Uncertainty over UN talks must not delay climate action, green groups say

(Eco Business, 1 Nov 2019) Climate activists are urging for quick efforts to reschedule the negotiations, aimed at accelerating cuts in emissions and helping vulnerable communities.

A surprise decision by Chile, rocked by violent unrest, to withdraw as host of December’s UN climate conference risks throwing international efforts to ramp up action on global warming off course, environmentalists and rights activists fear.

They urged quick efforts to reorganise the negotiations, aimed at accelerating cuts in planet-warming emissions and helping vulnerable communities find ways to deal with the increasingly harmful impacts of climate change.

The announcement by Chile’s president on Wednesday came just over a month before the negotiations—known as COP25—were due to start and left the UN climate change secretariat scrabbling for an alternative venue.

On Thursday, the Spanish government said in a statement that acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez had indicated it was ready to do what was needed to host the summit in Madrid.

UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa said she had been informed by Chile about Spain’s offer to hold the conference as originally planned from Dec. 2-13, and was hopeful the proposed solution could be considered as soon as possible.

“It is encouraging to see countries working together in the spirit of multilateralism to address climate change, the biggest challenge facing this and future generations,” she added.

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Eco Business, 1 Nov 2019: Uncertainty over UN talks must not delay climate action, green groups say