The Chilean government won’t host the United Nations climate change conference, the UNFCCC CoP25, set for December, President Sebastian Pinera said.

Chile also canceled the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit that was scheduled to be held in Santiago next month after a wave of protests and riots stretched security forces to the limit.

“We understand perfectly the importance of APEC and CoP for Chile and the world, but we have based our decision on commo sense,” Pinera said from the presidential palace. “A president needs to put its people above everything else.”

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was notified by the Chilean government that it’s withdrawing as host of the CoP25 climate change summit. The Executive Secretary of UNFCCC Patricia Espinosa said in a statement that the UN is currently exploring alternative hosting options.

Here is the full Statement by UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa:

“Earlier today, I was informed of the decision by the Government of Chile not to host COP25 in view of the difficult situation that the country is undergoing. We are currently exploring alternative hosting options.”

Last year, a delegation of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) attended the UNFCCC COP24 in Katowice, Poland. During the conference, CBCGDF representative met with international colleagues and exchanged on various topics including biodiversity conservation, ecotourism, and afforestation.

CBCGDF has paid attention to the condition in Santiago particularly lately as the situation in the city becomes more severe. CBCGDF plans to send young representatives to present topics on young leadership, sustainable development, and conservation, etc. All the doubts and worries of those who care about the future of this conference have now become a reality.

According to media source, citing an anonymous official, reported that all major UN venues are being considered as options, which also include New York, Geneva, Vienna, and Nairobi.

The Santiago CoP25 was expected to thrust the issue of international emissions trade into the global spotlight. Government negotiators were targeting the completion of rules under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement at the meeting, with the issue the only major one still outstanding amongst all elements of the pact’s rulebook.

CBCGDF will continue to follow the selection of the UNFCCC CoP25 venue and related news.

(Photo credit: UNFCCC)

CBCGDF delegation attended UNFCCC CoP24 in 2018. (Photo credit: Fred Dubee)

CBCGDF representative Professor Fred Dubee met with the DPRK delegation during UNFCCC CoP 24. (Photo credit: Fred Dubee)

By / Maggie