Early this morning, after two weeks of protracted and often sharply divided negotiations, delegates from nearly 200 nations reached agreement on the Lima Call for Climate Action that will set the stage for negotiating a new global agreement on climate change in Paris next year.
The Conservancy’s Director of International Climate Policy Duncan Marsh said, “This outcome achieved the most critical objective of establishing the legal mandate to develop a new global agreement next year. It also provides important guidance on the information countries should include in their negotiating offers next year — and a light process for reviewing those offers. These elements will help states build transparency into the system.
Peru’s persistent, patient leadership was vital to getting this outcome. It is no easy task to strike a balance between hearing the views of all countries and finding a coherent way forward between contrasting points of view.
The next step to Paris and beyond will require emissions reduction pledges from all countries that reflect their capacity and responsibility to act. These in turn will send important signals of opportunities for innovation and investment in low-carbon, climate resilient development.”
The Lima outcome provides a key first step on the way to getting an agreement in Paris that will determine how each nation will move towards an emissions reduction plan, and a low-carbon future.
2014 marked a new phase in the global effort to address climate change, as evidenced by the US-China agreement; the NY Climate Summit and the Peoples March; and the capitalization of the Green Climate Fund, including the contributions of a number of developing countries. The Lima Call for Climate Action is the latest milestone in building momentum towards a low-carbon future and eventually meeting the 2 degree threshold. These actions demonstrate that the need for collective action has never been greater, and there is newfound commitment around the world to finding new ways of working together. The Conservancy congratulates the government of Peru on their leadership here at COP20. They have maintained the momentum from the NY Summit, and we welcome continued progress in Paris next year
The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org
