We sincerely hope this message finds you safe and healthy.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, we are facing an incredible challenge that touches each and every one with us. We must do all that we can to look after ourselves, family members and our communities first and foremost. As High-Level Champions, we are closely monitoring the situation as it unfolds and exploring innovative and alternative ways to keep our work moving forward, while ensuring that our staff and colleagues follow the recommendations of their respective governments and the United Nations as their top priority to overcome this pandemic as swiftly as possible.

Despite the recent emergence of this pandemic, dealing with the global issue of climate change remains as urgent as ever in 2020 and we remain committed to continue to support all of you in this defining period and lay the groundwork for us to, in the words of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, “recover better” and put us on a path striving for a 1.5 degree, climate-resilient future that benefits all. We will keep you updated as our approach for the year evolves.

Thank you for your efforts and commitment during these challenging times. Stay safe and healthy.

Gonzalo Muñoz

High-Level Champion of the COP 25 Presidency

Chile

Nigel Topping

High-Level Champion of the COP 26 Presidency

United Kingdom

The COP 26 UN Climate Change conference set to take place in Glasgow in November has been postponed due to COVID-19. This decision has been taken by the COP Bureau of the UNFCCC, with the United Kingdom (UK) and its Italian partners. Dates for a rescheduled conference in 2021, hosted in Glasgow by the UK in partnership with Italy, will be set out in due course following further discussion with Parties.

The COP Bureau also decided to postpone the UN Climate Change meetings of the Subsidiary Bodies (SB 52) until October 4-12, 2020, in Bonn, Germany. These decisions were taken to ensure not only full inclusion and participation, but the well-being and safety of all involved.

Despite these postponements, the work to increase climate action continues with the current COP Presidency of Chile, the incoming COP Presidency of UK and the UNFCCC secretariat all committed to work in the coming months with Parties and non-Party stakeholders on matters of priority to the process.

See the UNFCCC press releases on the postponement of COP 26 and SB 52

On the 24th and 25th February 2020 in London, the High-Level Champions and the UNFCCC secretariat convened a Marrakech Partnership Strategy and Planning Meeting attended by over 100 leaders and representatives from several Parties, regional groups and various organizations, coalitions and initiatives under the Marrakech Partnership, with the support of the Global Resilience Partnership and Department for International Development (DFID) of the UK Government.

The global context and direction of the meeting was provided by UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Patricia Espinosa, Minister of the Environment of Chile and COP 25 President, Carolina Schmidt and the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and COP 26 President-designate, the Rt. Hon. Alok Sharma MP, UK. The meeting generated strategic forward-looking discussions on key tipping points of climate action over the next 5-10 years, back-casting to what is needed in 2020 and for COP 26 to deliver these changes and how the Partnership should adapt to the needs. These discussions have helped the Champions in their reflections on how to evolve the Partnership going forward and the priority areas for 2020.

Watch this space with further details on how the work will be taken forward and how the global community can contribute.

See the latest activities of the Champions and the Marrakech Partnership.

Parties agreed at COP 25 to the continuation of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action and the role of the High-Level Champions until 2025 and requested the Champions to explore how to improve the work under the Partnership for enhancing ambition taking into account feedback from Parties and non-Party stakeholders.

The Marrakech Partnership is entering a new phase and it is essential to build on past achievements and lessons learned and make the Partnership fit-for-purpose to start this decade of delivery. Your feedback and ideas on how to enhance ambition through the Partnership is crucial for the Champions as they develop a path forward.

See the letter from the Champions and how to provide your views