Since 2010, the Petersberg Climate Dialogue (PCD) has brought together ministers from all over the world to exchange ideas on the most important issues of international climate protection in preparation for the World Climate Conference.
Until this year. In an effort to stem the spread of the corona virus, many countries are closing their borders. In one fell swoop one thing becomes clear: the 11th Petersberg Climate Dialogue cannot take place as previously planned. The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety takes a decision: The conference will still take place, virtually.
Within four weeks, our Berlin team, in close cooperation with Jakobs Medien, the technical service provider of the BMU, conceives and implements one of the first corona-based, hybrid live events: In a series of video conferences, the event elements of the PCD will be translated into virtual space.
The start is made by a hybrid press conference: While about 20 media representatives* meet with Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze at the ministry, keeping a safe distance, other journalists can follow the PCD and submit questions via the livestream on the BMU website.
During the three days of the conference, 11 bilateral meetings, a conference for exchange with non-state actors and an event on climate financing take place virtually. In the ministry, two meeting rooms and the atrium will be transformed into digital control centres.
Besides the live-streamed speech by Chancellor Angela Merkel, the highlight of the event is the meeting of the high-level segment: ministers from around 30 countries will be connected digitally, and a further 100 listeners will follow the events in the virtual second row.
Even if technical disruptions are not completely absent, the first virtual PCD is a complete success: In their final declaration, the ministers committed themselves to using the economic restart in the coming months to achieve the necessary progress in climate protection.
Pictures: © BMU/Christoph Wehrer
2020
