CAN Europe’s reaction to COP26 postponement

Global transition

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) announced yesterday the postponement of the next international climate summit, COP26, until 2021.

In reaction to this decision, Wendel Trio, Director of Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe said:

“We acknowledge that the immediate task for the world is to focus on buffering people and economies from this dramatic pandemic which is hitting us all. Hence the UNFCCC decision to postpone COP26 makes sense.

Climate change has dramatic costs that will keep rising if we delay further the transformations needed to build sustainable, climate-resilient economies. The necessary postponement of the COP does not mean we can postpone tackling the climate crisis. The economic recovery packages currently being developed should take the climate crisis into account, and ensure we speed up the needed transition to a safer society. This will allow all countries to commit to substantially increase their greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for 2030 still this year, as required by the Paris Agreement. This is imperative to protect us all from future shocks.”

ENDS

Contact:
Nicolas Derobert, Head of communications, nicolas@caneurope.org, +32 483 62 18 88

Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe is Europe’s leading NGO coalition fighting dangerous climate change. With over 160 member organisations from 35 European countries, representing over 1.700 NGOs and more than 47 million citizens, CAN Europe promotes sustainable climate, energy and development policies throughout Europe.

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