UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico
United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancun Kicks Off with Calls for Commitment and Compromise
In his opening speech, Mexican President Felipe Calderón cited last yearís hurricane in Mexico, this yearís floods in Pakistan and fires in Russia as examples of increasing incidences of natural disasters brought about by climate change and already affecting the poorest and most vulnerable.November 29, 2010
Press Release - United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancún kicks off with calls for commitment and compromise (29 November 2010).
The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancún, Mexico, kicked off Monday with calls for commitment and compromise.
In his opening speech, Mexican President Felipe Calderón cited last year's hurricane in Mexico, this year's floods in Pakistan and fires in Russia as examples of increasing incidences of natural disasters brought about by climate change and already affecting the poorest and most vulnerable.
Calling on negotiators in Cancún to make progress in the interest of their children and grandchildren, he said that the "eyes of the world" were focused on the meeting.
"Climate change is an issue that affects life on a planetary scale," he said. "What this means is that you will not be here alone negotiating in Cancún. By your side, there will be billions of human beings, expecting you to work for all of humanity," he said.The two-week meeting is the sixteenth Conference of the 194 Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the sixth meeting of the 192 Parties to the Kyoto Protocol.
Mexican Foreign Minister and newly elected President of the Conference, Patricia Espinosa said:
"It is time to make a concerted effort before it is too late. We can only achieve the results if we commit to making progress."According to COP President Espinosa, governments meeting in Mexico can reach a deal to launch action on adaptation, technology transfer and forests; along with creating a new fund for long-term climate finance.
UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres said in her opening address that governments had revealed a growing convergence that a balanced set of decisions under both the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol could be an achievable outcome in Cancún. At the same time, a number of politically charged issues need to be resolved in order to reach such an outcome.
Chief among these is how to take mitigation actions forward. In the course of 2010, all 37 industrialised nations and 42 developing countries, including the largest emerging economies, submitted targets and voluntary actions to reduce or limit greenhouse gas emissions. These mitigation promises need to be formalised as a matter of urgency.
Additionally, under the Kyoto Protocol, politically charged issues include the need to avoid a gap after the first commitment period and the importance of having clarity on the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol, along with the continuation of engaging the private sector through the Kyoto Protocol's market mechanisms beyond 2012.
NGOs at the UN Climate Change Summit in Cancun, Mexico, 29 November - 10 December 2010.
Under the Convention, the unresolved issues include the accountability for implementation of mitigation targets and actions; the mobilization of long-term finance, the creation of a new fund for this and the accompanying accountability of its delivery, along with the understanding of fairness that will guide long-term mitigation efforts.
"When the stakes are high and issues are challenging, compromise is an act of wisdom that can unite different positions in creative ways. I am convinced that governments can compromise to find their way to a concrete outcome," the UN's top climate change official Ms. Figueres said. "That outcome needs to be both firm and dependable and have a dedicated follow-on process for future work," she added.Following up from the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Ms. Figueres said that developed countries had in the course of 2010 revealed a commitment to live up to the fast start finance pledged in 2009. Developed countries have announced pledges totaling USD 28 billion and many of them are now making information available on the disbursement of these funds.
Close to 15,000 participants, including government delegates from the 194 Parties to the UNFCCC and representatives from business and industry, environmental organizations and research institutions, are attending the two-week gathering in Cancún.
About the UNFCCC
With 194 Parties, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has near universal membership and is the parent treaty of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol has been ratified by 192 of the UNFCCC Parties. Under the Protocol, 37 States, consisting of highly industrialized countries and countries undergoing the process of transition to a market economy, have legally binding emission limitation and reduction commitments. The ultimate objective of both treaties is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system.
Mailing Address: CLIMATE CHANGE SECRETARIAT (UNFCCC), P.O. Box 260 124, D-53153 Bonn, Germany
Office Location: Haus Carstanjen, Martin-Luther-King-Strasse 8, D-53175 Bonn, Germany
Media Information Office: (49-228) 815-1005 Fax: (49-228) 815-1999
Email: press@unfccc.int Web: http://unfccc.int
Delegates worked throughout the day in contact groups and informal groups
Official website of the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun COP 16 / CMP 6, 29 November to 10 December 2010
"The United Nations Climate Change Conference is taking place in Cancun, Mexico, from 29 November to 10 December 2010. It encompasses the sixteenth Conference of the Parties (COP) and the sixth Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP), as well as the thirty-third sessions of both the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), and the fifteenth session of the AWG-KP and thirteenth session of the AWG-LCA."
During a press conference at the end of the first week of the United Nations Climate Change Conference, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres said governments are now engaging on what will be presented to Ministers next Tuesday. Both Ad hoc Working Groups are progressing diligently, she said. Under the AWG-LCA, the conference room paper prepared by the Chair and discussed this week will be fed into a newly prepared text, while a text tabled by the AWG-KP Chair on Monday has also been updated. More will emerge from stocktaking plenaries held on Saturday by both the AWG-LCA and the AWG-KP.
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Durban to Host the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change 2011
On November 29, 2010, South Africa announced the launch of the host country website for the 2011 conference, COP 17 / CMP 7, 17th Annual United Nations Conference on Climate Change.November 29, 2010
United Nations - It is with immense pride that the eThekwini Municipality announces that the Seventeenth Conference of the Parties (COP 17) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and CMP 7 will be held in Durban, South Africa, in December 2011. This further confirms Durban’s status as the sporting and events capital of Africa and will provide the city with another opportunity to showcase its ability to host large events. It also presents an opportunity from which to raise awareness around climate change and to promote its own climate change work as an example to others.
Following fierce competition against Cape Town and Johannesburg, both of which were worthy contenders, the announcement of Durban’s award was delivered by Parliament yesterday.
Upon hearing that Durban had won the award, Premier Zweli Mkhize expressed his delight saying that:
“Durban as our host city in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal has again done us proud and this major conference will not only boost the profile of the city and province, with expected tourism benefits, but will also allow us to showcase our diverse developmental programmes of the city and Province during the COP17 and CMP7 meetings.”Durban Mayor, the Honourable Obed Mlaba stated:
“Durban looks forward to welcoming as many as 40,000 COP 17/CMP7 visitors which will include Heads of State, Government Officials, Businessmen and other delegates. Durban has consistently demonstrated that we are truly a climate change leader. It is only fitting that an event such as COP 17/CMP7 is held in a city that has achieved this high standing at both a national and an internal level.”Durban has on numerous occasions demonstrated that it has the capacity to host large events. The COP 17 conference will be hosted in the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre as well as the Durban Exhibition Centre - the biggest convention centre in South Africa.
“Hosting such a prestigious conference will provide a range of positive outcomes for the city of Durban and will confirm Durban’s status as Africa’s sporting and events capital” stated Dr Michael Sutcliffe, Durban’s City Manager. “The benefits to the city will not only boost Durban’s tourism and hospitality sectors, which will imply the creation of new jobs, but will also generate a significant amount of international publicity for the city and continue to maintain the positive reputation created by the World Cup.”Furthermore, Durban will be provided with an opportunity to showcase successful and progressive greening projects, some of which are firsts for the African continent. Durban’s work in the climate change arena and its international regard as Africa’s climate change leader really sets it apart.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or FCCC) is an international treaty arising from the UN’s conference on Environment and Development. The treaty aims to stabilise greenhouse gas emissions to minimise their impact on the earths climate. The conference of the Parties (COP) is the governing body of the Convention, and advances implementation of the Convention through the decisions it takes at its annual meetings since 1995. In 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was introduced binding obligations for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
Durban takes climate change very seriously, read all about our initiatives:
COP17 booth at UN Climate Change Summit in Cancun, Mexico, 29 November - 10 December 2010.
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