BERLIN, May 13 (Xinhua) -- German Environment Minister Svenja Schulze called for "better national climate protection measures" at the 10th Petersberg Climate Dialogue held in Berlin on Monday and Tuesday.
Topping the agenda of the conference, hosted jointly by the German Ministry for the Environment and the government of the Republic of Chile and attended by ministers from around 35 countries, is the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement.
The motto of this year's Climate Dialogue is that "it is time that we fulfilled the promise we made in Paris," Schulze said.
"In my view, 2019 marks the beginning of a new phase in international climate protection. In future, the focus will be less on negotiating rules," Schulze stated, stressing that the focus should be shifted to cooperation and the implementation of climate protection measures.
Schulze hopes that "clear rules for the use of international market mechanisms" to tackle CO2 emissions could be adopted at the 25th United Nations (UN) climate conference in Santiago, Chile, in December.
Following the failed international climate negotiations in Copenhagen in 2009, the Petersberg Climate Dialogue was launched at the initiative of German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2010.
The aim of the dialogue is to "create a space for trusting and constructive exchanges between ministers," according to the German ministry.
The Petersberg Climate Dialogue serves to prepare for major climate meetings, including this year's UN climate conference hosted by Chile.
Chilean Environment Minister Carolina Schmidt was also present in Berlin. She opened the climate dialogue alongside her German counterpart, calling for more ambitious climate protection targets.
Schmidt advocated for a stronger engagement of non-state actors in climate protection, stressing the need for more effective climate change adaptation.
In her opening address at the Berlin conference, Germany's environment minister said that increasing the cost of emitting greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, was "only one instrument" in a comprehensive package of climate action measures.
Schulze said she had "great sympathy" for a CO2 tax scheme in which citizens would get their money back, similar to the one in force in Switzerland.
The German government's climate cabinet includes the federal ministers for transport, buildings, industry and agriculture. The ministers are due to present plans to reduce CO2 emissions in their respective sectors at the end of May.
By the end of the year, the German climate cabinet is expected to have passed a binding climate protection law.
