Highlights of June Momentum for Climate Change
A series of virtual events took place 1 to 10 June to maintain momentum in the UN Climate Change process and showcase progress in climate action despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
The series, dubbed the “June Momentum,” led to active exchanges among governments, experts and relevant stakeholders around the world and was an opportunity to expand the understanding of climate change, climate action and the negotiation process.
At the closing event on 10 June, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa said: “This series of events has helped educate and raise awareness among the public and has provided an opportunity to Parties and stakeholders to work in a completely new reality. And it has provided a way to advance technical discussions that may have helped Parties to better prepare for continuing with our work when we are meeting in person in October.”
Formal Subsidiary Body meetings under the UNFCCC normally take place at the beginning of June in Bonn, but this year have been rescheduled to October. The June Momentum was not designed to replace formal negotiations.
The June Momentum provided a platform for engagement on a wide range of work being done under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), including on adaptation, mitigation, science, finance, technology, capacity-building, transparency, gender, Action on Climate Empowerment, and the preparation and submission of national climate action plans, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
The June Momentum was initiated and led by Marianne Karlsen, Chair of the UNFCCC’s Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), and Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu, Chair of the UNFCCC’s Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA).
Here you can read more details about the June Momentum.