Minister Willie Aucamp attends 17th Petersberg Climate Dialogue

Minister Aucamp calls for stronger, action-driven agenda at Petersberg Climate Dialogue

Mr Willie Aucamp, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, is attending the 17th Petersberg Climate Dialogue where South Africa's focus will continue to be an emphasis on an action-driven, adequately funded, adaptation and mitigation agenda for the benefit of developing economy countries.

High-level representatives from around 40 countries descend on Berlin, Germany on 21-22 April 2026 to discuss concrete steps towards overcoming the climate crisis and strengthen confidence both in multilateral climate negotiations and between countries. This annual high-level conference serves as a crucial bridge between successive United Nations Climate Change Conferences (COPs) and will focus on identifying opportunities for international cooperation and accelerating a shift to climate-neutral economies.

"For South Africa, the extent to which Parties successfully implement the outcomes of the first Global Stocktake will be judged by both the full execution of their Nationally Determined Contributions and the availability of financing to support mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries," said Minister Aucamp.

The discussions will be focused on three key areas, namely: (1) Mitigation - reducing and closing the gap to 1.5; (2) climate finance and investment including NCQG implementation for adaptation finance; and (3) how the multilateral climate regime can accelerate implementation? Through these discussions, countries are expected to yield an opportunity to signal balance and credibility by visibly integrating adaptation action and finance into the preparation for COP31 and the African COP32 next year.

The Petersberg Climate Dialogue was established in 2010 by former German Chancellor, Dr Angela Merkel. It convenes selected nations to pave the way for successful negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC COP31 will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026. This year's COP is expected to focus on advancing green industrialization, accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels, and finalizing 2035 emission reduction targets.

The Petersberg Climate Dialogue Ministerial meeting, specifically, provides an informal yet strategic space for countries to deliberate on key issues under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, including the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), mitigation ambition, loss and damage from climate impacts, and the provision of international climate finance.

Minister Aucamp concluded by saying, "The Dialogue will offer South Africa a key platform to strengthen its commitment to climate action, promote fair solutions tailored to the distinct challenges of developing countries, and enhance global cooperation."

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