Paris Accord Architect Says COP Is ‘A Circus’ That’s Not Needed

Private and public sectors are needed to “execute” the Paris climate accord, but they can do this from home, the former executive secretary of the UNFCCC says.

Christiana Figueres

Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg
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The architect of the Paris Agreement described the upcoming United Nations Conference of Parties (COP) summit as a “circus,” arguing that the main purpose of the climate meeting could be done from home.

Christiana Figueres, a climate advocate and former executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, said that the need of the hour is to finance and execute the agreement, which was adopted in 2015.