The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), in collaboration with the Embassies of Span and Chile in the UAE, today hosted a media roundtable on the upcoming 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP25) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Set to take place under the presidency of the Government of Chile in Madrid, Spain, from December 2 to 13, 2019, COP25 seeks to underline the next crucial steps to be taken in advancing the UN climate action agenda. It is expected to draw the participation of 25,000 stakeholders, including representatives of world governments, NGOs and businesses from the UNFCCC’s198 member countries.
Eng Fahed Al Hammadi, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Green Development and Climate Change Sector at MOCCAE, His Excellency Antonio Álvarez Barthe, Ambassador of Spain to the UAE, and His Excellency Jorge Daccarett, Ambassador of Chile to the UAE, headlined the roundtable and highlighted the roles of their countries in ensuring successful outcomes for the conference.
Eng Al Hammadi said: “The UAE delegation to COP25 will comprise 80 members from the public and private sector and academia, and aim to underscore the global urgency to expedite the implementation of climate adaptation measures, as the only viable solution at this stage to protect the lives of millions of people in climate vulnerable communities. They will also showcase the UAE’s leading experience in this area through the National Climate Change Adaptation Program. With the help of our public and private sector stakeholders, the program assessed the existing and projected climate-induced risks across the energy, health, infrastructure, and environment sectors, and devised relevant adaptation measures.”
He also updated media representatives on the status of the Climate Change Law draft, which is expected to come into effect in 2020, and emphasized the importance of involving the private sector in the climate conversation.
For his part, His Excellency Antonio Álvarez Barthe said: “Getting ready to host COP25 in only one month is a huge challenge, but Spain is willing to make every effort that goes into combating climate change and saving our planet.”
His Excellency Jorge Daccarett said: “Chile assumes the presidency of COP25 with the conviction that climate change is a collective task that must, therefore, be resolved not only by the Parties of the Convention but with the cooperation of the private sector, civil society, the scientific community, and academia.
“We thank the Government of Spain for its invaluable support in hosting this Conference in Madrid at such short notice. We hope that at the end of COP25, we can agree on practical steps that take us a little closer to a future that is safe for the next generations. We don’t have time to lose. The time for action is now.”
COP25 paves the way for more ambitious climate commitments from members, ahead of the Paris Agreement’s entering into force in 2020.