Switzerland to host preparatory meeting for Mexico climate conference
Bern, 09.07.2010 - Switzerland is to host an informal meeting of climate ministers in Geneva in September 2010. The meeting, co-organised with Mexico, will help prepare for the United Nations Climate Change Conference scheduled to start in the Mexican city of Cancún in late November, and will focus on the long-term financing of climate protection.
By hosting the climate ministers' meeting, which will be held in Geneva from 1 to 3 September 2010, Switzerland intends to make a contribution to the ongoing climate process. At the last major climate conference in Copenhagen in December 2009, it became apparent that negotiations must advance in specific areas if the international community is to reach agreement on climate protection goals. To that end, tangible progress must be achieved in the various areas of action (such as financing, or action to halt deforestation). That is only possible if all the major stakeholders reach a consensus on the main issues.
Mexico, which is managing the process until the next major climate conference in Cancún in late November and December 2010, is therefore organising a number of these meetings at expert or ministerial level together with various partners. The Central American country is a member of the Environmental Integrity Group chaired by Switzerland. The request for Switzerland to host a meeting at ministerial level on the issue of long-term financing came from Mexico. By agreeing to do so, Switzerland is continuing a process which started with a similar ministerial meeting in Rüschlikon near Zurich in 2006, which helped to prepare the UN climate conference in Nairobi.
Around 30 countries from all continents and negotiating groups will be invited to Geneva. The key issue to be addressed under the heading of long-term financing is how the funds for climate change mitigation and adaptation should be mobilised, managed and allocated from 2020 onwards.
Address for enquiries
Franz Perrez, Head of the International Affairs Division FOEN, Tel. +41 79 251 90 15
Links
Publisher
Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications
https://www.uvek.admin.ch/uvek/en/home.html
