Introduction to the CVF Summit (Part 1)
14 June 2018
The Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) will hold its first global Summit at the level of Heads of State/Government on 22nd of November, 2018 (Majuro time), after the release of the IPCC 1.5 report on October 8th 2018 and ahead COP24, to allow leaders of all nations to take into account the latest scientific findings and translate them into a sound policy response. The Marshall Islands assumes the Chair of the CVF in mid-2018 and will therefore convene the Summit and hold it in a unique, entirely virtual format. It will release an outcome document of the vulnerable countries’ leaders (HOS/HOG) with member and observer state leaders delivering individual statements (video and/or written) issued online and via conventional/official channels. In order to highlight the importance of women’s leadership in climate action, President Heine of the Marshall Islands has appointed a special group of all-women ‘Summit Champions’, which will be co-chaired by Ms. Christiana Figueres, former Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, and Ms. Rachel Kyte, CEO of Sustainable Energy for All.
President Hilda Heine of Republic of Marshall Islands will announce the Summit on 27th of June, 2018 during the Sixth GEF Assembly at Vietnam. The objective for CAN as outreach focal point to The CVF is to rally as many countries as possible to announce that they will raise ambition including to enhance their NDCs. Several CVF members are expected to actually announce updated/enhanced NDCs as a part of their Summit statements. 2018 must be the trigger year if we want countries to review their NDCs in 2019 and submit them by 2020. This is a test for the five-year review cycle of the Paris Agreement. Therefore, a webinar was organised on June 13, 2018 to introduce the CVF Virtual Summit to CAN members on how they can support by encouraging their respective national governments to issue a response to the announcement of the Summit on 27th of June. The panel started with Matthew McKinnon and Kaveh Guilanpour, Advisors to CVF Chair from Marshall islands who provided a brief on the priorities of the Chair of CVF and expected outcomes from the Summit besides its virtual design running over 24 hours on Nov 22. CAN was represented by Wael Hmaidan and Hala Kilani who presented on role of CVF Summit in Step Up campaign as well as communications plan for the announcement on 27th June.
For more information, please download the slide deck used for the webinar.