4 June 2015: Calling for renewed momentum towards a global climate agreement during a press briefing at UN Headquarters, Assistant Secretary-General for Climate Change Janos Pasztor highlighted recent initiatives meant to facilitate a successful outcome at the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to be held in Paris, France, at the end of 2015.
Among efforts to secure a universal, legally-binding agreement on climate change, Pasztor highlighted: the Sixth Petersburg Dialogue held in Berlin, Germany, from 18-19 May 2015, marked by Germany’s announcement of doubling its climate finance assistance by 2020; France’s commitment to introducing new legislation requiring institutional investors to demonstrate the carbon footprint of their assets; the Business and Climate Summit held in Paris, France, from 20-21 May 2015; the UN Climate Summit held in New York, US, on 23 September 2014; and the latest round of climate negotiations taking place in Bonn, Germany, from 1-11 June 2015. [UN Press Release] [IISDRS Coverage of Bonn Climate Negotiations][Climate Change Policy & Practice summary of sixth Petersburg Dialogue]