The November international Conference on Climate Change is being prepared in Switzerland

Bern, 01.09.2006 - More than 25 environment ministers and other delegates from about forty countries will meet near Zurich on 14 and 15 September at the invitation of Switzerland and Kenya. The purpose of these two days is to explore possible compromises so that decisions can be taken during the next international conference on climate change, which will be held in Nairobi in November. The work, chaired by the President of the Swiss Confederation Moritz Leuenberger and by the Kenyan Environment Professor Kivutha Kibwana, will be concerned with the future of international climate policy, measures to adapt to climate change and priorities for Africa and developing countries.

Switzerland is an alpine country vulnerable to climate change, so it is in Swiss interest for international climate policy to progress, and for an effective climate regime to be set up to combat global warming. Therefore Switzerland, together with Kenya, who will chair the twelfth international conference on climate change, has organised these informal ministerial consultations in Switzerland. These discussions are also part of the Swiss Confederation’s policy on sustainable development. In addition, this collaboration with Kenya is representative of the emphasis that Moritz Leuenberger wishes to put on Africa during his year as Swiss President.

The ministerial consultations in Rüschlikon should enable common positions to be found for the Nairobi conference. They will be concerned with the future of international climate policy, especially for the post-Kyoto period. The consultations in Rüschlikon should enable progress to be made in Nairobi as regards two current priority processes: discussions on the involvement of all countries in reducing greenhouse gases in the context of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change, and the definition of the next reduction objectives in the context of the Kyoto Protocol (see fact sheet 1).

The discussions will also deal with the support that developing countries need so that they can face up to climate change. In addition, the priorities for Africa and other developing countries that have to be reconciled with climate objectives will be discussed.

A press conference held by Federal President Moritz Leuenberger and Professor Kivutha Kibwana is being organised at 11 a.m. on 15 September, at the site of the conference.

Address for enquiries

DETEC Press Service, tel. +41 31 322 55 11
Elisabeth Maret, Press Service, FOEN, tel. +41 31 323 28 69