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BRUSSELS, Nov 23 2015 – The 102nd session of the Council of Ministers of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States opened here Monday.
The Nov 23-25 meeting brings together officials from 79 ACP countries to take decisions on key development issues, as well as institutional matters involving the future of the organisation.
Acknowledging that climate change is the single greatest challenge to the sustainable livelihoods, security and well-being of African, Caribbean and Pacific people, the Council will consider an issues paper covering areas of shared interest for ACP countries, in the lead up to the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21).
The issues paper reaffirms the view that climate change threatens the very survival of ACP countries, posing immediate and long-term significant risks to sustainable development efforts. It highlights the importance of achieving a legally-binding instrument or outcome applicable to all at the COP21 gathering in Paris, scheduled for 30 November – 11 December, 2015.
Key concerns for ACP countries include adaptation to climate variability and adequate support for adaptation actions especially for LDCs and SIDS; loss and damage associated with impacts of climate change; mitigation and limits on global warming; climate financing; technology development/transfer and capacity building; and reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
