The Pre-COP25 (8-10 October, Costa Rica) concluded in San José with an urgent call for more climate ambition - an unavoidable necessity since the current national action plans set the world on the path of an average global warming of 3°C.
This gathering, attended by delegates from more than 90 countries and resulting in 64 side events (round tables, high-level dialogue, exchange of good practice), highlighted the importance of increasing the ambition of all nationally determined contributions (NDC), focusing on three priority areas: nature-based solutions, sustainable cities and the blue economy.
The European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy represented the EU at the high-level political dialogue on raising ambition (see EUROPE 12344/22). He held bilateral meetings with Chilean Environment Minister Carolina Schmidt, whose country will chair COP25, and British Minister for Climate Change Lord Ian Duncan, whose country will chair COP26 (Scotland).
"It has been hugely encouraging to hear everyone at PreCOP25 talking about the need to raise ambition (...) At COP25 in December, we look forward to more governments, but also more cities, regions and businesses announcing science-based action plans and responding to calls for increased action", said the Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), India's Ovais Sarmad.
According to Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, Costa Rican Minister of Environment and Energy, "This PreCOP25 demonstrated that there are ambitious solutions and successful experiences that can guide us towards the 1.5°C goal. Nature-based solutions are 30% of the climate solution". (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)