COP16 Dispatch: Day 1 Arrival at COP16

Posted by Public Affairs on October 23, 2024

By Catherine O’Riordan, ESA Executive Director

Executive Director Catherine O’Riordan with ESA observers at the COP16 in Cali, Colombia

A huge amount of anticipation can be felt in the room as we wait for the opening plenary at COP16 to begin. Several of us arrived on Saturday, Oct 19, before the official events began. Cali is a vibrant city, known for food, nightlife, and culture, and our initial dinner together gave us an opportunity to sample the excellent cuisine.

The COP has recruited many volunteers to welcome attendees from all over the world. As soon as you land at Cali airport you see people in white shirts with the COP16 logo ready to provide information and help you find your way.

COP16 event attended by ESA delegates

We have only been here for a day and have already met people from all over: Fiji, Japan, Guatamala, Australia, South Korea, Senegal, and of course the Europeans are well represented.

Now we are sitting in the plenary room for the negotiations. Delegations from all over the world are sitting next to each other and discussing their perspectives and their hopes for the outcome of the negotiations.

Disclaimer: Opinions are solely those of the guest contributer and not an official ESA policy or position.

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