COP23: TECHNICAL PROFILE WITH RELEVANT POLITICAL SUPPORT

COP23 was intended as a technical summit to establish the Paris Agreement Rulebook, but achieved only modest progress on these rules. Key breakthroughs included a first-time agreement to address climate challenges in agriculture and the establishment of a Gender Action Plan and a Local Communities and Indigenous People’s Platform. The conference launched the Talanoa dialogue to accelerate action and increase ambition. While official negotiations were slow, strong political support was demonstrated by non-state actors and an alternative US delegation. Additionally, the 'Powering Past Coal' alliance was endorsed by 28 countries and regional actors, though Germany was notably absent from the pledge.

• COP23 was intended to develop the 'PA Rulebook', which defines the rules and modalities for implementing the Paris Agreement after 2020, but progress on these technical rules was limited.
• The conference established a Gender Action Plan to integrate gender perspectives into the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement, and launched the Local Communities and Indigenous People’s Platform to share traditional knowledge for mitigation and adaptation.
• Parties achieved a historic breakthrough by agreeing for the first time to address climate challenges in the agriculture sector, specifically focusing on food security, emission reduction, and adaptation.
• The 'Talanoa dialogue' was launched as a facilitative, inclusive framework to be developed in two phases starting in January 2018, aiming to increase collective ambition and inform the second round of nationally determined contributions in 2020.
• The 'Powering Past Coal' alliance was endorsed by 28 countries and regional actors, led by the UK and Canada, stating that OECD and EU28 countries must phase out coal by 2030 to meet Paris Agreement targets, although Germany did not join the pledge.
• Despite the US official delegation's low profile following President Trump's announcement to abandon the Paris Agreement, an alternative US delegation under the motto “We are still in” and various non-state actors (cities, regions, businesses, and NGOs) showed strong political commitment to climate action.
• Progress on the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol remained insufficient for it to enter into force, as 54 additional ratifications were still needed despite seven new instruments of acceptance deposited during COP23 by countries including Spain, Germany, and the UK.

APA

de Murieta, E. S., Galarraga, I., & Sanz, M. J. (2017). COP23: TECHNICAL PROFILE WITH RELEVANT POLITICAL SUPPORT. Basque Centre for Climate Change. https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/201712271147451728496493.pdf

Chicago

de Murieta, Elisa Sainz, Ibon Galarraga, and Maria Jose Sanz. COP23: TECHNICAL PROFILE WITH RELEVANT POLITICAL SUPPORT. Basque Centre for Climate Change, 2017. https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/201712271147451728496493.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=de Murieta |first1=Elisa Sainz |last2=Galarraga |first2=Ibon |last3=Sanz |first3=Maria Jose |title=COP23: TECHNICAL PROFILE WITH RELEVANT POLITICAL SUPPORT |publisher=Basque Centre for Climate Change |date=2017 |url=https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/201712271147451728496493.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{demurieta2017cop23, author = {de Murieta, Elisa Sainz and Galarraga, Ibon and Sanz, Maria Jose}, title = {{COP23: TECHNICAL PROFILE WITH RELEVANT POLITICAL SUPPORT}}, institution = {Basque Centre for Climate Change}, year = {2017}, url = {https://www.bc3research.org/h6T8Uy8Nm4gFs0O/201712271147451728496493.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }