Background
A key limitation of the UN climate change negotiations is the lack of a level playing field between delegations, both North-South, and South-South. Another major obstacle lies in mutual misunderstanding and a lack of trust, particularly between industrialised and developing countries.
The European Capacity Building Initiative (ecbi) was launched in 2005 to overcome these limitations and obstacles through a number of capacity and trust building activities. The Initiative has four main workstreams:
- A Fellowship & Trust-building Programme (FTP) to promote an informal (high level) exchange of views and ideas between senior developing and European negotiators, led by the Oxford-based UK office of BVRio, and implemented by Oxford Climate Policy (OCP).
- A Training & Support Programme (TSP) to enhance negotiating skills, particularly of new negotiators, led by the Dhaka-based International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD).
- A Legal Support Unit (LSU), led by Legal Response International (LRI).
- A Publication and Outreach Unit (POU), led by OCP.
Phase V (2022-25) Management
The day-to-day running of the Initiative is managed by the members of the Phase V Management Group:
- ecbi Director: Benito Müller (OCP)
- Head of FTP: Benito Müller (OCP);. Deputy: Pedro Moura-Costa (BVRio)
- Head of TSP: Saleemul Huq (ICCCAD); Deputy: Mizan Khan (ICCCAD)
- Head of LSU: Pascale Bird (LRI);. Deputy: Olivia Tattarletti (LRI)
- Head of POU: Leila Mead
For strategic guidance, the Initiative has an ad-hoc Advisory Group, including two Chief Advisers (in personal capacity):
- Kishan Kumarsingh (Trinidad and Tobago)
- Frode Neergaard (Denmark)
