The UN climate conference in Poznań, Poland, has started. The conference will be held on 1st – 12th of December. Thousands of participants from around the world will discuss and negotiate on an “ambitious and effective” international climate change agreement. The meeting is the “halfway mark” until Copenhagen in 2009.

The Poznań Climate Change Conference provides the opportunity to draw together the advances made in 2008 and move from discussion to negotiation mode in 2009. At COP 14/CMP 4 in Poznań, Parties are expected to:

• Agree on a plan of action and programmes of work for the final year of negotiations after a year of comprehensive and extensive discussions on crucial issues relating to future commitments, actions and cooperation
• Make significant progress on a number of on-going issues required to enhance further the implementation of the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, including capacity-building for developing countries, reducing emissions from deforestation (REDD), technology transfer and adaptation.
• Advance understanding and commonality of views on “shared vision” for a new climate change regime
• Strengthen commitment to the process and the agreed timeline

Such an outcome at Poznań would build momentum towards an agreed outcome at Copenhagen in December 2009.

Key dates:

1 December: Opening of the conference. Opening sessions of the AWG-LCA, AWG-KP, SBI and SBSTA

8 December: No formal meetings related to the process will take place, due to observation of the Islamic feast of Eid Al-Adha. (This has been shifted from Tuesday, 9 December, to Monday, 8 December.) All formal meetings currently scheduled for Monday 8 December will be rescheduled to Tuesday, 9 December, at the same times.

10 December: Closing day of the 29th sessions of SBSTA and SBI, the 4th session of the AWG-LCA and the resumed sixth session of the AWG-KP

11-12 December: High-Level Segment of COP 14 and CMP 4.