Comments from Connie Hedegaard, Minister for climate and energy, Denmark, host of COP15 at the closing of the international climate negotiations meeting in Bonn under UNFCCC, March 29 – April 8, 2009:
The negotiations in Bonn have been very constructive: On all of the building blocks towards a new, global agreement, the negotiations have been substantial, thorough and concrete. That counts e.g. for the discussions about a new registry linking finance and mitigation actions.
An important milestone has been the United States reengaging in the negotiations. It is very positive to see, how the United States are actively taking part in the negotiations. This, we have been waiting for a long time.
Having said this, the industrialised countries have not yet shown the necessary leadership. Not leadership when it comes to reduction commitments. Not leadership when it comes to finance.
In short, the work is progressing in the formal UNFCCC process. Work is also being done in other fora. Fora that will eventually feed into the international negotiations under the UNFCCC. Everywhere, climate change is on the agenda. The course has been set: We are going to Copenhagen.