Building consensus in the UNFCCC

The document outlines the mechanics of consensus-building within the UNFCCC, emphasizing the human element of negotiations. It provides guidance for negotiators on knowing their national 'red lines', mastering technical substance, and building trust through transparency. It also highlights the challenges faced by new negotiators, such as complex schedules and technical jargon, and suggests capacity-building measures like mentoring and the use of external policy briefs to facilitate smoother international cooperation.

• In the context of the UNFCCC, consensus is interpreted as the 'absence of any formal objection' rather than a general agreement or a majority vote. In practice, parties typically attempt to resolve objections in informal 'huddles' before matters reach the plenary session.
• Effective negotiators must balance the strict adherence to their country's 'red lines'—non-negotiable limits—with a willingness to compromise in areas where other parties have equal or greater needs to foster goodwill.
• Trust and transparency are identified as essential prerequisites for consensus. Facilitators are encouraged to avoid pressuring parties, maintain a presumption of good faith, and use informal small-group discussions to resolve sticking points without embarrassing participants.

APA

La Viña, A. G. M., Guiao, C. T. T., & Abebe, S. K. (2013). Building consensus in the UNFCCC. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Consensus-building_CDKN-Working-Paper-FINAL.pdf

Chicago

La Viña, Antonio G. M., Cecilia Therese T. Guiao, and Selam Kidane Abebe. Building consensus in the UNFCCC. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2013. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Consensus-building_CDKN-Working-Paper-FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=La Viña |first1=Antonio G. M. |last2=Guiao |first2=Cecilia Therese T. |last3=Abebe |first3=Selam Kidane |title=Building consensus in the UNFCCC |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=September 2013 |url=http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Consensus-building_CDKN-Working-Paper-FINAL.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lavia2013building, author = {La Viña, Antonio G. M. and Guiao, Cecilia Therese T. and Abebe, Selam Kidane}, title = {{Building consensus in the UNFCCC}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2013}, month = sep, url = {http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Consensus-building_CDKN-Working-Paper-FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }