Negotiations start in Bonn on Sunday (29 March 2009) on the international climate agreement to be adopted in Copenhagen in December. Matthias Machnig, State Secretary at the Federal Environment Ministry, will open the conference. He commented: "We have to build a deal which is fair and acceptable to all countries. It must be effective and actually restrict climate change. This is a double task that we have to solve by December." State Secretary Machnig emphasised that climate protection is also ecologically and economically necessary in times of financial and economic crisis. "The window of opportunity to contain climate change is small and closing. We will only be able to ward off the worst impacts of climate change by acting quickly." Climate protection pays off. Investments in climate protection are investments in green growth and green jobs. "A 'wait and see' approach is financially and economically unacceptable", stressed Matthias Machnig.
A comprehensive post-2012 climate agreement is to be adopted in December 2009 at the Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. The negotiations on the details of this future agreement will now begin in Bonn. The German government is host to these negotiations.
The Parties already agreed in Bali in December 2007 on the key elements the agreement must contain:
- A long-term, global target for reducing emissions
- Verifiable and comparable reduction targets for industrialised countries
- Mitigation measures by developing countries
- Technical and financial support for developing countries both for emission reductions and adaptation to climate change
There will be heated debate on the structure of these key elements this year. One good piece of news at the start of negotiations is that the US, under President Obama, has made it clear that it is determined - even in these times of economic and financial crisis - to reach a solid agreement in Copenhagen and to transform the US into a low carbon economy. It is now crucial to make the most of this positive impetus and reach international consensus on the details of an agreement.
The negotiations will take place from 29 March to 8 April 2009 in the Hotel Maritim in Bonn. Around 2000 participants from more than 180 Parties, NGOs, companies, the scientific sector and the media are expected.