Climate Change Conference in Cancún adopts comprehensive package of measures
Following a period of difficult negotiations the Climate Change Conference in Cancún agreed on a comprehensive package of measures early on Saturday morning (local time). The decisions taken are important foundations for a climate agreement. Federal Environment Minister Röttgen commented: "Cancún has met our expectations. The international community has demonstrated its capacity to act. For the first time the global community has officially recognised the two-degree target. The measures adopted are still not sufficient to reach it, but they are a decisive step. This process must now be continued."
The Cancún package includes mitigation action by developed and developing countries, the establishment of a Green Climate Fund and arrangements on adaptation to the consequences of climate change, forest conservation, technological cooperation and capacity building in developing countries. A procedure was agreed to review which additional measures will be needed to meet the two-degree target. Moreover, basic agreements were made regarding the transparency of countries’ climate protection activities. The developed countries have pledged to mobilise 100 billion US dollars annually from 2020 for climate protection measures in developing countries.
Environment Minister Röttgen stated: "These results are also due to the joint efforts by the EU countries. We must build on this success. Europe will only be able to maintain its leading role if we are determined to make progress and reduce our emissions by 30 percent by 2020 compared with 1990. This is an appropriate contribution to achieving the two-degree target and at the same time offers huge economic opportunities."