Briefing: After Paris – what's next for the LDCs?

Learning event

IIED hosted a high-level briefing on the outcomes of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The Paris Agreement is celebrated (Photo: francediplomatie, Creative Commons via Flickr)

The IIED's strategic briefing in London on 22 February analysed the key challenges and opportunities for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) as they seek to implement the Paris Agreement on climate change

The Paris Agreement was hailed as a milestone in international efforts to tackle climate change. The 29 Articles of the agreement and the accompanying documents addressed many long-standing demands of the LDC Group.

However, it is clear that much work is still needed – both internationally and at the national level – in order for it to be successfully implemented. 

IIED's event was an opportunity to hear the views of two senior climate change negotiations specialists: Dr. Achala Abeysinghe and Dr Saleemul Huq. Both were at the Paris talks and have detailed expertise on issues such as climate finance, loss and adaptation and international climate politics.

The meeting was an informal gathering for senior-level climate and development specialists. IIED's director, Dr. Andrew Norton, chaired the discussions. 

Key questions

Issues addressed included:

  • What are the key issues for the LDCs?
  • What are the challenges and opportunities for LDCs in the negotiations arena over the next year? 
  • What should we watch out for at COP22 in Marrakech?
  • What are the challenges and opportunities for LDCs in terms of their national level climate action planning over the next two to three years?
  • What are the biggest risks to the Paris process? 
  • What do OECD countries need to do to support the LDCs on the Paris agenda? 

About the speakers

Dr. Achala Abeysinghe is legal and technical adviser to the chair of the LDC Group for the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCC). She worked with the LDC Group throughout the Paris negotiations. 

She is a principal researcher in IIED's Climate Change Group. She heads the European Capacity Building Initiative (ecbi) workshops programme for vulnerable developing countries, and is a lead author of the chapter on Climate Resilient Pathways in the 5th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. She was recently named as one of the world's top 15 female climate champions.

Dr. Saleemul Huq is director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) in Bangladesh and is a senior fellow in IIED's Climate Change Group. He is an expert on the links between climate change and sustainable development, particularly from the perspective of developing countries. He was the lead author of the chapter on Adaptation and Sustainable Development in the Third Assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and was the lead author of the chapter on Adaptation and Mitigation in the IPCC's Fourth Assessment report. 

Dr Huq provided regular video updates during the Paris talks offering insights into the progress of the negotiations and expert opinion on the efforts to reach an equitable climate treaty.