The Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference began with the opening plenaries of all bodies as well as a high-level opening ceremony. Parties adopted the agendas and launched all substantive work. A roundtable on climate ambition was held with nearly 50 heads of state and government. COP 25 started amid the camera flashes and spotlights that herald the presence of heads of state and government. Dignitaries held a roundtable on climate ambition, and UN Secretary General António Guterres and speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi spoke at a packed press conference of the Climate Vulnerable Forum.
By Jennifer Iris Allan, Beate Antonich, Jennifer Bansard, Bernard Soubry, and Mari Luomi, Earth Negotiations Bulletin/IISD Reporting Services. December 3, 2019.
