Postcard from Katowice: Saturday, December 8

The weekend may have arrived, but negotiations continued throughout Saturday in Katowice. Progress is being made, but not quickly enough to achieve the Presidency's goal of closing all the 'non-Paris Agreement' items by today. Those items include the annual guidance to the Green Climate Fund, since it reports to, and receives guidance from, the Conference of Parties.

Negotiations have been going on for the last three days, and today the facilitators produced a streamlined text for consideration by the contact group, the working group considering the guidance for GCF. Although the new text is under three pages long - with very few brackets - there are still issues to resolve. What looks sure to be included are requests to the Board to address the remaining policy gaps, more clearly defining issues such as cofinancing, the calculation of incremental costs, concessionality, restructuring of projects, and reviewing the accreditation framework. The draft text also includes language urging the Board to address recommendations arising from the IEU review of the Fund's readiness programme, which was discussed at GCF's side event earlier this week. And there seems sure to be a welcome for the launch of GCF's replenishment. The contact group have now sent the text back to the Presidency for further consideration, so it may be a few more days before this guidance is finalised.

The day is winding down to the sound of live music from the Pacific pavilion. This laid-back venue has become the go-to place for tired delegates each evening. Tomorrow is a rest day for the negotiations, with most of the COP venue closed. But that doesn't mean the negotiators get a break: around 100 government Ministers are due to arrive tomorrow, in preparation for the second High Level segment of the talks on Monday, so there will be pressure to deliver negotiating positions, briefs, and updates throughout Sunday. But with no formal sessions tomorrow, no side events, and no exhibitions, tonight is the best chance for most delegates to relax, review the week, and prepare for part two.