Norway welcomes agreement in Cancun

“I am pleased that a final agreement has been adopted at the UN Climate Change Conference in Mexico. This in an important step forward in the fight against climate change,” said Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.

The climate package adopted in Cancun is sound and balanced. The compromise was carefully deliberated, and all countries have achieved things that are important to them. The package consolidates the Copenhagen Accord, and is thus of great importance for the further climate negotiations.

“Norway is particularly pleased that agreement was reached on a mechanism for reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries. This mechanism will provide important guidelines for cooperation under the REDD+ partnership, which was established at the Oslo Climate and Forest Conference in May this year. We are also pleased that carbon capture and storage has been included under the Clean Development Mechanism, which Norway has been promoting for a long time,” said Mr Stoltenberg.

Agreement was also reached on the establishment of a green fund. The final report of the UN High-level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing, which was co-chaired by Prime Minister Stoltenberg and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, will serve as an important basis for the further discussion on how the green fund should be financed.

“The agreement was reached largely due to Mexico’s excellent leadership of the process and chairmanship of the conference in Cancun. The Mexicans ensured that the process was inclusive, and all parties demonstrated a will to compromise in order to agree on a way forward. This will be crucial in the further climate negotiations,” said Mr Stoltenberg.

“The Cancun agreement will help to restore faith in the UN process and brings hope that the international community is capable of dealing with the climate crisis.
The agreement provides a good foundation for reaching a binding climate agreement, and we are very pleased about this,” said Prime Minister Stoltenberg.