Meetings held in Marrakesh, Morocco, this week in preparation for the 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22), wrapped up Thursday as delegates made some last-minute conference planning decisions, the UNFCCC said in a press release. COP22 will kick off in Marrakesh on Nov. 7 and end on Nov. 18.
Decisions made regarding the COP include the designation of a number of thematic days encompassing agriculture and food security, cities, energy, forests, business, oceans, transport, water, and gender.
Officials this week also addressed the Paris Agreement on climate change, discussing development of a rulebook for the accord, finance for climate adaptation and mitigation in developing countries, and capacity-building initiatives, according to the release.
Conference planners were thrown a curveball earlier this month when the Paris Agreement’s entry into force was triggered early enough for the accord to be operational before COP22 begins. The text of the agreement requires that the first COP after entry into force host the first meeting of the parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA1).
Earlier this week, the UNFCCC secretariat announced that CMA1 would begin Nov. 15 during the COP.