If you are not sure what any of these terms means, or any other information about drafting interventions, please email the BL Team off of this list at bottomliners@googlegroups.com

As you saw from Jean Paul's email a few days ago, we will have, as usual, several opportunities to give interventions. Jean Paul or Lauren will shortly send an update on what all of those opportunities are.

Occasionally YOUNGO has had problems with an intervention, so the Bottomlining Team put together these suggestions for how to have an effective intervention. They are not YOUNGO policy (we didn't want to rush a vote this close to COP), but they are strong suggestions that should allow us to have even better and more effective interventions than ever!

In the next email will be a reminder list of all of the intervention working groups, so you can join them and start writing some powerful interventions!

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Intervention Guidelines

What they are: A set of procedures for how interventions should be drafted in most situations during UNFCCC negotiations. It addresses things like choosing speakers, working with the appropriate policy working groups when drafting, involving the speaker in drafting, starting early, working in non-English languages, and communicating with the right people to get the intervention done and submitted on time.

Why they are important: Since YOUNGO became a constituency and even before, there have been some situations where interventions where not coordinated and given successfully in a way that represents YOUNGO. Interventions were started but not finished by the deadline, policy errors were made because policy lists were not consulted, text was changed because the person giving the intervention objected even though the text had already been written, interventions were drafted in other languages but couldn't be given in them at the last minute, etc.

When they are meant to be followed: Any time YOUNGO is expected to give an intervention at a negotiation related to the UNFCCC (this could include intersessionals and committee meetings outside of COP/CMP meetings). Some exceptions are fine for unique situations (really short time to draft an intervention, limited number of people available to draft it, etc.)

Guidelines

• Interventions are written by the appropriate Intervention Working Group related to the part of the negotiations (example - SBI) that the intervention will be given in
• Exceptions are for any UNFCCC-related meeting where the intervention will not be given in a specific negotiating section (such as a committee meeting). In this case, the intervention drafters should try to post regular updates and a link to their drafting document on the interssesionals list (if it is during an intersessional), or UNFCCC_youth (if it is not an intersessional and not a COP/CMP)

• The WG must consult with any Policy WG relevant to the topics the Intervention group plans to write about. Ultimately, though, the Intervention group writes the intervention, not the policy WG. But the content of the intervention should not violate any agreed upon YOUNGO policy positions. The Intervention group should also consult with the overall Policy WG (youthclimatepolicy) if it is unsure of what topic to write its intervention on. Policy Working Groups can veto portions of intervention text only if the policy group collectively agrees that the text is factually inaccurate.
• The Intervention group should meet as soon as possible once the deadline for the intervention is known, or even earlier if it is known that an intervention will be available but the deadline is not yet known

• Like most working groups, intervention groups may have one or more coordinators who help to guide the writing process and ensure deadlines are met. However, also like most other working groups, no one is "in charge" of any intervention group in the sense of having more or less power than anyone else.
• Decisions should be made by the group, taking input and edits even from those in the working group not physically present at the negotiations, but ultimately those in attendance at the negotiation should make the final decisions collectively about the text
• The Intervention Working Group is responsible for deciding on the speaker for the intervention. The group must consult with the Focal Points to ensure that the speaker, if at all possible, contributes to regional and gender diversity of intervention speakers. The speaker does not have to be a part of the group
• If the speaker is not part of the group, the group must ensure that the speaker is involved as much as possible in the drafting of the text
• The speaker does not have any special authority to decide on the text of the intervention
• If the speaker is not comfortable saying any portion of the text, the working group isnot obligated to change the text. It may simply select a new speaker, again taking into account as much as possible regional and gender balance of speakers, in consultation with the Focal Points
• The intervention may be written or translated into a language other than English only if:
• The speaker can confidently speak the language
• A majority of the working group is OK with this
• The Intervention Working Group has already confirmed, through a Focal Point, that the chosen language is approved by the Chair of the meeting to give an intervention in
• The Intervention Working Group should try to finish its work by one hour from the deadline for the text, to allow time for the UNFCCC_youth list to review the text and provide any final, suggested edits
• Once the text of the intervention has been submitted to the Chair of the meeting through the Focal Point, and the deadline for submissions has been reached, the text cannot be changed and the speaker cannot say a different text during the intervention.
• The Intervention Working Group should ensure that a final copy of the text is submitted to the youthclimate.org development team (youthclimate-development), so that the intervention and text can be put on the website.