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The Palais des congrès de Montréal is immensely proud to be hosting the second part of the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) December 1 through 19, 2022. Over 10,000 dignitaries, experts and delegates from 196 countries are expected for the event, which will inject an estimated $84.5 million into the economy.
COP15, which began in Kunming, China in fall 2021, was eventually urgently moved to Montréal due to a resurgence of COVID-19 cases in China and the rollout of strict health regulations. Montréal is the seat of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, and it enjoys a sound reputation for hosting major events. It naturally emerged as the ideal host city for this global conference.
COP15 constitutes the largest event held at the Palais des congrès since the start of the pandemic, in terms of duration, complexity and the level of security required.
Around-the-clock food and greeting services, extensive coordination of staffing and assignments, complex technical and audiovisual productions, high security – with five months to arrange an operation that normally requires two years. It’s nothing short of a tour de force by a Palais focused on delivering a successful event.
Flexibility and availability will be the operative words for Palais employees as they welcome an event of this size and scope. It is a level of dedication worth noting in light of Québec’s months-long labour shortage. The world will get to see and recognize Montréal’s expertise for hosting prestigious large-scale events.
COP15 represents a phenomenal opportunity to galvanize in-depth conversations, by bringing together multiple governmental, community, university and civil authorities. An estimated 70% of participants will be from outside Québec; these talks will mark the beginning a societal shift worldwide.
The record number of registrations COP15 has attracted is unprecedented in the history of the Conference. Every civil and governmental domain will be represented, among others by environmental and biodiversity experts, representatives from local indigenous communities, organizations and official institutions
We will be able to accurately measure and enumerate the overall social and intellectual benefits of the event at the conclusion of COP15, via the signing of new international agreements on biodiversity.
Tangible actions for the planet are expected to emerge from this new COP, whereas none of the objectives ratified in 2010 in Japan, at the 10th Conference of the Parties, have been reached. Given the rise in citizen engagement for climate change and the harmful effects of certain industries on the environment, this high-level gathering will aim to adopt a framework for protecting nature and stopping the worldwide destruction of biodiversity.
Citations
The advent of COP15 is an unequivocally major event, requiring such remarkable expertise and knowhow from the Palais and its partners. I am proud of the efforts being deployed, and the level of mobilization on the ground, aimed at making this event an international success. At this time of global soul-searching, never has it been so paramount to foster meaningful discussions that will lead to real solutions for the future. – Emmanuelle Legault, CEO of the Palais des congrès de Montréal
Living in harmony with nature will happen when biodiversity will be fully conserved, protected, restored and when we have succeeded in maintaining the ecosystems and ensuring the resources are fairly and equitably shared. Scientists have warned the world: this is our last chance to make a difference. I am optimistic that the message is getting across to ensure that COP15 really produce that transformative, innovative, actionable post-2020 global biodiversity framework. – Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity