Delegations from over 80 countries to attend Global NDC Conference 2019 from 12 to 14 June
On the theme of "Inspiring action and enabling change", the Global NDC Conference 2019 opens today in Berlin, attracting more than 300 experts from over 80 countries. The meeting will focus on the implementation and updating of nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
Germany's Environment Minister Svenja Schulze commented: "All countries are aware that the NDCs submitted in Paris are still insufficient. In one of its core elements, the Paris Agreement therefore requests Parties to raise the level of ambition of their NDCs every five years. The first update is due by 2020. The Paris Agreement's success depends on the quality of this process. For that reason, I am pushing for an ambitious implementation of our own mitigation targets in the federal government's climate cabinet. At the same time we support implementation on the ground and updating of NDCs in developing countries under Germany's International Climate Initiative and together with the German Development Ministry in the NDC Partnership."
Germany's Development Minister Gerd Müller stated: "Climate change affects primarily those who have contributed least to it: people in developing countries are the first to suffer from climate change. At the same time, the global climate's future also hinges on developing and emerging countries. In Africa alone, 600 million people lack access to electricity; there is an enormous backlog. We will only be able to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement if we support developing and emerging countries in directly embarking on a green growth path and learning from the mistakes made by industrialised countries. This is exactly what the global NDC Partnership is about and why it needs our continued support."
The German environment and development ministries are jointly providing an additional nine million euros for contributions under the NDC Partnership.
With more than 300 participants from authorities, industry, science and civil society, the conference also offers an important platform for knowledge and experience sharing. The conference is jointly organised by a number of international support initiatives.
After the policy discussions at the 10th Petersberg Climate Dialogue (Berlin, 13 to 14 May) focusing on raising ambition, the ICCA2019 conference for municipal climate action (Heidelberg, 22 May) and the second meeting of the Global Adaptation Commission (Berlin, 21 May), today's expert meeting is another contribution by the German government towards preparing for the UN Secretary General's Climate Summit to be held in New York on 23 September.