Launch of a climate negotiations e-learning course to strengthen ASEAN climate negotiators’ capacity

The ASEAN AgriTrade project and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recently launched an e-learning course “Climate Change Negotiations for Agriculture Stakeholders” on the FAO e-learning Academy. Due to limited platforms available, the course is designed to onboard and enhance the capacity of ASEAN delegations on climate negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) framework. The launch could not have been timelier as the ASEAN member states (AMS) are shaping up policies to transform the agriculture sector to low emissions and resilient agrifood systems.

Another key target group for the course is members of the ASEAN Climate Resilience Network (ASEAN-CRN). ASEAN-CRN was established in 2014 by the ASEAN Technical Working Group on Agricultural Research and Development (ATWGARD) as a platform to ensure that the agriculture sector of AMS is in a better position to adapt to climate change and optimize its mitigation potential. The network promotes climate resiliency through the exchange of information, expertise, and experiences on climate smart approaches to food systems. Since its formation, the ASEAN-CRN has significantly advanced the agenda of agriculture and climate change in ASEAN by providing a dialogue platform and linking policymakers and the scientific community (https://asean-crn.org/).

In 2016, ASEAN-CRN supported the establishment of the ASEAN Negotiating Group for Agriculture (ANGA) to equip them with the basic knowledge of climate change knowledge relevant to the agriculture sector and UNFCCC processes and the Paris Agreement, among others. At the ASEAN level, ANGA has been assigned to promote joint climate action in supporting the vision and strategic plan for the ASEAN cooperation in the food, agriculture, and forestry sectors (FAF) 2016-2025. It strengthens multi-stakeholder approaches and cooperation to reduce the impact of climate change and establishes a common stance, particularly on agriculture and food security, on the international climate change agenda. This is in line with the ASEAN FAF Strategic Plan 2025 (Strategic Thrust 6). For more information on the work of ANGA, please visit https://bit.ly/3Y1xzCZ.

By enrolling in this self-paced course, climate negotiators will gain a better understanding of the negotiation landscape under the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement. The course modules cover the following topics:

  • Climate change cooperation under the United Nations: history, key milestones, and multilateral agreements.
  • The key bodies that comprise the UNFCCC and the meetings that take place within and between these bodies and other stakeholders.
  • The role of observers and negotiating groups and key document types in the negotiation process.
  • Negotiation process, including interests and positions, soft and hard negotiation skills.

A digital certificate will be issued upon the completion of the course and on passing the evaluation examination.

The e-learning course development is part of the ASEAN-German Cooperation projects from BMZ. The course’s early development was carried out under the ASEAN Climate-Smart Land Use (CSLU) project, and finalized under the ASEAN AgriTrade project together with FAO and technical assistance from CAOS – Borboletas e Sustentabilidade, Lda.

To enroll in and start the course, please visit https://bit.ly/3Z68bx3.

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