SANTIAGO/MADRID• • The United Nations yesterday confirmed that this year's climate change talks will take place in Madrid in December, after Chile this week withdrew from hosting the summit.
The COP25 talks will be held from Dec 2 to 13, as originally planned.
The summit is aimed at fleshing out details of the implementation of the landmark Paris Agreement climate pact, amid calls for urgent action from environmental groups and climate protesters.
"We are pleased to announce the COP Bureau has agreed that COP25 will take place from Dec 2-13 in Madrid," UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa said on Twitter.
The Spanish government said in a statement on Thursday that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was ready to do what was needed to host the summit in Madrid.
Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said Mr Sanchez had offered to host the summit in Spain on the same days as previously scheduled.
"I hope this generous offer from the President of Spain... represents a solution," Mr Pinera said. "We have shared this information with the leading authorities at the United Nations."
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the formal meeting of parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. On Thursday, a spokesman for the convention said it was waiting to receive an official letter of offer from Spain.
Violent riots in recent days have left large parts of the Chilean capital Santiago shut down, with its vital metro transport system suffering nearly US$400 million (S$543 million) in damage.
Chile's withdrawal has come as a blow to a group of 36 young European activists sailing across the Atlantic from Amsterdam since early October to attend the talks, The Guardian reported. They may alter their course now that Madrid has been confirmed as the new venue.
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
