UN climate change talks open in Doha with call for action

The 18th United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCC) has opened in Doha, Qatar, with a renewed call for action.

President of Conference of Parties (CoP) 18 Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Atttiyah told participants that “Climate change is a challenge for humanity” and that the conference is a “golden opportunity” to be made use of.

The opening ceremony comes after months of anticipation and planning as Qatar prepared to welcome the world to the vital meeting.

As a coastal, dry land nation, Qatar is one of the 10 developing countries predicted to be most affected by rising sea levels.

“Now more than ever, the issues at the heart of these negotiations are at the forefront of global debate and discourse. All seven billion people living on the planet share a single challenge: climate change.

“This is why we gather at the highest official levels in an international framework; this is our mission,” Al-Attiyah said.

With 17 000 participants coming from across the world, the conference has involved an immense organisational effort.

Conscious of the responsibility that comes with hosting the world’s most important climate change conference, organisers have strived to ensure that this year’s sessions will be environmentally friendly.

CoP18/CMP8 in Doha will be the first UN conference on climate change to implement the UN’s Paper Smart Programme. Participants will be provided with digital copies of documents, so that they print only the documents they need.