Supporting international climate negotiators: Lessons from CDKN

This research paper by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) examines how to effectively support climate change negotiators from the poorest and most climate-vulnerable countries. Based on CDKN's experience since July 2011, the paper identifies key barriers—such as lack of financial resources, technical knowledge, and institutional memory—and proposes a demand-led support model encompassing administrative, technical, and legal assistance to amplify the influence of these nations in international negotiations.

• Collaborative agreement on priorities before formal negotiations strengthens negotiating positions. An alliance between the EU, Least Developed Country (LDC) group, and Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) during the 17th Conference of Parties (COP17) influenced the design of the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, making it harder for countries like China and India to dissent.
• Delegations suffer from a loss of 'institutional memory' due to the natural turnover of members and the handover of chairing roles between countries. This is particularly acute for small delegations from poor countries. CDKN mitigates this by supporting web-based resource storage, training for less experienced negotiators through shadowing, and ensuring continuity of support services.
• Technical and legal assistance helps poor and climate-vulnerable countries overcome barriers to influence, as they often cannot afford technical specialists and may select delegates based on seniority rather than expertise. Examples include the Legal Response Initiative (LRI), which provides pro bono legal advice, and support for the Republic of the Marshall Islands to author UNFCCC submissions.

APA

Jefford, S., & Hamza-Goodacre, D. (2013). Supporting international climate negotiators: Lessons from CDKN. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/CDKN_Working-Paper_Negotiations_web-final2.pdf

Chicago

Jefford, Stuart, and Dan Hamza-Goodacre. Supporting international climate negotiators: Lessons from CDKN. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2013. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/CDKN_Working-Paper_Negotiations_web-final2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Jefford |first1=Stuart |last2=Hamza-Goodacre |first2=Dan |title=Supporting international climate negotiators: Lessons from CDKN |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=August 2013 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/CDKN_Working-Paper_Negotiations_web-final2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{jefford2013supporting, author = {Jefford, Stuart and Hamza-Goodacre, Dan}, title = {{Supporting international climate negotiators: Lessons from CDKN}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2013}, month = aug, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/CDKN_Working-Paper_Negotiations_web-final2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }