CGIAR’s potential tangible contribution to continued Article 6.8 implementation

By Ma. Eliza J. Villarino

At COP29, the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice has forwarded decision text on Article 6.8 of the Paris Agreement to the Conference of the Parties for the latter's consideration and adoption. Based on a quick analysis of the document, CGIAR expects to continue participating in the Article 6.8 space during the second phase of implementing the work program.

During the first phase, CGIAR, through the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and the CGIAR Initiative on Low-Emission Food Systems, responded to two calls for submissions for input to the meeting of the Glasgow Committee on Non-Market Approaches, or GCNMA, the body the oversees the implementation Article 6.8.

That Paris Agreement article covers non-market approaches, which, as the term implies, do not rely on market mechanisms for parties to collaborate voluntarily on achieving nationally determined contributions to the Paris Agreement while promoting sustainable development and poverty reduction.

As noted previously, an invitation from the UNFCCC prompted a CGIAR and Alliance of Bioversity-CIAT presentation of a potential NMA at the in-session workshop of GCNMA in June 2024 in Bonn, Germany. This example comprises a project that is eligible to receive funding via Colombia's obras por impuestos, a tax incentive program for companies that have achieved a certain amount of annual sales on a given year. Eligible companies can opt to invest half of the taxes attached to those sales into projects, such as ecosystem payment services schemes, in Colombian municipalities affected by conflict, poverty, weak institutions and illicit economy.

Soon after the presentation, CIAT became a registered support provider for Article 6.8 implementation.

Also prompted by an invitation from the UNFCCC, the presentation at the in-session workshop of GCNMA in Baku, Azerbaijan, focused on a proposal to develop a tool that can support the identification of non-market approaches aligning with Article 6.8.

The rapid assessment tool, based discussions among and submissions, thus can help address a major challenge that most parties face in registering NMAs on the UNFCCC's dedicated platform for NMAs. As of this writing, none has been registered on the NMA Platform.

The tool can contribute to accomplishing some of the activities proposed for the second phase of implementing the work program for NMAs under Article 6.8. This phase spans 2025 to 2026.

Let's take for example the draft decision text clause noting that "[t]he Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement, Recalling decisions 4/CMA.3, 8/CMA.4 and 17/CMA.5 and the Paris Agreement … [r]ecognizes the importance of developing and implementing integrated, holistic and balanced non-market approaches, which may include joint mitigation and adaptation approaches for implementation under the framework for non-market approaches, which can link addressing climate change to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, considering the benefits that may arise from such approaches, including 'Mother Earth Centric Actions as recognized by some cultures, the benefits of which include, but are not limited to: (a) [e]nsuring the integrity of all ecosystems and the conservation of biodiversity when addressing climate change; (b) [e]nhancing different value systems, including for living in balance and harmony with Mother Earth, as recognized by some cultures, in the context of addressing climate change."

The above clause suggests that efforts toward developing and implementing NMAs will continue. The rapid assessment tool can support this process by providing guidance on what constitutes an NMA that aligns with Article 6.8, taking into account UNFCCC documents, such as CMA decisions, synthesis reports and submissions from parties and non-party stakeholders.

Another clause notes of an invitation to "interested Parties and other stakeholders to conduct outreach efforts on non-market approaches with a view to engaging with a broad range of non-Party stakeholders in order to enhance the involvement of public and private sectors and civil society organizations in implementing nationally determined contributions."

The rapid assessment tool can support such activity because it is intended to be a starting point for conversation with stakeholders in-country and with at least one more Paris Agreement party, which is key for registering an NMA on the NMA Platform.

CGIAR is also well-placed to respond to a future call for submissions on "[h]ow non-market approaches can support a Party's implementation of its nationally determined contribution."

Within the Multifunctional Landscapes lever of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, a framework, introduced at a session at the Food and Agriculture Pavilion at COP 29, has been developed that can connect climate action, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. All these elements align with the spirit of Article 6.8 under the Paris Agreement and relevant CMA decisions.

CGIAR, with its long history of research and collaboration with stakeholders in the Global South, can play an important role in supporting the continued implementation of Article 6.8 of the Paris Agreement. The development of the rapid assessment tool presents a tangible opportunity to realize this role, equipping parties and non-party stakeholders with the means to advance integrated, holistic, and balanced non-market approaches that can facilitate the achievement of nationally determined contributions in the context of sustainable development and poverty alleviation.

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