Madrid climate talks to focus on unresolved issues

Madrid, Spain: Accelerating efforts to tackle climate change will be the key focus of the 25th round of the annual United Nations-sponsored climate talks that begin Monday in Madrid as the global climate emergency intensifies.

“This year, we have seen accelerating climate change impacts, including increased droughts, storms and heat waves, with dire consequences for poverty eradication, human health, migration and inequality. The world’s small window of opportunity to address climate change is closing rapidly,” said Patricia Espinosa, executive secretary of UN Climate Change.

This year’s meet is critical for preparing the ground for countries to step up their pledges made in Paris in 2015 ahead of the operationalising of the Paris Agreement from January 1, 2021.


Negotiators are also hope to finalise the rules for outstanding issues such as carbon markets which could not be resolved at last year’s meeting in Katowice, Poland.

Besides finalising the guidelines for international carbon markets, that is Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, the climate conference will also focus on adaptation, loss and damage, transparency, finance, capacity-building, indigenous issues, oceans, forestry and gender.

The UN climate chief reminded that the small window of opportunity to address climate change is closing rapidly. “We must urgently deploy all the tools of multilateral cooperation to make COP25 the launchpad for more climate ambition to put the world on a transformational path towards low carbon and resilience.”

The provision of finance and technology, crucial to help developing countries make the transition to green and climate resilient development pathways, are critical issues that will dominate the fortnight long talks in Madrid. “While we have seen some progress with respect to climaterelated financing for developing countries, we will continue to urge developed nations to fulfil their pledge of mobilising $100 billion annually by 2020,” said Espinosa.