Petersberg Climate Dialogue will focus on green recovery – German and UK govts

The Petersberg Climate Dialogue on 27-28 April will focus on "sustainable recovery" in response to the coronavirus crisis, the German environment ministry has said in a press release. Ministers are to debate "how countries can proceed with ambitious climate action despite the postponement of [United Nations climate conference] COP26" and organise economic recovery after the acute coronavirus crisis management. "The goal is green recovery," writes the ministry, adding that this means "not only creating new jobs but also advancing climate action in ways that make the entire world more resilient. It also includes the question of how to design stimulus programmes that will facilitate a more committed climate policy in future." Alok Sharma, the UK's Secretary of State for Business and Energy, commented that "the world must work together, as it has to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, to support a green and resilient recovery, which leaves no one behind." The UK, as the president of COP26, will co-chair the Petersberg Climate Dialogue.

The German government has decided to hold this year’s Petersberg Climate Dialogue – which includes about 30 environment ministers from around the world – online. Parts of the dialogue will be livestreamed. The annual meeting is seen as a key milestone on the road to the UN climate negotiations. COP26 in Glasgow has been postponed to 2021, but Germany says it is “essential that the exchange on the important issue of climate action continues”.