#COP9 #COP9FCTC #COP9news #THRworks
Where and when?
FCTC’s Ninth Conference of Parties (COP 9) will be held from 8-13 November 2021, following a postponement from 2020 due to COVID-19.
This COP will be virtual, with the FCTC website noting that “Special Procedures need to be adopted so that the Ninth Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP9) to the WHO FCTC can pursue its work in a virtual format”. COP involves a lot of participants from all over the world, so this is likely to be difficult to manage.
Where can we watch it?
We can’t. In stark contrast to the United Nations COP on climate change, held in the UK this week, FCTC’s COP is shrouded in secrecy. Most of the public will be unaware that COP9 will be taking place or even what it is, COP9 discussions will not be broadcast online and the public are barred from even observing. It will be interesting to see if this secrecy can be maintained this time, given the virtual format. See our
https://copwatch.info/whats-wrong-with-fctc-cop/ article for a transparency comparison between the United Nations COP on climate change and FCTC’s COP.
Exclusion of key stakeholders
In the last decade no consumer group representing smokers or users of safer nicotine products has been admitted as an observer to FCTC’s COP. Regrettably, it looks as though consumers will stay unrepresented at COP9 too, as the Bureau has recommended that THR consumer groups INNCO and NNA UK applications for observer status are rejected. The recently published preliminary journal suggests that these recommendations will be voted on by the Parties at item 2 in the first plenary meeting on 8 November, so there is still hope that the Parties will do the right thing.
From COP4 onwards, the public gallery has been closed in the opening session, excluding the media and the public. For COP9, there has been no option for the public to register for the event but there is a registration form for accredited media, see: https://fctc.who.int/who-fctc/governance/conference-of-the-parties/ninth-session-of-the-conference-of-the-parties
What will be discussed?
“Due to the virtual nature of the meetings” the Secretariat has recommended that several issues are deferred for discussion until COP10, in two years time. However, this is only a recommendation and only one party would need to ask for discussion at COP9, for that discussion to take place.
All the published COP9 papers, including the provisional agenda, can be found on this page:
https://fctc.who.int/who-fctc/governance/conference-of-the-parties/ninth-session-of-the-conference-of-the-parties/main-documents
Some of the reports relating to tobacco harm reduction betray a heavy bias against safer alternatives to smoking. When we find comprehensive critiques of those we will share them on this site.
UPDATE 7.11.21 Clive Bates’ excellent Prohibitionists at work: how the WHO damages public health through hostility to tobacco harm reduction includes some discussion about papers for COP9, under: 4.2 Papers to support COP meetings.
How can we follow COP9?
COPWATCH will be issuing COPLIVE articles while COP is on, so please read and share those. Remember to use the official hashtags: #COP9 and #COP9FCTC when sharing.
sCOPe is another COP9 related consumer initiative, they will be streaming while COP is on so please watch and share their activities too. Subscribe here to watch the sCOPe live stream.
The Preliminary Journal – 27 October 2021 includes the information that “The programme and timetable of meetings will appear in the Journal of the Conference, which will be issued on a daily basis”. The Journal also includes a “tentatively envisaged” working schedule for day one – which will be “subject to the decision of the Conference”.
The Framework Convention Alliance will be distributing a daily bulletin, more on those here.
Engaging with @FCTCofficial and #COP9 on social media
Use official FCTC hashtags – such as #COP9 and #COP9FCTC – when discussing COP on social media, find those in the COP9 MOP2 communications toolkit and the Preliminary journal.
Consumers are also likely to be using #THRworks, #sCOPe21, #Voice4Choice, #Commit2Switch
Further reading on this site:
Other links:
Guide for Participants COP9 & MOP2
COP Preliminary Journal – 27 October 2021
THR consumer groups who applied for Observer status at COP9
International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations (INNCO)
Consumer live streaming event during COP9:
sCOPe YouTube
Some of the recent articles on COP9:
WHO busted for manipulating key tobacco conference
Good COP Distracts From Bad COP – Concerns Grow
100 experts speak up in favour of harm reduction
COP 9 Tabac : l’OMS interdit tout débat sur ses positions anti-vape
Three possible reasons for WHO decision to keep alternatives out of tobacco talks