COP19—Warsaw Climate Conference
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Introduction
November 11 – 23, 2013, Warsaw, Poland was the venue for the 19th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as the 19th Conference of the Parties — or COP 19.
The purpose of this conference was to create a loss and damage pillar of a new climate treaty to be finalized in 2015. The other two pillars discussed in previous meetings are mitigation (emission reductions) and adaptation pillars.
Meeting outcome
The main outcome of the meeting was the establishment of an international mechanism for a loss and damage associated with climate change impacts .
Predictably, the loss and damage aspect of climate negotiations brought out the worst in some countries. Some developing countries were going to resist the idea of financing adaptation to climate change, while others appeared to hate the idea of climate reparations for poor countries. A few years earlier, industrialized nations had made a legal commitment to a global climate fund. Unsurprisingly, not much came of it, as Inter Press Service summarized,
In 2009 at the semi-infamous Copenhagen talks, the rich countries made a deal with developing countries, saying in effect:
We’ll give you billions of dollars for adaptation, ramping up to 100 billion dollars a year by 2020, in exchange for our mitigation amounting to small CO2 cuts instead of making the big cuts that we should do.The money to help poor countries adapt flowed for the first three years but has largely dried up. Warsaw was supposed to be the
Finance COPto bring the promised money. That didn't happen.Countries like Germany, Switzerland and others in Europe only managed to scrape together promises of 110 million dollars into the Green Climate Fund. Developing countries wanted a guarantee of 70 billion a year by 2016 but were blocked by the U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan and others.
It got to the point that hundreds of representatives from various NGOs walked out of the negotiating rooms to protest against developed countries’ reluctance to commit to a loss and damage mechanism. And this was a day after the G77+China group of 133 developing countries walked out of negotiations over the same thing.
Looking through the briefing reports from the respected NGO, the Third World Network, It seems that on the surface, while an outcome was eventually thrashed out, there are many areas of weakness of sufficient vagueness to satisfy everyone that contentious issues that are seemingly resolved can still be challenged and changed in the future.
In context: common but differentiated responsibilities
Many years ago all nations agreed that climate change was largely the result of actions from today’s industrialized nations, as carbon dioxide — the main greenhouse gas — stays in the atmosphere for decades. Yet, the poorest would end up suffering the most for a problem they largely did not cause. The approaches to mitigation (emissions reduction) would therefore be different for those groups of countries — the common but differentiated responsibilities principle.
It is in this context that the discussion for loss and damage has come about. And it is something that rich countries are keen to get rid of .
The years of resistance on this issue (and many others) means each time it is discussed again the reactions seem to get even more hostile. Combined with the lack of detailed context in the mainstream media coverage of this aspect, it then becomes easier each time to see culprits as China and India given their enormous greenhouse emissions in recent years, compared to the far greater amount by the industrialized nations over the longer period. See this site’s section on climate justice for more detailed background.
In context: Typhoon Haiyan
The meeting came at the time when the devastating Typhoon Haiyan had just killed thousands in the Philippines and affected millions more. It was an ominous warning of what could be more frequent as climate change continues to take hold.
It was also an example of how poorer nations could be affected by a problem they have largely not been responsible for and that while all the international outpouring of aid and assistance was incredibly welcome, that support for preventing and adapting to such events is paramount and efforts are urgently needed to curb emission increases.
In an emotional speech the Philippines lead negotiator for the conference, Naderev Saño, received a standing ovation for announcing that he will go on a hunger strike until a meaningful outcome is in sight.
Lack of urgency
Inter Press Service (IPS) noted the seeming lack of urgency given the years and years of delay and watering down of meaningful action:
To have a good chance at staying under two degrees C, industrialised countries need to crash their CO2 emissions 10 percent per year starting in 2014, said Kevin Anderson of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester.
We can still do two C but not the way we're going,Anderson said on the sidelines of COP 19 in Warsaw. He wondered why negotiators on the inside are not reacting to the reality that it is too late for incremental changes.
I’m really stunned there is no sense of urgency here,he told IPS.
More information
As the conference is still underway as this page is written, more information will be added here after the event is over.
For more about the issues from other organizations, here are some starting points:
News stories from IPS
Below is a list of stories from Inter Press Service related to the Warsaw climate conference and its aftermath.
Kenya’s Civil Society Calls on COP31 Climate Negotiators To Draw From Grassroots
- Inter Press Service
NAIROBI, November 6 (IPS) - As the world prepares for the 31st United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, Kenya’s priorities for the negotiations are being shaped by lived experiences of communities who are on the frontline of the climate crisis.
‘No Escape’ for refugees on the frontlines of the climate crisis
- UN News
The climate emergency is an immediate crisis for refugees, with three in four – nearly 90 million people – living in countries facing high to severe exposure to hazards such as drought, floods and extreme heat.
Wealth Buys Protection in Climate Crisis – Oxfam
- Inter Press Service
NAIROBI & SRINAGAR, India, November 5 (IPS) - The world’s wealthiest people are driving a disproportionate share of climate pollution while poorer communities bear the heaviest costs of floods, heatwaves, food insecurity and other climate disasters, according to a new report by Oxfam International.
‘The world is not ready’: Climate adaptation cash falls far short as warming heads past 1.5°C
- UN News
Although global warming is set to exceed 1.5°C, financing to help communities adapt to climate change falls far short of needs, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said in a report published on Wednesday.
COP31 explained: What’s at stake at this year’s UN climate summit?
- UN News
The world has more tools than ever to tackle climate change, yet millions remain unable to benefit from them. As clean energy technologies advance faster than ever, the challenge facing countries at COP31 is no longer just finding solutions – but making sure everyone can afford them.
Ocean’s ability to absorb carbon is weakening as climate change intensifies, UN warns
- UN News
The ocean absorbs around 30 per cent of human-caused carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and 90 per cent of excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases. But climate change has already reduced its capacity to absorb carbon by approximately six per cent, a new UN report warns ahead of the COP31 climate conference in November.
International Day of Climate Action 2026
- Inter Press Service
The world is getting hotter. And the consequences are already being felt. From devastating floods and prolonged droughts to intensifying heatwaves, climate change is disrupting lives and livelihoods across the globe.
Bangladesh’s Hidden Climate Bill: How Much Are We Losing Without Counting It?
- Inter Press Service
DHAKA, Bangladesh, October 22 (IPS) - Bangladesh has earned global recognition for reducing deaths from cyclones and floods. Early warning systems, cyclone shelters, embankments and community preparedness have transformed the country’s disaster response. Yet another climate crisis is receiving far less attention: the economic damage climate change is quietly inflicting on households, farmers, workers, businesses and public finances.
As disasters mount, next UN climate summit faces a test of trust
- UN News
Less than a month before the UN climate conference COP31 opens in Antalya, Türkiye, representatives of three successive summit presidencies gathered to address a pressing question: How can the world restore trust in climate action when the consequences of a warming planet are already being felt?
‘Overshoot is not a reason to surrender’: UN calls for accelerated climate action ahead of COP31 summit
- UN News
As world leaders prepare for November’s major COP31 climate summit in Türkiye, record-breaking heat, devastating floods and an unprecedented El Niño climate pattern are making global climate action ever more urgent.
Extreme heat making pregnancy a ‘new fault line’ in climate crisis
- UN News
Pregnancy and childbirth have become a “new fault line in the global climate crisis” as extreme heat worsens, the head of the UN climate action body (UNFCCC) warned on Monday, calling for maternal and newborn health to be built into countries’ climate plans.
Overshoot of Paris Agreement and the Looming Super El Niño Drive Urgent Calls for Global Climate Action at UNGA 81
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, September 29 (IPS) - On September 23, the United Nations held its 2026 Climate Summit as part of the High-Level Week of the 81st session of the General Assembly (UNGA 81). Convening civil society actors, climate scientists, major energy producers and consumers, development experts, and world leaders, the summit addressed critical strategies to mitigate the compounding impacts of the climate crisis and accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Australia urges global cooperation on climate, AI checks and international law
- UN News
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese underlined the need for countries to work together to address the climate crisis, emerging technologies such as AI, and the breakdown of international rules, at the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday.
Nepal PM urges climate justice after ‘Himalayan tsunami’ devastates country
- UN News
Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah brought a stark warning from the Himalayas to the UN General Assembly on Thursday, saying catastrophic floods that killed at least 1,400 people in his country laid bare the human cost of climate change, and the failure of the international system to protect those least responsible for it.
AI-Driven Climate Change Pushes Frontline Communities Further Into Environmental Degradation and Poverty
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, September 25 (IPS) - On September 21, Frontline Resource Institute (FRI) hosted its Climate Justice Hub at Fordham University at Lincoln Center in New York City under the theme “Building a Stronger Climate Coalition.”
LIVE: Climate change is here - What happens next is still in our hands
- UN News
🔴 LIVE NOW From deadly floods in the Himalayas to wildfires and extreme heat across Europe, 2026 has brought a succession of stark reminders of a changing climate. The task is immediate: Protect people from the impacts already unfolding while rapidly cutting the emissions of harmful gasses driving climate change. World leaders are meeting today to discuss how to turn those priorities into action.
Climate Week NYC Kicks off With World Leaders’ Commitments to Action
- Inter Press Service
NEW YORK, September 22 (IPS) - The Climate Group’s annual conference in New York City has attracted thousands of attendees this year, among them world leaders, corporate heads, philanthropists, and climate advocates. Those leaders present at the opening ceremony of Climate Week have made clear calls to collectively tackle climate issues.
How El Niño offers a test of whether the world can adapt to a changing climate
- UN News
El Niño is strengthening in a world that is already hotter, raising the risk of drought, floods and crop losses across some of the world’s most important food-producing regions. But unlike many disasters, this one can be seen coming. UN experts say the months ahead offer countries a chance not only to protect the next harvest and our food security, but to prepare for a more unpredictable climate in the long run.
Nepal floods: ‘Apocalyptic’ destruction signals wider climate threat across Himalayas
- UN News
The catastrophic flooding that swept away entire villages in northern Nepal could occur again in the country or elsewhere in the Himalayas due to climate change.
UN climate chief warns political division is undermining fight against ‘economic security emergency’
- UN News
The head of the UN's climate body has warned that treating global warming as a partisan issue is dangerously out of step with reality, as he set out a stark account of the economic toll climate change is already inflicting on Europe.
Flood-ravaged Nepal calls for climate justice
- UN News
Nepal’s call for financial compensation following recent deadly floods underlines the need to help countries that contribute the least to climate change – but are increasingly grappling with its most lethal consequences, the top UN official in the country said on Wednesday.
Coordinated action on clean air and climate change can net $15 for every dollar spent
- UN News
Tackling air pollution and climate change together can save millions of lives, reduce global warming and generate roughly $15 in economic benefits for every $1 spent, a new UN-backed report has revealed.
Central Park adapts to climate change while helping New York stay cool
- UN News
In the heart of Manhattan in New York City, the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly visible.
‘Fight for humanity’: Avoiding a climate catastrophe means acting now
- UN News
Record heat waves, deadly flooding and extreme weather reflect an ever-warming planet poised to soon breach safe temperature limits, according to a UN report released on Tuesday, but doubling down on climate action now could avoid a climate catastrophe.
Beyond Resilience: Climate Change and the Rights of Char Dwellers in Bangladesh
- Inter Press Service
DHAKA, Bangladesh, August 31 (IPS) - Bangladesh’s riverine and coastal chars have always been landscapes of movement, but climate change is making that movement more violent, frequent, and unequal. The shifting islands of the Jamuna, Brahmaputra, Padma, and other rivers now reveal how climate stress multiplies deprivation, weakens citizenship, and forces char dwellers to absorb the costs of a crisis they did little to create.
New Chickpea Variety to Drive Climate Resilience in Africa
- Inter Press Service
BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe , August 5 (IPS) - New chickpea seed research and production have become the new frontier of climate resilience in southern Africa as farmers battle failing cereal production.
Extreme Heatwave Escalates Urgency of Climate Adaptation in Europe
- Inter Press Service
SYDNEY, Australia, July 28 (IPS) - As Western Europe endured its worst-ever June heatwave in recorded history, the imperative for climate adaptation is now urgent as the continent accelerates beyond others to become the fastest-warming region in the world.
Climate alarm ‘blaring from every direction’
- UN News
Climate-driven disasters are reaching “nightmare proportions” due to humanity’s “addiction” to fossil fuels, a top UN official warned on Tuesday.
Europe’s Heat Wave Shows Climate Change Is Not Just a Poor-Countries Issue
- Inter Press Service
PARIS, July 3 (IPS) - If you pay close attention to the rhetoric regarding climate change (at least in those forums still allowed to use the term), there has been a disturbing emerging trend among some climate-concerned thought leaders, as epitomized by Bill Gates’s letter to COP30 last fall.
Universities Join Hands to Enhance Agroforestry Research for Mitigating Climate Change
- Inter Press Service
NAIROBI, June 29 (IPS) - A team of universities, led by Addis Ababa University, has joined forces to implement a four-year Intra-Africa academic mobility project aimed at strengthening agroforestry research and education for climate change mitigation.
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