Players will start taking positions

Sergio Abranches, from Durban

COP17 opening session has just began, here in Durban. Right now the welcoming session has been installed by COP16 president Patricia Espinosa, who has presided COP16. The President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, is also attending the welcoming ceremony.

The president of COP17, Maite Nkoana-Mashahabane, South Africa Minister of Foreign Organizations and Cooperation, has been elected by acclamation, as few minutes ago, on the first plenary of the Climate Convention.

At the convention plenary, several organizational matters will be decided to put the meeting in place: the formal election of the president of COP17; adoption of the rules of procedure; adoption of the agenda; election of officers other than the president; organization of work, including the sessions of the subsidiary bodies; admission of organizations as observers.

After lunch, the first press conference of some major parties will take place, starting with COP17 president Maite Nkoana-Mashahabane, and UNFCCC Secretary Executive, Christiana Figueres, at 13:15. At 14:00 the European Union will stage a new press conference. At 14:30, will happen the first press conference of the United States negotiators. The press conference of the Mexico Delegation will be at 15:00. Finally the Brazilian negotiators will speak to the press at 18:00.

These press conferences will serve to establish the playing field. The parties will spell out their initial conditions and expectations. It is the moment for the disclosure of the delegations’ public agenda. All countries have their own hidden strategy of negotiation, only to become clear as negotiations proceed and countries are forced to play their trump cards. This hidden hand is of central importance in decision-making, and will be played over the next two weeks.

There hardly is any surprising piece of information served at these press conferences. As the meeting goes on, several indications will start to show at negotiations, leakages will help to better understand what happened at closed doors. Negotiators will be forced to react, at least partially, to each other’s actions. Let us see how this game will be played in Durban.

Tags: COP17, Durban, UNFCCC