WWF Expectations for UNFCCC COP28

TAKING STOCK, TAKING ACTION:

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CHANGING COURSE TO 1.5°C June 2023
 ESSENTIAL INTRODUCTION:
OUTCOMES THE STATE OF PLAY
REQUIRED FROM OF CLIMATE ACTION
COP28: IN 2023
● Strong political signals to phase out fossil The latest cycle of climate science
fuels no later than 2050, with developed
countries achieving this sooner, including targets reports from the IPCC are
for renewables, energy efficiency and energy
access.
unequivocal: if humanity does not
● A successful Global Stocktake, which:
change course, by accelerating
○ paves the way for unprecedented and
the shift away from fossil fuels
immediate implementation of current NDCs and building low carbon climate
through sectoral policies and measures,
especially on energy, nature and food resilient economies, we will miss
systems;
the chance to limit warming to
○ strengthens international cooperation and 1.5°C this century with limited
other enabling conditions for stronger NDCs
by 2025 or earlier, with revised 2030 targets in overshoot. Already 3.3-3.6 billion
addition to 2035 targets.
people are vulnerable to climate
● Full operationalization of the Loss and
Damage Fund, with substantial pledges of new change impacts, and this number
funds and progress on alternative sources. will rapidly increase with rising
● A decision on a comprehensive framework for temperatures.
the Global Goal on Adaptation with the guiding
structure agreed at COP27.
COP28 must be the moment where the world rallies to meet
● Scaling up provision of public finance by
the climate challenge. Parties must decide to dramatically
developed countries to beyond $100 billion per
accelerate implementation at the sectoral level through zero
annum in line with needs of developing countries.
emissions technologies, breaking the dependence on fossil
● Alignment of all private and public financial fuels, building climate resilience, and compensating for
flows with climate objectives. inevitable loss and damage.

The Global Stocktake (GST) is the Paris Agreement

mechanism to compel governments and other actors to
collectively face up to the consequences of their actions and
inaction. The first GST is set to conclude that global efforts to
date are woefully insufficient, and we are far off course. The
response by Parties must be to choose the kind of future they
and future generations will face.

WWF INTERNATIONAL 2023

COP28 LEGACY: AN ENHANCED
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
Since COP26 in Glasgow, there has been much talk of a ‘shift to
implementation’, with little progress. Parties should agree on a strategy for
enhanced implementation of the actions, policies and measures required
to meet current targets, and enable the more ambitious targets needed to
close the ambition gap and build the climate resilience of people and nature.
Elements of such a strategy should include:

• Move from target-setting to coordinated policies be open to constructive engagement, dialogue and
and implementation of actions: National targets cooperation with these initiatives, to achieve synergies,
for emissions reductions and adaptation outcomes ensure accountability, leverage resources and build
should continue to play a central role under the Paris political momentum. This openness to relevant parallel
Agreement. However, targets are meaningless if initiatives should also increasingly include non-state
they are not backed up by national policies and the and sub-national initiatives, such as the Global Climate
implementation of transformative actions. These need Action Agenda and the work of the Climate Champions.
not be left to parties to implement in isolation at the
national level. There are countless opportunities to • Strengthening accountability and credibility: There
accelerate and strengthen implementation through is currently no mechanism that can ensure that the
international coordination and cooperation at the Parties’ individual efforts add up to the global effort
sectoral level, and in many cases across sectors. required to meet agreed goals, and Parties cannot be
Effective design and implementation of sectoral held legally accountable for meeting their commitments.
actions will require engagement of relevant decision- If Parties are not able to demonstrate in their response
makers, including Ministers responsible for the different to the first Global Stocktake by 2025 that they are
sectors. Some topics that could benefit from greater able to agree on measures and targets to close the
international collaboration are in energy efficiency emissions gap, they should consider strengthening
in areas such as cooling technologies, accelerated the bottom-up, nationally determined and largely
expansion of renewable energies, transportation, and voluntary nature of the Paris climate regime. For
hard to abate sectors such as steel and cement. countries, we believe that credible commitments must
be reflected in national legislation; and be accompanied
• Aligning regimes and Institutions to support by appropriate planning and implementation at the
implementation: Because of its universality, sectoral level, with the engagement of line Ministries.
the multilateral regime created under the climate WWF supports the UN Secretary General’s call for
convention and the Paris Agreement must continue developed countries to reach net-zero by 2040. For
to play a central role in global efforts to combat non-State entities, the High Level Expert Group on
climate change. But this issue is currently being Net-Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities
addressed across a wide range of multilateral regimes has presented useful recommendations to ensure
and institutions, including by international financial credibility of commitments that should be rapidly and
institutions, UN agencies, and regional and plurilateral fully implemented.
processes. The UNFCCC and Paris regime should

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REQUIRED OUTCOMES FROM COP28
FORMAL NEGOTIATIONS
COVER TEXTS. With the conclusion of the Paris Rulebook and • Parties must recognize the interdependence of
the shift to implementation, the Cover Texts of the COP safeguarding nature and decarbonizing energy
and the CMA have taken on a new importance in the COP and industrial systems in achieving social and
outcomes. They increasingly provide the site for negotiations economic goals;
over new directions for the global climate regime, sending
signals on key issues like eliminating fossil fuels and • Parties recognize that safeguarding of nature and
others that do not have a corresponding agenda item in decarbonization must happen in parallel, and that
other negotiation processes. The COP28 cover text is an action and support for both must be accelerated.
opportunity to decide on and signal the importance of:
The outcome of the global stocktake should be a global
• The outcome of the first Global Stocktake, including roadmap to reset climate ambition and implementation in line
a roadmap to align Party responses to the Paris with sustainable and equitable global pathways to 1.5°C with
Agreement, limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C with low low or limited overshoot. This should signal the shift to urgent
or limited overshoot. implementation, with the following elements:

• Phase-out of all fossil fuels and fossil fuel subsidies, • Ambitious targets in key emitting sectors at the national
with targets for renewable energy - especially wind level, including international cooperation to accelerate
and solar, for access to clean energy for all and for actions, strengthen ambition and ensure synergies.
energy efficiency;
• Ambitious targets for expanding renewable energy,
• A shift towards effective implementation at the energy efficiency and energy access;
sectoral level;
• Action and support to conserve 30 to 50 per cent of
• Urgent, accelerated action towards, and mobilization land, freshwater and ocean sinks by 2050;
of resources for, building climate resilience of
• Clarification of the roles and responsibilities of ongoing
vulnerable people and nature while also addressing
UNFCCC processes in the context of the outcomes of
loss and damage.
the GST, including any additional mandates.
• Nature to achieve its full potential in the fight against
• Action and support mechanisms to ensure accessibility
climate change, including through nature-based
of financing for conditional aspects of nationally
solutions for mitigation and adaptation;
determined contributions (NDCs).
• Transforming the global food system.
NEW WORK PROGRAMMES ON MITIGATION AND ON JUST TRANSITION.
GLOBAL STOCKTAKE. At COP28, Parties will come together to These work programmes are welcome additions to the
consider the outputs of the first global stocktake, and define UNFCCC and provide an opportunity to accelerate sectoral
the UNFCCC political landscape for the next five years. decarbonization and a just transition to renewable energy.
Parties and key stakeholders must make all necessary efforts This will require deep engagement, alignment and agreement
to strengthen the accountability and expectations of Parties, on the concrete actions, measures and milestones to inform
and that all stakeholders stand ready to implement required and guide parties, subnational governments and non-State
measures across sectors and jurisdictions. actors. The guiding vision for both tracks must include
peaking global emissions immediately, reducing emissions
WWF’s recommendations for high level political messages by more than 43% from 2019 levels by 2030, and by 60%
from the global stocktake are the following: by 2035. The outcomes of these work programmes should
inform and enable more ambitious NDCs in 2025 and 2030,
• Commitments from Parties to revisit and strengthen international cooperation strategies and plans, and decisions
pre-2030 commitments and communicate 2035 targets: by all actors, including the private sector and public and
both in line with an equitable global pathway to 1.5°C private financial institutions.
with no or limited overshoot;
• Mitigation Work Programme (MWP): We see the
• Developed countries need to develop pathways to outcomes of this year as part of a globally agreed
nature-positive, net-zero emissions by 2040 and plan to phase out all fossil fuels as the theme for
developing countries by 2050; 2023 is accelerating just energy transition, including
by implementing policies and measures with global
• Alignment of governance, policy and national legislation
overview and country-specific experience; addressing
with climate commitments;
financial, technological and capacity-building needs in
this area, such as through international cooperation,

WWF INTERNATIONAL 2023

 including with non-Party stakeholders, and provision baseline of 2019 as a minimum and allocating at least
of support to developing countries; and promoting 50% of public climate finance for adaptation as grants.
sustainable development and understanding The Adaptation Finance goal needs to be a separate
socioeconomic effects. goal in the New Collective Quantify Goal.

The MWP should have a strong focus on • The National Adaptation Plans (NAPs): Decide that
implementation. We hope the dialogues are developed countries should provide adequate support
constructive and solutions-focused, avoiding for the implementation of the developing countries
unnecessary discussions already contemplated in NAPs The decision should also encourage countries
other work streams, in order to allow for countries to who have not submitted their NAPs to do so, and
significantly advance on implementing their current request the UNFCCC financial mechanism (Green
commitments and pave the way for stronger ones Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, Global Environment
in the 2025 and 2030 NDCs. For that, the sectoral Facility) to provide necessary support with easy and
focus will be fundamental. Strengthening international direct access of funds for NAPs preparation and
cooperation should be front and centre in the MWP and implementation.
investment-focused events.
• Operationalizing the agreed Loss and Damage
We expect the Ministerial at COP28 to build on Fund: Full operationalization of the Loss and Damage
the report of the dialogues and provide strong Fund with substantial new funding pledges; a process
guidance to enhance ambition and implementation for examining and deciding on alternative sources
from 2024 onwards, in line with global stocktake and a recognition of the role and limitations of broader
recommendations. WWF has proposed a framework existing funding arrangements. Loss and Damage
for the first dialogue on mitigation options and enabling finance needs to be a separate item in the New
conditions highlighted by the IPCC in AR6. We also Collective Quantified Goal.
hope that, given their relevance, the dialogues and the
parallel investment-focused events will be open to all • Santiago Network on Loss and Damage. Full
UNFCCC observers. operationalization of the Santiago Network on Loss and
Damage and new and additional funding committed.
• Work Program on Just Transition: a decision creating
this programme will be adopted at COP28, when the FINANCE AND SUPPORT FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. Finance,
first Ministerial on the theme will also take place. Its technology and capacity-building support are the glue that
objective, as decided in COP27, is the discussion holds together the parties, architecture and cooperation
of pathways to achieving the goals of the Paris under the Climate Convention and the Paris Agreement.
Agreement. The Just Transition Work Programme Much of the promise of equity, justice and fairness that the
should provide guidance to national governments on climate regime embodies depends on adequate financial
how to design such pathways in a just and equitable resources. The much discussed course correction expected
manner, with the full participation of all stakeholders this year will depend to no small extent on success in the
and enhanced international cooperation. The current following areas:
Just Transition initiatives by the G7 with South Africa,
• The USD 100 billion - This goal has not been met so
Indonesia and Viet Nam can provide valuable lessons
far, but meeting it is paramount for building trust in the
for this work stream.
negotiations. Closing the financial gap (i.e. mobilizing
PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO IMPACTS. Every increment USD600 bn of climate finance between 2020 and the
of warming will push many impacts beyond the limits of end of 2025) should be an obligation of all developed
adaptation, and result in loss and damage, especially to the countries and one of the financial priorities during
most vulnerable countries, its people and nature, most of the incoming months and years. The positive signals
which have contributed little to causing the problem. Climate from the Petersberg Climate Dialogue that developed
justice requires helping the most vulnerable weather the countries could be on track to meet the USD100
climate crisis. COP28 must deliver the following outcomes to billion goal this year is welcome. However, this must
scale up adaptation actions and protect them: be achieved with scaled up public finance, and not be
through creative accounting.
• Glasgow–Sharm El-Sheikh work programme
on the global goal on adaptation: Decide on • Doubling Adaptation finance - This goal should be
a comprehensive framework for the Global Goal included in discussions on both Green Climate Fund
on Adaptation (GGA) with the guided structured (GCF) replenishment and the aspirational goals of the
approaches as outlined at COP27, with defined Adaptation Fund Board, as those funds are in the front
global mid- and long term targets (2030, 2040 and row for adaptation funding - and a significant amount of
2050), metrics, and indicators. To achieve this overall adaptation money should be directed via GCF, as per
objective, adequate means of implementation need decision 1/CP.16\.
to be put in place. How the GGA feeds into the global
• New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) - In Paris,
stocktake process needs to be defined.
via decision 1/CP.21, all parties agreed to a new
• Finance and support for Adaptation and building collective quantified goal on finance, starting from the
climate resilience: Agree on a roadmap for doubling floor of USD100 bn by 2025. As it is a continuation to
the adaptation finance commitment by 2025 with the the USD100 billion per year goal, it should be mostly an

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 obligation of developed countries. However, there can Dialogue outcomes should promote the inclusion of ocean-
be an additional goal also for other parties, as per the based climate solutions in nationally determined contributions
encouragement in article 9.2 of the Paris Agreement, and National Adaptation Plans, and long-term strategies
to take into account the changing responsibilities and and actions by Governments to advance nature-based
respective capabilities. solutions and measures for ocean and coasts that are nature-
positive and can deliver net-zero outcomes. Importantly,
• Delivering on Article 2.1c - Making all financial flows the Dialogue should also highlight ways to ensure that
consistent with the pathway towards low greenhouse clear pathways, enabling conditions and mechanisms are
gas emissions and climate resilient development is an created and/or strengthened for Indigenous Peoples, local
important step towards reaching climate neutrality in communities to have timely and equitable access to ocean-
2050. While this goal should be pursued by all parties, climate adaptation finance, technology transfer and capacity
it should not be an excuse for not delivering on both the building. It should also formulate concrete, actionable
USD100 billion goal and delaying discussions on the recommendations on how the relevant work programmes and
new collective quantified goal. Maintaining a separation constituted bodies under the UNFCCC, especially those on
from provision of finance under Article 9 is fundamental, finance, technology, adaptation, and capacity building, should
while recognizing the overlaps. continue to integrate and strengthen ocean-based action in
their mandates and work plans. These recommendations
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES. COP28 must
should inform relevant COP28 negotiations, the Global
ensure that both Indigenous Peoples and local communities
Stocktake, and ocean-climate action across relevant
are appropriately supported within a rights-based approach to
conventions, and should be reflected in the informal summary
protect, govern and manage their traditional lands, enhance
report submitted to Parties at COP28.
their traditional knowledge systems and sustain their
livelihoods, as well as their contributions to address climate ARTICLE 6 - MARKET AND NON-MARKET MECHANISMS. With the
change and biodiversity loss. Indigenous Peoples and local Article 6 rulebook finally in place, it’s time to focus on the
communities should be integrally involved in the planning, implementation of the Market and non-Market Mechanisms.
design and implementation of climate actions. The flaws of the rapidly growing Voluntary Carbon Markets
and the controversial practice of making carbon neutrality and
FOOD SYSTEMS. The IPCC is clear that without addressing
offset claims must be addressed properly, making full use
emissions from food systems - in addition to rapid
of the tools of the Paris Agreement such as corresponding
decarbonization of all other sectors - it will not be possible
adjustments. We need a global network of registries,
to keep 1.5°C within reach. Therefore, governments need to
ensuring the transparency and traceability of credits issued.
take a food systems approach when tackling climate change,
The failure of the Art 6.4 Supervisory Body at COP27 to
and elevate the topic on the COP28 agenda. A food systems
prepare an acceptable guidance concerning removals, must
approach means a focus on nature-positive food production,
not be repeated. All measures possible must be taken to
healthy and sustainable diets and nutrition, and food loss
prevent the Article 6 markets from being undermined by low
and waste. Established at COP27, the four-year “Sharm
quality credits via the carry-over from the Kyoto mechanisms.
el-Sheikh joint work on implementation of climate action
The full potential of article 6.8 must be realized, including for
on agriculture and food security” must go beyond a series
funding results based actions for areas where markets have
of workshops. In Dubai, we need to see a roadmap with
often proven problematic, such as land-based removals,
concrete steps to implement climate action across the entire
nature-based solutions and carbon sequestration.
food system at international and national level, including and
especially in nationally determined construction and National
Adaptation Plans..

STRENGTHENING OCEAN-BASED ACTION THROUGH THE OCEAN CLIMATE

DIALOGUE. The Ocean Climate Dialogue provides a critical
forum for parties to explore how to strengthen the mitigation,
adaptation and resilience potential of the ocean, as well
as dependent communities and economies, and make
the ocean a vital aspect of national climate change goals,
policies, strategies and their implementation. The 2023

WWF INTERNATIONAL 2023

 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Mark Lutes Fernanda de Carvalho
WWF UNFCCC Lead Head: Climate and Energy Policy
Senior Advisor: Global Climate Policy WWF International
WWF Climate and Energy

marklutes@wwf.org.br fcarvalho@wwfint.org

© 2023

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