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Gibraltarian at the UN Climate Change COP in Marrakech

The UK has ratified the world's first comprehensive treaty on tackling climate change, the Government said.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has signed the Paris Agreement, which commits countries to limiting global temperature rises to "well below" 2C over pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to keep increases to 1.5C.

Meanwhile, Professor Daniella Tilbury, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Gibraltar, was a delegate at the UN Climate Change Convention of Parties summit in Marrakech this week. The meeting follows the historic Paris COP where it was agreed to limit the increase in global temperatures to well below 2 degrees centigrade above pre-industrial levels.

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Professor Tilbury was invited to speak at the Mediterranean Strategy event that took place on Monday as well as at a high level meeting convened by Princess Lalla Hasnaa, President of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection.

Professor Tilbury, a professor of sustainable development and higher education, was asked to critically review the zero draft of a new Mediterranean Action Plan and present at various side events.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) hosted the international meeting that brings together the Conference of Parties (CoP) designated as the supreme governing body of the Convention. To date, 195 countries have ratified the convention and country representatives as well as experts met in Marrakech to look at the implementation and methodologies for assessment of the Paris Agreement. When asked how the negotiations had gone, Prof Tilbury explained the highlight of the week’s summit was China’s statement that countries should continue with the ambitious climate policy despite Trump’s threat to retrieve the US’s commitment to the Paris Agreement.

“The powerful High Ambition Coalition gave a similar statement and thus support for implementing the Paris agreement remains strong. However, there are concerns about who will finance the implementation if the US pulls out as well as questions around the validity of methodologies proposed for assessing country compliance with the agreement.”

Professor Tilbury has attended various COPs over the years.

Government Ministers arrived in Marrakech as the COP meeting entered its final stages.

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