With the deadline fast approaching, negotiations started today with all four Contact Groups receiving updates on status of discussions from co-facilitators of informal and leads of informal informal groups. Co-Chairs of the Contact Groups shared that these inputs will be used to prepare a first draft of the Chair’s text.

Key insights

• Questions that came up in Contact Groups 1-3 were focused on the way forward, clarity on how to address areas of divergence, and whether the Chair’s text will reflect inputs submitted. Delegations also emphasized that the process needs to remain country-driven therefore decisions should not be made by the Chair.
• Contact Group 4 was mandated to review the greatest number of articles and while there were areas of divergence, members remained cordial and constructive throughout the process. Articles that needed more time for discussions include 14 (National Plans), 15 (reporting), 16 (Monitoring of Progress and Effectiveness evaluation), and Article 19 (heath).
• Shortly before the afternoon plenary, a new Chair’s text was released. Standalone articles on Exemptions (Art. 4), Supply (Art.6) although reference to Sustainable Production and Consumption has been added to the Preamble, and Health (Art.19) were removed.
• During the plenary, the Chair introduced the way forward, planned to conduct regional consultations using the new Chair’s text as basis for those discussions to help advance the negotiations. While some supported the current iteration of the Chair’s text, several delegations raised points of order and expressed concern in using the text, which they deemed unacceptable, as basis for discussions.

Later in the evening, the Chair conducted closed/informal regional consultations, with plans to organize an informal Heads of Delegation meeting tomorrow morning. Delegations are expecting another version of the Chair’s text after the consultations.