Consensus-Building in the UNFCCC

This research paper, written by a UNFCCC negotiator from Ethiopia, examines the challenges faced by new negotiators and proposes strategies to improve consensus-building within the UNFCCC process. The author emphasizes the need for capacity building, transparency, and the availability of data to foster trust and facilitate multilateral agreements on climate change.

• New negotiators face significant barriers when entering the UNFCCC process, including the complexity of schedules, the heavy use of jargon and acronyms, and a lack of access to historical decisions and previous negotiation texts.
• Capacity building is essential for speeding up the negotiation process and enabling new negotiators to contribute. The author suggests a mentorship model where new negotiators shadow experienced colleagues for a year or more before taking lead roles.
• Activities conducted outside the formal UNFCCC process, such as relaxed dialogues and the use of policy briefs containing scientific data and costs, help build trust and broaden negotiators' perspectives, potentially making them more open to agreement.
• Trust and transparency are critical for reaching consensus in the UNFCCC, as parties have competing political, social, and economic interests. Transparency regarding positions and the absence of hidden agendas are necessary for parties to feel their positions are understood.
• The availability of free and transparent data on sectoral emissions, climate impacts, and mitigation costs is proposed as a foundation for negotiations to reduce fear of unintended consequences and pressure parties toward agreement.
• The UNFCCC has evolved through several key agreements, including the 1992 Convention, the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, the Bali Road Map, the Copenhagen Accord, and the Durban Platform. These have led to the extension of the Kyoto Protocol's second commitment period until 2020 and a commitment from developed countries to provide $100 billion annually in climate financing starting in 2020.

APA

Abebe, S. K. (2013). Consensus-Building in the UNFCCC. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Background-Paper-Selam-Abebe-Consensus-building-in-the-UNFCCC.pdf

Chicago

Abebe, Selam Kidane. Consensus-Building in the UNFCCC. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2013. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Background-Paper-Selam-Abebe-Consensus-building-in-the-UNFCCC.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Abebe |first1=Selam Kidane |title=Consensus-Building in the UNFCCC |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=2013 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Background-Paper-Selam-Abebe-Consensus-building-in-the-UNFCCC.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{abebe2013consensusbuilding, author = {Abebe, Selam Kidane}, title = {{Consensus-Building in the UNFCCC}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2013}, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Background-Paper-Selam-Abebe-Consensus-building-in-the-UNFCCC.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }