Marie-Pierre Gramaglia speaks at COP 23 in Bonn

Copyright - DR

On Thursday 16 November 2017, in the middle of the day, Marie-Pierre Gramaglia spoke on behalf of the Principality of Monaco at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 23) in Bonn. In her speech, the Minister recalled the objectives the Principality of Monaco had set for reducing its greenhouse gas emissions: by 50% compared with 1990 levels by 2030, and carbon neutrality by 2050. She explained: “Today, my country hopes that the commitments made by all Parties will be ambitious and transparent in order to achieve the target that we have collectively set: to limit the average rise in global temperatures to less than 2°C compared with pre-industrial levels, and if possible, to less than 1.5°C.” 

In response to major weather events, Marie-Pierre Gramaglia emphasised: “Shouldn’t these extreme phenomena return our attention to the urgency of a situation which we have underestimated for too long? Is it not now our collective responsibility to act and to establish mechanisms to facilitate access to international funding for the most vulnerable?”. 

Addressing the Fijian Presidency of COP 23, the Minister added “our two countries share the same approach to the decisive impact of oceans on the climate. Going beyond the threats, we know that the oceans also offer tremendous opportunities, as long as we are able to protect them and exploit them in a sustainable way. It is therefore vital to emphasise their extraordinary potential in terms of mitigation and adaptation efforts. With this in mind, the IPCC special report on oceans and the cryosphere, due to be published in 2019, will undoubtedly offer new insights to enrich debate on these issues and provide a foundation for decision-making.” 

The Minister concluded her speech with the following words: “it is essential that the commitment of each and every one of us is maintained so that, together, we can stick to the targets we have set and thereby guarantee a sustainable future for our children.” 

The Marrakech Climate Change Conference in 2016 concluded with the Marrakech Action Proclamation for Our Climate and Sustainable Development, in which the States Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) affirmed their “commitment” to “full implementation” of the Paris Agreement. During the Bonn Conference, work will focus on making progress on developing the various guidelines, arrangements and procedures which will enable full implementation of the Paris Agreement. The first step will be to use Bonn to launch a year-long dialogue on the actions already taken and the actions to be pursued. The other very specific goal of COP 23 will be to make progress on the rules for implementing the Paris Agreement, a phase which is both technical and political. COP 23, which runs until 17 November, is being chaired by Fiji, an island nation which is particularly impacted by the effects of climate change.