On Monday, the first day of the 20th U.N. Climate Change Conference in Lima, Peru, the atmosphere was hopeful but with an undertone of urgency as UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres noted COP20 “must make history” in the battle against global warming.
“This is it” was the message coming from delegates and observers in the hallways in Lima, seen as the last chance for countries to nail down a strong draft text ahead of the March 2015 deadline for countries to formulate their intended nationally determined contributions to fight climate change before a final global deal is struck a year from now in Paris to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, which expired in 2012.
COP20 delegates in the Peruvian capital hope to finalize by Dec. 12 a draft of the climate agreement that is expected to be signed in Paris next year.
About the authors
Claire Luke
Claire is a journalist passionate about all things development, with a particular interest in labor, having worked previously for the Indonesia-based International Labor Organization. She has experience reporting in Cambodia, Nicaragua and Burma, and is happy to be immersed in the action of D.C. Claire is a master's candidate in development economics at the George Washington Elliott School of International Affairs and received her bachelor's degree in political philosophy from the College of the Holy Cross.
Mythili Sampathkumar
Mythili Sampathkumar is a New York-based journalist covering development, the U.N., foreign policy, and U.S. politics. Her work has appeared in outlets like The Independent, LA Times, NBC News, Foreign Policy, Vox, and PRI.