On the eve of the opening of COP22, Patricia Espenosa, head of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, announced that the Marrakech stage will constitute the first meeting of the Paris agreement which officially entered into force on November 4. “Currently 100 countries have ratified this agreement. This meeting should be a moment of reflection, particularly regarding the countries most vulnerable to climate change, which will have the opportunity to promote their own plans,” she declared during a press conference organized on Sunday in Marrakech.
At his side, Salaheddine Mezouz, president of COP22, announced that 43 heads of state have confirmed their presence at the COP, as well as 32 heads of government. In addition to official delegations, 3,300 civil society actors will host several conferences and workshops. “The state of mind is positive,” said Mezouar, who believes that the commitment of politicians, the increasingly obvious interest of the world of finance to invest in the fight against climate change and the pressure exerted by civil society on governments are more important than the legally binding nature or not of the Paris Agreement.
