Postcard from Katowice: Friday, December 14
This is the final GCF postcard from Katowice, but it may not be the final day of the COP.
This is the final GCF postcard from Katowice, but it may not be the final day of the COP. We are now into the waiting game, as negotiations continue to agree the Paris ‘rulebook’ and other texts, which includes the Guidance to GCF from the COP.
If you’ve been reading the daily postcard you will remember that this was targeted for completion by last Saturday, but it’s now part of the overall package of texts being negotiated, so is not likely to emerge until the final deal is made.
The exhibition centre is being packed up, and that includes the GCF pavilion, our home for the last two weeks. Negotiators are scurrying from room to room, trying to get a text that can be taken back for Ministerial approval. Journalists are looking bored, and taking bets on when the final deal will be made - with estimates running as late as Sunday evening from some. The early hours of Saturday morning seem more likely, but this remains to be seen.
The Handshakes
For GCF, whilst we are closely observing the negotiations, ready to provide input where required, it’s also a chance to hold meetings with many Ministers and other partners, giving updates on our activities, receiving feedback on strategic priorities and operations, and discussing how to work together to strengthen climate action. The ‘handshake photo’ is of course a classic feature of such meetings, so here is a collection from today, so you can see who has been meeting with GCF Executive Director a.i. Javier Manzanares.
Isabella Lövin, Swedish Minister for International Development, discusses GCF's progress with Javier Manzanares
Japan's Environment Minister Yoshiaki Harada in the GCF office
Claudio Alatorre, IDB, and Javier Manzanares, GCF, exchange project documents to begin investing USD 400 million in 4 transformative initiatives across Latin America and the Caribbean
Xie Zhenhua, China's special representative for climate change affairs meets GCF
Goodbye from Katowice!
The GCF team at COP24 took the chance for a commemorative photo this morning, so we bid you farewell from COP24, with a big thank you for all the support, encouragement, constructive criticism, and ideas that we’ve received from Parties, observers, civil society, and everyone whom we’ve met here in Katowice. Whilst we are still awaiting the final outcome of this COP, for GCF it has proved an opportunity to discuss, engage, learn, and report on our work. We have had a hugely inspiring High Level Ministerial meeting this week, which has set the stage for an ambitious and successful replenishment over the course of next year.