Why is it so important?

The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in 1997, obliged developed countries to commit to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions of 5% by 2012 compared to 1990 levels. In 2020, after being extended, it will definitively expire.

In 2009 the UN Copenhagen Climate Conference failed to achieve a global consensus for a broader climate regime engaging all countries in all areas of climate action, including mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer, capacity building and finance.

In 2012, national governments agreed to finalize negotiations in Paris 2015, which will define a new global climate regime that will enter into force after 2020.

The Climate Summit 2014 is expected to mobilize:
a.       National governments to voluntarily announce new commitments so that deadlock in climate negotiations can be overcome ahead of the UN Paris Climate Conference in 2015
b.       Actors in all sectors (e.g. business, civil society, governmental stakeholders) so that national governments are backed-up with additional initiatives in order to help them take rapid and scaled up action