Expectations ‘realistic’ with a week to go before COP16

With just seven days to go until the world largest gathering of environmental thought-makers the chances of a meaningful agreement coming out of Cancun are low.


UNFCCC executive secretary, Christiana Figueres, who will be overseeing her first Conference of the Parties at COP16, said: “Cancun will be a success if parties compromise.

“Expectations for Cancun are realistic, but there’s still a lot at stake and to do if the world going to stay below a two degree temperature rise.”

However, Ms Figueres sounded a note of caution when she added: “It’s important not to underestimate the political gaps that need to be bridged, which mostly relate to how to move forward with emission reductions and deciding what to do with the Kyoto protocol and how to anchor the many national targets governments have.”

Watch Ms Figueres’ statement by clicking play below.

An agenda for the meeting can be viewed here.

HP and the Government of Mexico also today (November 22) announced that Hewlett Packard (HP) has been selected to provide more than $8 million worth of technology solutions for the meeting.

The Mexican federal government, which is the event host through the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying in a statement that the company’s ‘long-term commitment to environmental sustainability and its competitive offering’ were the reason behind its selection.

Luke Walsh

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