Climate Change Conference in Cancún lays solid foundations for further negotiations

Bern, 11.12.2010 - The 16th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 16) concluded on 11 December 2010 with an agreement. The Conference aims to intensify efforts for the avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions and to avoid any gap following the expiry of the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. In addition, COP 16 decided on the establishment of a Green Climate Fund and mechanisms to prevent climate-damaging deforestation in developing countries.

The 194 parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to the exception of Bolivia succeeded in agreeing on a final text at the 16th United Nations Climate Change Conference in the Mexican city of Cancún, thereby avoiding the failure of the conference. Substantive improvements have been achieved as compared with the position at the end of the Copenhagen climate summit in late 2009. As expected, however, no major breakthrough was achieved. The clarification of crucial questions, for example binding obligations for countries outside the Kyoto Protocol, has been postponed until next year.

On the occasion of the concluding debate at the conference, State Secretary and Director of the Federal Office for the Environment Bruno Oberle stated on behalf of the negotiating group led by Switzerland: "The Cancún text is a compromise and it contains points on which consensus was not reached. We will adopt it, however." He thanked the Mexican conference president Patricia Espinosa for the transparent conduct of the negotiations and said: "You succeeded in overcoming the atmosphere of distrust and in restoring confidence in the process."

Two-degree goal confirmed

A text on the further development of international climate policy within the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was passed as was a text on the Kyoto Protocol. The agreement on the climate convention outlines further procedure for the management of the climate problem. It states that climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity, that efforts to avoid greenhouse gas emissions must be intensified, that climate warming should not exceed two degrees Celsius and that the states bear collective responsibility for climate change, which varies, however, in accordance with their level of development. In addition it stresses that a paradigm change is required to enable the development of a climate-friendly economy and society: the keys to this development include innovative technologies.

The Parties also decided to create a framework for adaptation to climate change (Cancún Adaptation Framework) to mitigate the already evident consequences of climate change, in particular in the very vulnerable developing countries.

Switzerland's constructive contribution to the question of finance

In terms of finance, the Parties decided to create a Green Climate Fund. Switzerland was able to make a key contribution to the adoption of this solution through its proposal for the organisation of the fund presented during the negotiations in Cancún and the staging of the Geneva Dialog on Climate Finance.

With regard to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the Cancún text notes that developing countries will also contribute on the basis of their capacities.

In accordance with the Cancún agreement, the Kyoto States will be obliged to intensify their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, a second commitment period will be decided on as quickly as possible to avoid a gap in the Kyoto Protocol. Even if the second Kyoto period does not follow directly on the first, the industrialised states aim to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions on the basis of the Copenhagen agreement. This is confirmed in the Cancún resolution.

The question of the Swiss commitment for the period 2013 to 2020 is currently before the Swiss Parliament. The Federal Council proposes that Switzerland reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in this period by at least 20 percent as compared with 1990. If other industrialised states, for example the USA or Japan, commit to a comparable reduction, the Federal Council is willing to increase Switzerland's target to 30 percent. However, the Cancún resolution does not meet this condition.

Measures to protect forests in developing countries

Finally, the Cancún Agreement succeeded in adopting a package of measures relating to climate-damaging deforestation in forests in developing countries. This represents an important step for the avoidance of around one fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions. The Swiss delegation made a significant contribution to the success achieved in this area through its many years of work.


Address for enquiries

Adrian Aeschlimann, Media Relations Officer for the Swiss delegation in Cancún, 0041 79 277 51 83



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Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications
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