asserted that the package neglected considerations embedded in the , failing to integrate protections for vulnerable communities in transparency and accounting mechanisms. Women's Environment & Development Organization (WEDO) and allied gender-focused NGOs decried the conference's dismissal of voices and urgent 1.5°C-aligned solutions, noting that negotiations prioritized procedural finalization over substantive advancements for gender-differentiated climate vulnerabilities. Polish authorities' restrictions on spontaneous assemblies and denials of entry to at least 13 environmental activists from NGOs further drew rebukes for stifling dissent, with warning that such measures clashed with climate justice principles ahead of the December 2–15, 2018, event. Overall, advocates like those from the Independent's reporting viewed the deal as "morally unacceptable" amid 2018's record heat and disasters, lacking clarity on finance for developing nations and ambition signals beyond vague Talanoa Dialogue nods.

Economic and Practical Objections

Polish President , opening COP24 on December 3, 2018, asserted that usage was compatible with protection, reflecting Poland's economic dependence on for approximately 80% of its electricity generation and concerns over job losses in the sector employing over 80,000 workers. This stance underscored practical objections to rapid decarbonization mandates, as Poland's official projected only a reduction to 60% reliance by 2030 to safeguard and avoid economic disruption in coal regions. Critics, including economists, argued that forcing accelerated phase-outs without viable alternatives would impose undue costs on developing and transition economies, potentially exceeding benefits given 's role in affordable baseload power. The Katowice Climate Package's transparency and reporting requirements under Article 13 of the drew objections for their administrative burdens, particularly on developing nations with limited capacity, estimated to require billions in additional compliance costs without proportional emissions reductions. Practical implementation challenges were evident in the near-deadlock over Article 6 rules for international carbon markets, where disagreements on avoiding double-counting of emissions reductions and ensuring environmental integrity delayed resolution until the conference's final hours, leaving ambiguities that hindered cost-effective cooperative approaches. Parties like and raised concerns that stringent could undermine national and economic flexibility in trading mechanisms meant to lower expenses. Economists such as criticized the broader Paris framework codified at COP24, estimating that full implementation of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) would entail annual global costs of $1–2 trillion while achieving only a 0.17°C reduction in warming by century's end, yielding poor returns compared to alternative investments in or . Developing countries, via the G77+ bloc, objected to the package's failure to secure new binding finance beyond the pre-existing $100 billion annual target by , arguing it inadequately addressed the trillions needed for their transitions and , potentially exacerbating economic inequalities without enforceable transfers from developed nations. These critiques highlighted causal disconnects, where high upfront expenditures—projected at $1.5–3 trillion yearly for energy transitions—offered uncertain long-term benefits amid adaptive human ingenuity and modest projected damages relative to GDP losses from policy alone.

Skeptical and Realist Perspectives

Skeptical analysts argued that the Climate Package adopted at COP24, intended to operationalize the through transparency rules and nationally determined contributions (NDCs), would exert negligible influence on global temperatures while imposing burdensome compliance costs. Estimates indicated the full implementation of Paris commitments could avert at most 0.05°C of warming by 2100, far short of averting purported catastrophe, yet requiring annual global expenditures of $1-2 trillion starting in 2030 due to elevated energy prices and redirected investments. This framework, skeptics contended, perpetuated reliance on unreliable models that had historically overestimated warming rates, as evidenced by discrepancies between IPCC projections and observed temperature trends since the . Realist perspectives emphasized causal factors beyond emissions mitigation, such as and , over the conference's focus on regulatory harmonization. Critics like those from the , who convened a parallel science panel during COP24 on December 10-11, 2018, highlighted that global CO2 emissions rose 1.7% in 2018 despite Paris pledges, driven by growth in developing economies where fossil fuels remain essential for poverty alleviation. They argued that enforcing uniform standards ignores national sovereignty and energy realities, as seen in host nation Poland's 80% coal-dependent electricity grid, which underscored the impracticality of rapid decarbonization without viable alternatives. Economic modeling further supported this view, projecting that aggressive NDC enforcement would slow GDP growth by 1-3% annually in affected sectors without commensurate environmental gains. These viewpoints also critiqued the Talanoa Dialogue's facilitation of ambition-raising discussions as performative, yielding no enforceable outcomes amid geopolitical divergences; major emitters like continued expanding capacity by 38.5 gigawatts in 2018, offsetting Western reductions. Realists advocated prioritizing resilience measures—such as infrastructure hardening against weather extremes, which had proven effective in reducing damages relative to GDP—over efforts projected to yield as emissions sources shift to non-compliant nations. Such assessments, drawn from cost-benefit frameworks rather than consensus-driven narratives, portrayed COP24 as reinforcing a cycle of high-stakes with limited causal impact on variables.

Impact and Legacy

Short-Term Implementation

Following the adoption of the Katowice Climate Package at COP24, parties initiated preparatory measures to operationalize the Agreement's provisions, focusing on standardized reporting and planning. The package outlined modalities for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), requiring parties to structure future submissions with clear timelines, baselines, and ambition levels, applicable to updates due by 2020. In 2019, technical expert groups under the UNFCCC convened workshops to assist developing countries in aligning national systems with the enhanced transparency framework, including guidance on biennial transparency reports (BTRs) first due in 2024. These efforts emphasized capacity-building to track mitigation progress, though initial implementation faced challenges from unresolved elements like Article 6 on cooperative mechanisms, deferred to COP25. Parties prepared updated NDCs reflecting the Talanoa Dialogue's call for enhanced short-term ambition, including low-emission development strategies and immediate emissions reductions to align with 1.5°C pathways. By 2020, parties were expected to submit these updates every five years, demonstrating progressive ambition over prior commitments, but submissions were limited in 2019, with momentum building toward the 2020 deadline amid calls for rapid action. The package's guidance on avoiding double-counting of emissions reductions prompted ongoing technical discussions in 2019, aiming to prevent inflated progress claims in NDCs. On finance, developed countries began compiling data for biennial communications starting in 2020, reporting projected and provided support toward the USD 100 billion annual target by 2020, with modalities for transparency in tracking flows to developing nations. The Standing Committee on Finance initiated assessments of developing country needs from 2020, while the Green Climate Fund urged replenishment pledges in 2019 to sustain short-term project pipelines. Just transition guidelines adopted in Katowice informed early policy dialogues, such as EU discussions on coal phase-outs, but concrete national implementations remained nascent, with emphasis on social safeguards in energy shifts. Overall, these steps provided procedural foundations but yielded limited immediate emissions impacts, as global policies continued to lag empirical requirements for rapid decarbonization.

Long-Term Effectiveness Assessments

The Katowice Climate Package established the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), which standardized reporting requirements for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), including biennial transparency reports due from 2024 onward, building on prior monitoring, reporting, and verification systems to improve clarity and understanding of national climate actions. This framework has facilitated more consistent data on emissions inventories and progress tracking, enabling the UNFCCC to compile synthesis reports that reveal implementation gaps, such as the first in 2023, which concluded that current NDCs project emissions levels insufficient to limit warming to 1.5–2°C. Despite these transparency gains, empirical assessments show limited causal impact on global emissions trajectories. Energy-related CO₂ emissions rose from approximately 33 Gt in to around 37 Gt by 2023, with a 1% increase (357 Mt) in 2024 alone, driven by growth in and use in developing economies. Total under current policies are projected to result in 2.5–2.9°C warming by 2100, far exceeding Paris goals, as NDCs collectively fall short of the 43% reduction needed from 2019 levels by 2030 for 1.5°C compatibility. Critics from realist perspectives argue the package's non-binding nature and lack of enforcement mechanisms undermine long-term effectiveness, as national economic priorities—evident in continued emissions growth in major emitters like and —override commitments, with most countries unlikely to meet even their submitted NDCs. The 2023 UNEP Emissions Gap Report notes incremental progress in NDC ambition since Paris but emphasizes that without accelerated , including transfers and , the rulebook's procedural advances fail to address core gaps in ambition and delivery. Peer-reviewed analyses concur that while the aids accountability, it does not compel behavioral shifts, rendering the package more facilitative than transformative for emission reductions.

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