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Presidency Statement on Climate Change at the G20 Sherpa Meeting

G20 Sherpa Meeting
Guangzhou, April 8, 2016

The Second G20 Sherpa Meeting was convened in Guangzhou, China from 6 to 8 April, 2016, and in relation to climate change, agreed on the following broad common understanding: 

1. Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world today. We welcomed the adoption of the Paris Agreement at the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and were satisfied that G20 members had played a key role in facilitating this progress.
2. We recognized that the Paris Agreement is a comprehensive, balanced and ambitious document, which is guided by the principles of the Convention, including the principles of equity and of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances. It marked a milestone in global climate cooperation.
3. We shall work to promote the implementation of the Paris Agreement, including by signing the Agreement on 22 April, 2016 or thereafter, taking into account our respective domestic steps to join the Agreement with a view to bringing the Paris Agreement into force as soon as possible.

Source: Official website of the Chinese G20 Presidency