Only one month to prepare the climate summit: Ifema, in Madrid, faces the challenge with optimism

The place chosen to hold the next climate summit (COP25), which could accommodate up to 25,000 people between December 2 and 13, will be Ifema, in Madrid, confirmed yesterday Friday in Cadena Ser the acting Minister of Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera. Sources of the department have subscribed today to the Efe agency and have indicated that they have already contacted both the Community of Madrid and the City Council.

The Ifema fairground, on the outskirts of the capital, has held congresses of up to 50,000 participants, so it is the most suitable place to carry out an international event of these characteristics that requires two contiguous spaces, one for meetings and official negotiations of the countries and another for parallel events, such as scientific reporting or NGO events.

Madrid was officially chosen yesterday to host this climate summit, after Chile, which maintains its presidency, resigned from its organization due to its internal situation.

Although both the official agendas and that of the parallel events are very advanced, Madrid has to prepare the logistics of the summit in just four weeks and ensure, for example, that there are enough hotel beds, public transport – which for a part of the attendees is usually free – and security.

To this end, the Government has already begun to develop the organization with the United Nations and is also working with Chile, according to the same sources; in fact, the acting Minister of Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, said yesterday that she is working “side by side” with the Chilean team so that the summit can be held with total normality in Madrid, “despite the challenges that this represents.” Ribera, in addition, has confirmed this afternoon that he has offered the presidency of the conference to the Hispanic American country.

From his department they claim to be in contact with the Community and the City of Madrid and point out that possibly on Monday a meeting will be held between representatives of different ministries, the regional and local government.

The main objective of COP25 was and will continue to be to prepare the ground for countries to submit contributions to combat climate change, within the framework of the Paris Agreement, more ambitious than the current ones at the beginning of 2020, recall the same sources.

Source: ABC