UN Climate Change News, 21 December 2022 - At the UN Climate Change conference COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, governments adopted the rules of procedure for the Paris Agreement Implementation and Compliance Committee (PAICC).
The rules set the working arrangements for the Committee to engage with Parties concerning their implementation and compliance and support them in meeting their commitments under the Paris Agreement.
The adoption of the rules by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) are a significant achievement given that they address any matters necessary for the proper and effective functioning of the Committee. This covers the working methods of the Committee to engage with Parties efficiently and effectively while ensuring fairness and transparency at all times.
The rules of procedure of the Committee, together with its modalities and procedures, which were adopted in Katowice in 2018, form the cornerstone of an effective, transparent, and robust mechanism, where facilitating implementation and compliance takes the central stage. Together this will support the effectiveness of the Paris Agreement for many years to come.
The adoption of the rules of procedure also marks the successful conclusion of a complex process of preparing the draft rules led by the Co-Chairs of the Committee, Christina Voigt and Haseeb Gohar, over the last three years. Since the establishment of the Committee under Article 15 of the Paris Agreement, to the election of its first members and alternate members at COP25 in Madrid in 2019, to the adoption of a full set of procedural rules in Sharm el-Sheikh in 2022, the Committee has come a long way. Still, its work is just starting.
Speaking at an event on the margins of COP27 about the Committee's work, PAICC Co-Chair Voigt said: "The adoption of a full set of rules of procedures for PAICC is a significant step forward. It allows the Committee to commence its operative work as an important building block of the architecture of the Paris Agreement."
Co-Chair Gohar added: "PAICC offers a unique opportunity to put the 1.5C goal on track. It is equipped with requisite tools and is mandated to take action, where the concerned Party has not abided by the provisions of the Paris Agreement."
Both also expressed their sincere appreciation to all members and alternate members of the Committee for their diligent and constructive work in preparing the draft rules, as well as to the UNFCCC Secretariat's Legal Affairs Division for their support and to all Parties for their trust.
The event entitled "The Paris Agreement Implementation and Compliance Committee and the Operation of the Paris Agreement" was held at the UNFCCC pavilion during COP27. It raised awareness of how the Committee can support the Parties' implementation of and compliance with the Paris Agreement. Planned e-learning courses by the Legal Affairs Division to build capacity and create awareness of the Committee's work were also presented.
During the event, the Co-Chairs, and panellists, Nabeel Munir, Pakistan's Ambassador to the Republic of Korea and Chair of G77 and China, and Henrik Hallgrim Eriksen, Norway's Lead Negotiator and from the country's Ministry for Climate and the Environment, engaged in a wide-ranging dialogue with the participants. Both panellists highlighted the pivotal role of the Committee in the era of implementing the Paris Agreement.
ABOUT THE PAICC
The Paris Agreement established the Committee to facilitate the implementation of and promote compliance with its provisions. The Committee is expert-based and facilitative in nature. It consists of twelve members and twelve alternate members, whom the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) elects based on equitable geographical representation.
The Committee can take different measures to facilitate implementation and promote compliance, such as helping countries engage with relevant bodies or arrangements on finance, technology and capacity building or assisting in developing an action plan.
