The 25th Conference of Parties (COP 25) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will no longer take place in Chile.
The conference had earlier been scheduled to take place in a city called Santiago, in Chile from 2 to 13 December, this year.
However, in the wake of weeks of civil unrest in which millions have taken to the street in protest over economic inequality, embattled Chilean President, Sebastián Piñera made the announcement on Wednesday.
“This has been a very difficult decision, a decision that causes us a lot of pain because we fully understand the importance of Apec and Cop 25 for Chile and for the world,” Piñera said in a brief statement in Santiago.
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Authorities in the concerned United Nations organ are currently shopping for a new host.
In her statement, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa, said: “Earlier today, I was informed of the decision by the Government of Chile not to host COP25 in view of the difficult situation that the country is undergoing. We are currently exploring alternative hosting options.”
The UNFCCC entered into force on 21 March 1994. The 197 countries that have ratified the convention are called “parties” to the Convention.