The secretariats of the Rio Conventions and the Global Environment Facility are pleased to announce the success of the convening of the Rio Conventions Pavilion (RCP) at the twenty-first session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP21) hosted by the Government of France.

UNFCCC COP 21 took place in Paris, France from 1 - 11 December, 2015 (closed 6 December) at the Parc des Expositions, Paris Le Bourget. Decision-makers from 196 Parties to the Convention, along with CSOs, academic institutions and the private sector attended UNFCCC COP 21 to discuss solutions to climate change.

UNFCCC COP21 aimed to achieve a legally binding and universal agreement on climate, with the aim of keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius.

The Rio Conventions Pavilion hosted engaging daily programmes from Tuesday, 1 December to Friday, 11 December, providing the opportunity to COP21 guests and the general public to deepen their understanding of key issues in sustainable development.

Each day at the RCP organizations provided a focus on a different theme relevant to climate change, sustainable land management and biodiversity in the context of sustainable development. Themes included: exploring land’s role in mitigating climate change; the role of biodiversity in combating climate change; recognizing the successes of indigenous peoples and local communities’ initiatives in building climate resilience; the impact of climate change on our oceans; the role of business in addressing climate change; the potential of forests in climate change mitigation; climate-informed development; the benefits of gender-sensitive approaches in adaptation and mitigation efforts.

The RCP activities inspired, educated and offered networking opportunities to encourage delegates to work together to reach a universal agreement on climate and cap global warming below a 2 degree Celsius rise.

For further information and partnership enquiries, please contact: david.ainsworth@cbd.int