Berlin: The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, Dr. Dion George, will represent South Africa at the 15th Petersberg Climate Dialogue (PCD) this week, reinforcing the country’s commitment to climate action.
According to South African Government News Agency, the dialogue will provide a strategic opportunity for South Africa to advocate for equitable solutions addressing the challenges faced by developing nations and to foster stronger international cooperation. The annual high-level conference is co-hosted by Germany and Brazil in Berlin and serves as a bridge between successive United Nations Climate Change Conferences (COPs), offering a platform for dialogue on climate action and cooperation.
Established in 2010 by former German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel, the dialogue convenes selected nations to prepare for successful negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The ministerial meeting offers an informal yet strategic space for countries to discuss key issues under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, including the Global Goal on Adaptation, mitigation ambition, loss and damage from climate impacts, and the provision of international climate finance.
The Minister will use this platform to provide an overview of South Africa’s Presidency of the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group. “I look forward to sharing highlights about our five interrelated key priorities, including climate change and air quality, biodiversity and conservation, and land degradation, desertification, and drought,” said George.