Posted on June, 13 2013

Gland, Switzerland – WWF has welcomed the announcement that Peru will be the host of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) twentieth session of the Conference of Parties (COP 20) in December 2014.

The presidency of COP 20 will have an extraordinary opportunity to shape a future global deal, says Samantha Smith, leader of WWF’s Global Climate & Energy Initiative. “It will require depth and driving commitment in leadership and diplomacy if we are to have meaningful progress in these international climate negotiations going into 2015, and I believe Peru is the country that is fully capable of delivering on this,” she says.

As a developing country, Peru will be in a unique position to straddle one of the most contentious divides in the negotiations, between developed and developing countries. “We would like to see Peru driving a progressive approach to resolving key issues of ambition and finance,” Tasneem Essop, WWF Head of Delegation to the UNFCCC.

WWF-Peru CEO Patricia Leon Melgar says “Peru, in fact all Latin America, have much at stake, both in terms of impact and in providing solutions in these negotiations. From our massive forest carbon stores to the need to adapt to climate change to meet our development needs, this is a moment and opportunity for Peru and Latin America to show the necessary leadership to tackle these global problems. WWF congratulates the Peruvian government and looks forward to work close along with the rest of civil society to prepare for this event.”