New climate agreement will also contain long-term climate change adaptation targets
French Foreign Minister and future President of COP 21, Laurent Fabius, has invited ministers and high-level representatives from 56 countries to Paris for informal consultations. Solutions for adaptation to climate change, for assistance for climate-related loss and damage and for financial and technological support, in particular for the poorest countries, are being discussed during the consultations. Germany is represented by State Secretary at the Federal Environment Ministry, Mr Jochen Flasbarth. The informal ministerial meeting began yesterday and will come to a close today.
State Secretary Flasbarth commented: "There is widespread support for a qualitative long-term target to be set for climate change adaptation. Countries want to make a commitment, at national and international level, to protecting our societies from the unavoidable consequences of climate change. Germany is expanding its support for developing countries, thus further strengthening the international negotiation process."
Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel announced at this year's Petersberg Climate Dialogue that Germany will be doubling its climate finance.
State Secretary Flasbarth added: "Mobilising additional public and private support for the transformation towards a decarbonised global economy is an important foundation for success in Paris. By doubling its climate finance, Germany has made its contribution early and thus created a sound basis for negotiations."
Supplementary press release of 8 September 2015
Outcomes of climate finance meeting at ministerial level in Paris 5 - 6 September 2015
On the day before talks began, ministers and high-level officials from the industrialised countries came together to discuss increasing climate finance and enhancing transparency. The discussion focussed primarily on the pledge made in 2009 by industrialised countries during COP15 in Copenhagen to mobilise 100 billion US dollars each year from 2020 onwards for climate mitigation measures in developing countries. Last Saturday, industrialised countries agreed, for the first time, on using a uniform approach for reporting on their international climate finance. This common understanding means that a higher level of transparency in implementing the 100 billion US dollar pledge can be achieved. At present, the French and Peruvian COP Presidencies have commissioned the OECD and Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) to carry out a study on the current status of mobilised climate finance. Results will be presented in October.