MARRAKESH, MOROCCO (Reuters) — Representatives from almost 200 nations will assemble in Marrakesh, Morocco on Monday (November 7) for talks on implementing the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.
The Paris Agreement, designed to start in 2020, entered into force on Friday (November 4) a month after reaching key ratification thresholds. On Sunday (November 6), the United Nations said 100 parties – 99 countries and the European Union – had formally joined the accord.
The immediate challenge for negotiators is that, by law, countries that have ratified the deal must start agreeing the rules to implement it at the next U.N. climate conference.
But that meeting starts on Monday in Marrakesh. That has left officials a very short time to iron out a host of technical issues – and only about half the parties that crafted the Paris deal eligible to participate in the early decision-making.
Speaking to Reuters on Sunday, Morocco’s head of Civil Society Activities said defending the rights of developing nations would be high on the agenda this year.
“The Paris treaty was a historic one. It was ratified in less than a year. This is very rare with international negotiations an treaties,” Driss El Yazami said.
“Morocco is looking to apply this treaty and especially activating the means of funding and the adaptation with climate change. Also, defending the rights of the nations in the south, the weak nations. The fragile states that are threatened with climate change without being historically responsible for this situation,” he added.
On Thursday (November 3) the United Nations reported greenhouse gas emissions in 2030 will exceed by 12 billion to 14 billion tonnes what is needed to keep global warming to the agreed target.
