In Brief: The 14th Petersberg Climate Dialogue brought together high-level representatives from some 40 countries ranging from vulnerable island nations like the Marshall Islands to high-emitting states such as China, India, and the US, for a round of talks in preparation for the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 28)
The Petersberg Climate Dialogue (PCD) is an annual forum that precedes the United Nations Climate Change Conferences (COP). It was held from May 2nd to 3rd, 2023, and co-hosted in Berlin by the German Federal Foreign Office and the United Arab Emirates, the upcoming COP28 Presidency. The 14th edition of the PCD saw the participation of delegates from 40 countries. Its primary objective is to foster trust in multilateral climate negotiations and promote cooperation among nations.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, addressing the conference remotely, stressed the importance of honesty in confronting the climate crisis. He called for cooperation beyond geopolitical divisions, emphasized the delivery of climate finance by developed countries and international financial institutions, and advocated for transitioning away from fossil fuels and promoting decarbonization in all sectors.
The PCD serves as a platform for diverse countries, including industrialized nations, island states, emerging economies, and civil society, to forge alliances and engage in strategic dialogues on topics such as just energy transition, global transformation, and responses to climate impacts. The focus of this year’s dialogue encompassed climate adaptation, climate finance, addressing loss and damage, and notably, the first-ever global stocktake.
This is the time
Simon Stiell, the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, expressed his commitment to listen and understand the challenges faced by many in relation to the climate crisis. He highlighted the critical juncture at which we find ourselves, presenting an opportunity of a lifetime to correct our course. Stiell emphasized the need for a fresh implementation mindset during the global stocktake, viewing it as an opportunity to assess our progress so far and devise a new approach moving forward.
Annalena Baerbock, the German Foreign Minister and co-host of the conference, acknowledged that we are collectively confronting the greatest security challenge of this century, namely the climate crisis. She emphasized that everyone present at the conference has a role to play in mitigating this crisis. Baerbock shared the positive news from the latest IPCC report, stating that we possess the necessary policy tools, financial resources, and technological solutions to address this crisis.
The high-level dialogue will conclude on Wednesday afternoon with closing remarks from Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the President-Designate of COP28 from the United Arab Emirates, and Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor. The upcoming Climate Change Conference, COP28, is scheduled to be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 30th to December 12th, 2023.
Background information:
The first Petersberg Climate Dialogue, aimed at improving communication between leaders and environmental ministers following the nearly unsuccessful negotiations at the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP15), was initiated by German politician and former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The meeting took place on April 2–4, 2010 at Hotel Petersberg, located on the hill named “Petersberg” near the German city of Bonn, where the UNFCCC is headquartered. In subsequent years, the Petersberg Climate Dialogue conference was held in Berlin.
