Application period for COP 24 in Katowice, Poland:

ELIGIBILITY

1. Observer organizations duly admitted by the Conference of the Parties are eligible to apply for one side event slot and/or one exhibit. For information on the admission process for observer organizations, please click here.
2. Parties to the UNFCCC must partner with an observer organization in order to be eligible to apply for a side event slot and/or an exhibit slot. Please review the information note on further details for Party applicants.
3. All UN organizations coordinate their applications for side events and exhibits at UNFCCC COPs through the UNFCCC secretariat. For more information, please contact see@unfccc.int.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

During the application period an “Apply for” button will appear on the respective SEORS conference page, which will allow users to create a personal account through which applications can be submitted. Please note that all applicants must register for a new personal account in SEORS for each session. Your user name and password from the previous sessions do not work.

Only one application for a side event and/or one application for an exhibit may be submitted per admitted observer organization or Party, regardless if it is as lead or co-organizer. Due to the high demand for slots it is not possible to submit multiple applications for side events and/or multiple applications for exhibits.

It is strongly advised that observer organization applicants liaise with their Designated Contact Points (DCPs), and Party applicants with their National Focal Points (NFPs), well in advance the application period in order to obtain their support and ensure that they provide timely authorization of their application. It is the responsibility of each observer organization to keep the UNFCCC informed of the change of its DCP. To declare a change of the DCP, please use the Contact details form available on the following web pages: Web page for NGOs, Web page for IGOs.

How to submit joint applications

Please refer to the Side events and exhibits application manual for detailed information on the application process   Side events and exhibits application manual.

SELECTION AND ALLOCATION CRITERIA

• Following criteria are taken into consideration for the selection of side events and exhibits:
  1. One application per Party/observer organization;
  2. Joint applications of as many observer organizations as possible;
  3. Applications from NGOs in Non-Annex I countries;
  4. Assessment of relevance to issues under discussion/negotiation at the particular session;
  5. Balance among observer constituencies;
  6. Balance among topic themes;
  7. Track record of side event organizers in uploading presentations and relevant documents onto their own SEORS account*;
  8. Upholding of principle of sustainable operation by agreeing to disseminate all publications in electronic format only (for both exhibits and side events) and making use of virtual participation tools such as Skype for panelists**;
  9. A commitment to balanced gender distribution across panelists/speakers. Applicants will be asked to pledge to the commitment and indicate planned gender distribution of panelists during the application.
     The gender commitment aligns with the Executive Secretary’s commitments as an International Gender Champion (IGC), including to the Panel Parity Pledge. The IGC is a leadership network of female and male decision-makers that aims to break down gender barriers. Find out more about the IGC and the Panel Parity Pledge here: http://genderchampions.com/panel-parity

• Following criteria are taken into consideration for the allocation of side events and exhibits:
  1. Feasibility and preference on certain dates;
  2. Avoidance of thematic overlaps per time slot (side events only);
  3. Alignment of similar themes in the same room (side events only); and
  4. Size of the expected participation level and room size (side events only).

  * The recommendation of the Linköping University publication entitled “The function of side events at the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change” (ISBN 978-91-7393-765-8), as published by the Centre for Climate Science and Policy Research, clearly illustrates that there is a weakness in how side event outcomes are disseminated by event organizers. It is recommended that “at a bare minimum, side event presentations should be made available to participants. The secretariat could create incentives for making presentations available, by making future selections to organise side events conditional on the organisers’ track record of making information accessible.”

  ** Please specify in your application, under “Communications/Additional comments”, whether you are willing to commit to the dissemination of documentation in electronic format only at COP 24.

IMPORTANT NOTICES

• The secretariat reminds applicants that it reserves the right to reschedule or cancel side events at any time in the interest of the negotiating process.
• The secretariat also reserves the right to reallocate or cancel exhibits that exceed the authorized space or that are not set up on the first day of the booking period without any notice to the secretariat.
• Access to side event rooms is limited to duly registered conference participants. Confirmation of a side event or exhibit does not entitle the organization to an increase in the size of its delegation.

DISCLAIMER

The UNFCCC secretariat does not charge any fees for admission to the UNFCCC process, registration to attend UNFCCC meetings and sessions and participation in activities organized by the secretariat within the meeting venue, including organization of and participation in UNFCCC side events, UNFCCC exhibits and UNFCCC Climate Change Studio. Accreditations to attend UNFCCC meetings and sessions are granted to eligible participants by UNFCCC free of charge and under no circumstances should accreditations be subject to commercial trade.

For further information please refer to the FAQ and the Side events and exhibits application manual below.

INFORMATION

•  Frequently asked questions
•   Side events and exhibits application manual

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