Statement of Elliot Diringer
Executive Vice President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
November 18, 2017
On the conclusion of COP 23, the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, in Bonn, Germany.
COP 23 achieved its most important objective – keeping the Paris Agreement on track despite the threat of a U.S. withdrawal.
With just a year left to hammer out the Paris “rulebook,” parties laid a good foundation for more focused negotiations over the coming year. Even as the White House reiterated President Trump’s intention to pull out of Paris, U.S. negotiators worked to keep options open, engaging constructively on key pieces of the rulebook.
But the talks also underscored major challenges ahead on issues like finance and balancing developed and developing country responsibilities. With the U.S. negotiating from a weakened position, resolving those issues next year could prove much tougher.
Other delegations, hopeful the U.S. will ultimately stay in, were buoyed by the many congressional, state, city and business leaders in Bonn to highlight strong support in the U.S. for climate action. In the U.S. and elsewhere, continuing to ramp up “non-state” efforts over the coming year will be key to achieving strong outcomes at COP 24. C2ES is proud to have contributed to the “We Are Still In” effort, and is pleased to be co-hosting the upcoming Climate Leadership Conference in Denver, an important stepping stone to the Global Climate Action Summit in California, and to COP 24.
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About C2ES: The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to forge practical solutions to climate change. Our mission is to advance strong policy and action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote clean energy, and strengthen resilience to climate impacts. Learn more at www.c2es.org.