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Paris accord rules must be wrapped up this year, says UN climate chief
(Reuters, 31 May 2021) Governments must finalise rules for the Paris Agreement on climate change at November's COP26 summit so the pact can be fully implemented and serve as the basis for a green recovery from the pandemic, the U.N. climate chief said on Monday.
As three weeks of virtual climate talks opened, Patricia Espinosa also called on rich nations to fulfil long-standing climate finance pledges to poorer, vulnerable nations in order to secure trust in the U.N.-led process.
"It's time to wrap up outstanding negotiations and implement the Paris Agreement," said Espinosa, noting that many nations have yet to submit stronger climate action plans that were due last year under the 2015 global accord.
"Unleashing its full potential will not only address climate change but help the world build forward from COVID-19 and drive the transformation towards a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future," she said.
The talks that kicked off on Monday are the first official U.N. climate negotiations to be held since the end of 2019, due to delays caused by COVID-19.
Espinosa told reporters she had recently urged ministers from the G7 group of wealthy nations to deliver the $100 billion a year promised to developing countries from 2020 to help them adopt clean energy and adapt to climate change impacts.
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Reuters, 31 May 2021: Paris accord rules must be wrapped up this year, says UN climate chief
