A preparatory ministerial meeting is being held ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) to discuss key aspects of the climate negotiations. Minister for Environment and Climate Per Bolund has been asked to lead the climate finance discussions.
COP26 will take place in Glasgow from 30 October to 12 November. Each COP is preceded by a preparatory ministerial meeting, called the Pre-COP, where some key issues are discussed. Italy is the host of the Pre-COP, taking place in Milan from 28 September to 2 October.
At the Pre-Cop, ministers will discuss the issues that are expected to be in focus at COP26: the world’s progress in relation to the 1.5 ºC goal, finalisation of the Paris Agreement Rulebook, action on climate change adaptation, approaches to avert, minimise and address loss and damage from the adverse effects of climate change, and finance. Mr Bolund has been asked to lead the finance discussions.
“I am pleased to have been entrusted with leading the climate finance discussions and look forward to advancing work together with my colleagues. My goal is that the outcome of the discussions will help the UK to make COP26 in Glasgow successful,” says Mr Bolund.
Climate finance is a key and recurrent issue in the international climate negotiations. In the lead up to COP26, the goal of mobilising USD 100 billion per year from 2020 to 2025 is in focus. The 100 billion goal was agreed at COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009. The OECD, which conducts an annual assessment of progress towards the goal, reports that in 2019 donors had provided around USD 79 billion. In Glasgow, negotiations will start on the new climate finance goal, post 2025.
Ahead of the Pre-COP, Italy was hosting a youth dialogue – Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition. Around 400 young people aged between 15 and 29, from 186 countries were expected to attend. The main messages from the meeting was presented at the opening of the Pre-COP. Mr Bolund has been meeting with participants of the youth meeting to hear their reflections.
