Ahead of the UN climate talks at COP26 in Glasgow, UK, next month, the Legal Response International (LRI) is delivering a training course for lawyers from small developing country delegations in London next week.

Taking place from 25-28 October, the training will outline the ‘state of play’ in the climate negotiations and prepare participants to contribute effectively on specific issues. It will focus on public international law, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process and the technical requirements for the domestic implementation of the Paris Agreement.

The course will provide a forum for exchanging lessons learnt and good practice in different jurisdictions, and participants will learn about the existing infrastructure of financial and technical support.

“The international negotiations under the UNFCCC involve complex multilateral law and policy making processes. COP26 in Glasgow provides a unique opportunity to strengthen the legal capacity of small developing countries to engage effectively with the international law and policy process on climate change in a strategic and lasting manner,” said Christoph Schwarte, executive director of LRI.

“Participants will be better equipped to review and develop the necessary domestic legal frameworks in line with the Paris implementation rules and champion the rule of law and climate commitments within their governments. By strengthening their climate diplomacy skills, we also hope to create a more level playing field between actors in the climate change negotiations.”

Participants from countries such as Uganda, Burkina Faso, South Africa, Papua New Guinea and Nigeria will take part in sessions covering the international law and governance framework; carbon markets, climate finance and insurance; and practical advice for working in the negotiations, among others. The training will be delivered by lawyers from the UK Government, academic institutions, private practice law firms and non-governmental organisations.

The UK’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has funded the training via CASA.

LRI seeks to strengthen the technical legal skills and wider enabling environments in developing countries by delivering bespoke legal training for negotiators, other government officials, lawyers, parliamentarians and civil society representatives. Its training manuals, presentations and exercises are publicly available. For more information, go to the LRI website.

Image credit: A delegation from Rwanda attends the 25th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change taking in Madrid, Spain, in 2019. Image courtesy Ministry of Environment – Rwanda (Flickr).