Meeting of the President of COP21 and Observer Organizations

The President of COP, French Minister Laurent Fabius, held a meeting with observer organizations on Wednesday, December 2^nd, to discuss the developments within negotiations and dialogue with observer organizations.  He engaged comments and concerns from organizations on procedural matters of transparency, as well as issues regarding the negotiation of the agreement.

Minister Fabius highlighted the “major role” that nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) play in the COP process.  He said that meetings between COP leadership and NGOs have taken place throughout the year and into this first week of negotiations, as his administration is striving to be as “open, transparent, and inclusive as possible” in order to reach a “good agreement for all.”

“Your actions are quite decisive…to change the paradigm of climate change,” Fabius said, thanking NGOs for their role as organizers, networks of information, and representatives of local concerns.  The issue of climate change “is not just a role of government” but of all stakeholders. 

He said that COP21 was unprecedented in terms of NGO and civil society participation, but due to the tragic terrorist attacks in Paris, some events were regrettably canceled for security reasons.  He stressed that these events must not prevent the expression of civil society participation and that he intends to keep “close and personal contact” between civil society and the Presidency of the COP. 

The former President of COP20, Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, offered to be a bridge and focal point for civil society participation in COP21.  Recognized for his work with NGOs in previous COPs, Pulgar-Vidal invited all observers to continue discussion on transparency issues to facilitate greater and more effective civil society involvement.