The seventh Petersberg Climate Dialogue ended on Tuesday in a buoyant mood. Ministers from regions across the globe responded to the joint invitation from Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks and the Moroccan Presidency of the next climate conference (COP 22). After the historical success of the Paris summit last December, this year's Climate Dialogue focused on promoting an ambitious and swift implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Federal Environment Minister Hendricks said: "The Petersberg Climate Dialogue has highlighted once again that Germany is in good company with its ambitious climate policy. Following the success of Paris, we are now entering the implementation phase. Governments across the globe are undertaking measures to combat climate change. We can learn a great deal from each other and in doing so lend even greater momentum to international climate action."
High Level Champion for COP 22, Minister El Haite said: "All over the world, we are seeing more and more concrete and tangible evidence of our renewed commitment to act, hand in hand, for our global sustainable development. We are building the foundation of a new world, where solidarity and trust are rehabilitated. As COP 22 presidency, we see that the challenge for all of us is to cultivate this solidarity and to sustain the trust. COP 22 will be the COP of action, implementation and support."
There was consensus at the talks that the climate targets laid down in Paris must be implemented as quickly as possible in concrete policies. Many countries are already drawing up strategies for climate action up to 2050 with great enthusiasm. "International interest in our Climate Action Plan 2050 is huge," said Hendricks. "We have the opportunity here to provide a reference work which other countries can use as a guide for elaborating their own plans."
A further focus of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue was exploiting synergies to step up implementation of the Paris Agreement. "Eradicating poverty and combating climate change can only work if they are addressed together," said Hendricks. "That is why we need an approach that links climate action and conventional development cooperation more closely." At the talks, Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks and Federal Development Minister Gerd Müller jointly presented a global partnership to support the implementation of nationally determined contributions (NDCs).
Participants in the Climate Dialogue also hope to inject futher impetus by shifting global finance flows to be consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate resilient development, one of the goals of the Paris Agreement. Already, many investors are taking their money out of fossil fuels, while renewable energies and climate measures are attracting more private capital.
At the conclusion of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue, keynote speeches were given by Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel and Moroccan Foreign Minister and President of the upcoming COP 22 in Marrakesh, Salaheddine Mezouar. The meeting also took leave of Christiana Figueres, outgoing Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.