Registration Update:  From the Secretariat on Wednesday 28 November 2018:

On Monday, 3 December 2018, the registration for NGOs and IGOs will be closed in the morning only. The registration counter will open for NGOs and IGOs at 14:00on that day.

The following email was jus sent to the RINGO listserv.  I am repeating here as well.  Please note as the email indicates – the website will be the main method of communication doing COP.

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Dear all RINGOs – Potential COP 24 attendees,

Welcome to COP 24

This email is being sent to all who are on the RINGO listserv as well as to the Designated Contact Points of the different RINGO organizations. Kindly forward it to all the persons in your organization who will attend COP 24 in Katowice.

You are receiving this email because you are either on the RINGO listserv, were forwarded the email and/or are have selected RINGO as your constituency in your observer application.  To join the RINGO listserv, visit RINGO listserv.

Communication at COP

We will be using the RINGO website as our primary communication tool at COP – so please continue reading to learn more!

RINGO Website
Communication – We will be using our website (www.ringos.net) as a primary means of communication and announcements during COP.   The page dedicated to COP 24 can be by clicking on the COP 24 tab on the RINGOs website.   The site will be updated continuously during COP as we receive new information and opportunities – so remember to check it regularly.   You are able to subscribe to our blog on the website (see the right hand side of the page) – but as the note at the top of the COP 24 indicates:

This page is the main repository of information for RINGOS for COP24.  More details will be added here as they become available.  Last minute updates (ie meeting location change or new meeting added and occurring in the next few hours) will be posted on the COP 24 Opportunities and Updates page as well as posted as a new blog entry.  To subscribe to the blog entries so that you will receive an email with the new post, please see the information on the right hand panel.   Note – edits to this post and to the COP 24 Opportunities and Updates page  will not generate an email – so please plan on checking this regularly.  

Notes – We will be posting notes from sessions RINGO members attend on the meeting notes page.

Registration (Getting your badge)

• Friday, 30 November 2018 until Sunday 2 December 2018 from 08.00 to 19.00 hrs.
  • On Sunday, 2 December 2018 all observer organizations with badges will be able to enter the venue subsequently. Please note however that the side events and exhibits area will not be operational during this day and access restrictions to the events in the plenary will be applied based on space constraints.
• Monday, 3 December 2018 – The registration for NGOs and IGOs will be closed. Only participants that are already in possession of their badge will be able to enter the venue.
• Tuesday, 4 December 2018 until Saturday, 8 December 2018, from 08.00 to 19.00 hrs.
• Sunday, 9 December 2018 – The conference venue, including registration, will be closed.
• Monday, 10 December, until Friday, 14 December 2018, from 08.00 to 19.00 hrs.

Early registration – before Sunday, 2 December 2018 – is highly recommended to avoid delays on the first day of the conference.

You can find onsite registration information here: https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/conferences/katowice-climate-change-conference-december-2018/venue-and-participation/information-for-participants-a-z/information-for-participants-a-z#eq-26

Daily RINGO Meetings
Ringo will meet each morning during COP 24 (beginning Monday December 2, 2018) at 9:00 AM in Warmia SE  Room 4.  These daily meetings are intended to provide a platform of discussion about the ongoing negotiations, as well as facilitate networking and provide the opportunity to share research results. 

Young RINGO Booth
Colorado State University is hosting the Young RINGO booth (#147) on training the next generation of youth and professionals with a focus on student voice in research.  The booth was approved for both weeks of the COP and CSU is inviting contributions from other institutions to the booth display.  We see the booth as a opportunity for Young RINGOS to meet and gather during the COP as well as a place to showcase different campus actions, research and student activities.

If you are interested in contributing to the booth,  please complete the google docs form below and indicating what types of materials you would like to share. https://goo.gl/forms/d4fxuV855kzIhpGi2. All Contributions to the booth will need to be confirmed.  Questions can be directed to Prof. Gillian Bowser at Gillian.Bowser@colostate.edu.

Helpful Links
The UNFCCC has developed materials for new (as well as returning) participants. There is a bit of overlap in the links below and one link often leads to another, but they are hopefully helpful.  These links are also available on the RINGO website

• COP 24 Conference Main website:  https://unfccc.int/katowice
• Negotiator app link:  https://unfccc.int/news/download-unfccc-negotiator-app
• COP 24 information for non-Party stakeholders:  https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/parties-non-party-stakeholders/non-party-stakeholders/participation-and-engagement-in-the-katowice-climate-change-conference-december-2018-cop-24
• Information for participants:  https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/conferences/katowice-climate-change-conference-december-2018/venue-and-participation/information-for-participants-a-z
• Overview schedules:  https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Overview%20Schedule.pdf
• Side event schedule: https://seors.unfccc.int/seors/reports/events_list.html?session_id=COP%2024
• List of exhibits:  https://seors.unfccc.int/seors/reports/exhibits_list.html?session_id=COP%2024
• Climate: Get the Big Picture:  http://bigpicture.unfccc.int

 Background on the RINGO Constituency
The Research and Independent NGOs (RINGOs) objective is to coordinate all research NGOs with observer status at the UNFCCC, from independent think-tanks to universities world-wide. The constituency is coordinated by co-focal points, and governed by a Steering Committee, composed of:

• Marilyn Averill, University of Colorado at Boulder
• Tracy Bach, Vermont Law School (Co-Focal Point)
• Diane Husic, Moravian College,
• Sylvia Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen, Wageningen University
• Melissa Low, National University of Singapore
• Beth Martin, Washington University in St. Louis (Co-Focal Point)
• Gaston Meskens, University of Ghent (presently Chair of the RINGO Steering Committee),
• Axel Michaelowa, University of Zürich
• Gregg Walker, Oregon State University

The RINGOs constituency was accredited to the UNFCCC in 2002, on the ground that both the UNFCCC secretariat and many research institutes thought that better co-ordination (with the UNFCCC secretariat and between research institutes) is an important objective to enhance the role of research in the negotiations. It is important to note that the RINGO constituency is not an advocacy tool for individual interests of the members. It considers itself as a potential platform to promote sound science and bring their knowledge to the forefront.

During the negotiating sessions, the RINGOs organise daily meetings amongst its members in order to provide a platform of discussion about the ongoing negotiations, as well as facilitate networking and give the opportunity to share research results. The RINGOs also organise encounters with the Executive Secretary, COP presidents and Chairs of the different negotiating bodies, although these may also take the form of global forums with civil society according to the availability of the officials. The UNFCCC also offers the constituencies opportunities to make statements in Plenary during the negotiations.

The RINGOs finally also provide access, as a constituency, to UNFCCC expert workshops that take place in-between negotiating sessions. The UNFCCC sends invitations to the RINGO Focal Point, who circulates them to the RINGO Constituency and collects the applications.  It also provides experts to the CTCN Advisory Body and TEC Task Forces.

Please also visit our website for more information : www.ringos.net

Kind regards,

Beth Martin and Tracy Bach, RINGO Co-Focal Points

Beth Martin, MS, PE  |  Washington University in St. Louis
Senior Lecturer, Environmental Studies
Associate Director, Washington University Climate Change Program
UNFCCC RINGO Co-Focal Point
One Brookings Drive, Campus Box 1169  |  St. Louis, MO 63130
314.935-4136 | martin@wustl.edu

Tracy Bach
Professor of Law
Director, International & Comparative Law Program
Fellow, US-Asia Partnerships in Environmental Law (PEL)
Senior Fellow, Center for Energy & Sustainability Law (CESL), Qatar University College of Law
Focal Point, Research & Independent NGOs (RINGO), UNFCCC

164 Chelsea Street, P.O. Box 96,
South Royalton, VT 05068
(802) 831-1289
(802) 831-1194 (fax)
SSRN: http://ssrn.com/author=82128

Blogs:
http://vlscop.vermontlaw.edu/
http://wordpress.vermontlaw.edu/environmentalhealth/
http://simmeringsenegal.wordpress.com/