The first round of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) talks concluded in Bonn, Germany, with agreement to intensify the negotiating schedule in order to achieve a strong outcome in Mexico at the end of the year.
In addition to the negotiating sessions already scheduled for this year, participating governments decided to hold two additional sessions. These will take place between the 32nd session of the UNFCCC Convention subsidiary bodies scheduled for May 31 to June 11, and the UN Climate Change Conference in Mexico scheduled for Nov. 29 to Dec. 10.
According to UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer, negotiators must tackle three categories of issues this year: issues that were close to completion in Copenhagen and can be finalized at the climate change conference in Cancun at the end of the year; issues where there are still considerable differences, but on which the Copenhagen Accord can provide important political guidance; and issues where governments are still far from agreement.
‘The UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun must do what Copenhagen did not achieve: It must finalize a functioning architecture for implementation that launches global climate action across the board – especially in developing nations,’ says de Boer. ‘Specifically, negotiations this year need to conclude on mitigation targets and action, a package on adaptation, a new technology mechanism, financial arrangements, ways to deal with deforestation and a capacity-building framework.’
More than 1,700 delegates from 175 countries attended the first round of U.N. climate change talks in Bonn.
SOURCE: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Â
