Climate protection: Federal Councillor Sommaruga chairs talks on international climate goals

Bern, 07.09.2021 - On 7 September, around forty environment ministers held a video conference to discuss the issue of whether countries could in future better coordinate timeframes for their climate goals. Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga led these international talks together with Rwandan Environment Minister Jeanne d'Arc Mujawamariya. Alok Sharma, the president of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference, has tasked the two environment ministers with seeking a solution before COP26. The proposals are to be presented at the end of September at the Pre-COP in Milan, which serves to prepare for COP26.

Under the Paris Agreement, each country has so far been able to decide for itself what timeframe it wants to set for its climate goals. There are still no rules regarding deadlines for delivering on the goals. However, without such rules, countries will be unable to communicate their next climate goals in 2025 in a uniform manner. The aim now is to examine how the timeframes for each country’s climate targets can be better coordinated. The COP26 president, Alok Sharma, has tasked Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga with drawing up possible solutions together with Rwandan Environment Minister Jeanne d'Arc Mujawamariya.

To that end, a virtual meeting took place on 7 September attended by environment ministers from around 40 countries. During the video conference, Federal Councillor Sommaruga and Minister Mujawamariya consulted their colleagues as a first step towards establishing possible guidelines to better coordinate climate goal timeframes.

Federal Councillor Sommaruga and Environment Minister Mujawamariya will present the proposals at the COP26 preparatory conference. The Pre-COP will take place in Milan from 30 September to 2 October. Further bilateral talks are set to take place in the meantime to deepen the discussion.


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Federal Office for the Environment FOEN
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