MADRID, Spain, Dec 2, 2019 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina here today joined the opening session of the 25th Annual Conference of Parties (COP25), known as the UN Climate Change Conference.
The COP25 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) kicked off at Feria de Madrid, the largest exhibition complex in Spain and one of the most important venues in Europe, this morning.
The two-week conference is being held in the Spanish capital under the Presidency of Chile and with logistical support from Spain.
On her arrival at the venue, the prime minister was received by Spanish President Pedro Sanchez.
Before the inauguration of the conference, Sheikh Hasina addressed an event titled ‘Action for Survival: Vulnerable Nations’ COP25 Leaders’ Summit’.
Later, the prime minister joined the general roundtable of the Conference of the Parties (COP25) and attended a luncheon hosted by the Spanish president.
She earlier held a bilateral meeting with Dutch Premier Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the COP25.
In the afternoon, the Bangladesh prime minister is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with the Spanish president.
She will also join a reception to be hosted by the King and the Queen of Spain at Royal Palace this evening.
The 25th United Nations Climate Change Conference will incorporate the 25th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the 15th meeting of the parties for the Kyoto Protocol (CMP15), and the second meeting of the parties for the Paris Agreement (CMA2).
The President-Designate for the conference is Ms. Carolina Schmidt Zaldivar, Minister of Environment of Chile.
The conference is designed to take the next crucial steps in the UN climate change process. Following agreement on the implementation guidelines of the Paris Agreement at COP 24 in Poland last year, a key objective is to complete several matters with respect to the full operationalization of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.
The conference was planned to be held in Brazil in November 2019, but a year before its planned start, newly-elected President Jair Bolsonaro withdrew the offer to host the event, citing economic reason.
Then Chile stepped up and became the new host, but social unrest in the lead up to the meeting forced it late October 2019 to withdraw from hosting. Then by mutual agreement between the UN, Chile, and Spain, the latter became the new host.