Brussels, 03/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - Informal international climate consultations began on Thursday 3 October in Warsaw. These consultations mark a new stage in the preparations for the 19th conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 19, 11-22 November). Connie Hedegaard, the European Commission for Climate Action, is taking part in this preparatory “pre-COP” meeting on 3-4 October. Around 40 ministers from industrialised and developing countries have been invited by Marcin Korolec, the Polish minister for the environment, chairing the COP 19, to take part in this meeting.
Included on the discussions agenda: the essential elements in the future legally binding global agreement, which is expected to be concluded in Paris in 2015 (COP 21); a stepping up in the level of global action goals and the institutional arrangements to be established for tackling losses and damages caused by the impact of climate change in developing countries.
In a broader context, debates will focus on all the elements required for guaranteeing “a balance between our level of ambition and compensation for losses and damages” suffered by developing countries, indicated Korolec, a short while ago (see EUROPE 10924). In compliance with wishes expressed by the acting presidency of the COP, the business community has been invited for an exchange of views with ministers on business opportunities provided by the transition to a low carbon fuels based economy, financing climate action in developing countries and climate friendly technologies. (AN/transl.fl)