Talanoa Dialogue: Stepping up Energy and Climate Action in the Energy Community

The Energy Community’s Energy and Climate Committee, in cooperation with the European Commission's Directorate-General for Climate Action and the EU Regional Implementation of the Paris Agreement project, hosted a multi-stakeholder discussion on climate change under the “Talanoa Dialogue” process on 10 October in Vienna.

The dialogue took stock of the Contracting Parties' efforts and progress towards their pledges under the global Paris Agreement on climate change and considered how to boost their current level of ambition. The Talanoa discussions brought together representatives of the Energy Community Contracting Parties and Observers, the European Commission and non-state actors, including civil society, business, academia and donors.

The Paris Agreement on climate change, adopted in 2015, opened a new chapter in global action to fight climate change and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable future. At the UN climate conference (COP21) in Paris, countries also agreed to set up a ‘Talanoa Dialogue’ process to take stock of the collective and individual efforts towards the goals of the agreement. Following the structure set by the dialogue, the event in Vienna provided an opportunity for in- depth discussion based on three questions: Where are we?; Where do we want to go?; and How do we get there?

The dialogue outlined the main milestones and challenges ahead of the UN climate conference (COP24) to be held in December in Katowice, Poland, and went on to explore the Contracting Parties’ long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies. In this context, participants underlined the importance of developing integrated national energy and climate plans accompanied by 2030 targets for renewables, energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reduction.

Participants also highlighted that many policies, regulations and technologies to decarbonise the Energy Community region can be deployed cost-effectively today and that international support instruments are available to the Contracting Parties in this process.