The embassy of Mexico in Nigeria in collaboration with Center for Climate Change and Environmental Studies of Nigeria, a Non-governmental Organisation, organized a seminar in order to create awareness in the Nigerian public opinion about the global efforts in favor of environment in Abuja yesterday.

According to Ambassador of Mexico in Nigeria, Luis Alberto Barrero Stahl, the seminar is in preparation for the expectations of the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Framework Convention of the United Nations on Climate Change and the 7th Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP-17/CMP-7), to be held in Durban, South Africa next month and to analyze the results of the Conferences of Cancún.

Stahl said the objective of the Seminar was to bring the Civil Society Organizations of Nigeria, close to Diplomatic Missions in the country as well as with Government institutions in charge of environment adding the their discussion at the seminar will be given an institutional follow up in South Africa with the celebration of the COP-17.

The envoy however emphasized the advances obtained in COP 16 which includes; commitments and actions of reduction of emissions by the developing countries as well as the industrialized ones. Adding that "the course to COP 17 is part of a common responsibility but different in agreement with specific capacities from each country.

The envoy also stated that Mexico in the Durban Conference, will seek to culminate the agreements of Cancún and to advance in the resolution of pending subjects in the scopes of mitigation, adaptation, financing, convergence of positions between developed and developing countries, technology, conclusion of the negotiations of the Protocol of Kyoto and the fortification of the regime on climate change in the future.

He added that the initiative has had a very favorable reception and got the collaboration of the High Commissions of South Africa as host of the event and Canada, the Embassy of Malaysia, authorities of the Nigerian government (Presidency and Ministry of Environment), the office of the of United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the World Bank; the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), State Governors and Legislators, among other personalities and institutions.

The South African conference is slated to start from the 28th of November to the 9th of December, 2011.