Ministers from all over the world prepare for Climate Summit in Paris.

Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius have invited around 35 ministers from all regions of the world to participate in the sixth Petersberg Climate Dialogue from 17 to 19 May 2015. With the Dialogue Germany and France want to pave the way for a successful outcome at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 21) in Paris at the end of this year. Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President François Hollande will address the ministers on Tuesday morning.

The Dialogue begins on Monday morning with a discussion of the core elements of the planned agreement of Paris. Ministers will then go on to look at the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) which each country is to formulate and submit and consider mechanisms for enhancing the level of ambition. On Monday afternoon talks will focus on the role of climate finance and the form a set of rules anchored in the Paris agreement might take to ensure our efforts are comparable, binding and honest.

For the complete press release, please see Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety.

Susanne Wolfmaier (adelphi)

In his address on this year’s World Cities Day, UN-Secretary General António Guterres recognised that “cities have borne the brunt of the pandemic” and called upon governments to “prepare cities for future disease outbreaks”. Authorities cannot waste this opportunity to build back better by simultaneously addressing the increasing economic hardship for the urban poor and climate change impacts. This will help prevent not only future health risks but also the increased risk of urban violence and insecurity.

Georgina Gustin, InsideClimate News

The new group will try to advance climate policies, even as some of its members are likely to clash. Critics say the group’s efforts won’t go far enough.

Dhanasree Jayaram, MAHE

With climate change increasingly affecting food production in South Asia, it is time to focus on making food markets more resilient to climate shocks.

Conflict Transformation
Global Issues
Micheal Keating, EIP

Michael Keating, Executive Director at the European Institue of Peace (EIP), argues that peacebuilding and conflict resolution must not disregard the impacts of the climate crisis on livelihoods, social cohesion and conflict resolution.