Development & Climate Days at COP 18 meeting report

Abstract

The Development & Climate Days celebrated its 10th anniversary at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP 18 in Doha, Qatar (1–2 December 2012). With a vision of re-energizing the original purpose of bringing together policy-makers, practitioners and researchers for intensely participatory learning, dialogue and networking, this event convened over 200 negotiators, policy-makers, scientists, funding agencies and development practitioners. A highly interactive, out-of-the-box programme featured ‘speed networking’ icebreaker sessions, experiential learning games about climate risk management and development, sharply moderated discussions, high-level panels and a ‘Beyond the Film Festival’. Without support from the habitual Powerpoint presentation format, each of these sessions aimed to foster an environment of collaboration among participants, and inject serious fun into the climate and development dialogue processes. Key messages emerging from the event included: (i) considering ways to reduce social exclusion and generating ‘constituencies of demand’, in order to place the injustice of climate change in a political agenda guided by science, (ii) addressing the role of sub-national governments in delivering climate and development financing at community level, (iii) integrating climate services into climate-smart development, and (iv) improving understanding of Loss and Damage from the research, policy and practice perspectives.

Keywords:

• participation
• adaptation
• development
• communication
• knowledge sharing