Ban appoints Mexican diplomat to head UN climate change framework

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today appointed Patricia Espinosa Cantellano of Mexico as Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

In a statement released by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban said the appointment of Ms. Espinosa Cantellano – who will succeed Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica – was made after consultation with the Conference of Parties to the Convention through its Bureau.

Since 2013, Ms. Espinosa Cantellano has been serving as Ambassador of Mexico to Germany, a position she also held from 2001 to 2002. She previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico from 2006 to 2012, and has more than 30 years of experience at highest levels in international relations, specializing in climate change, global governance, sustainable development, gender equality and protection of human rights.

As Mexico’s representative on multilateral bodies and international organizations in Vienna, Geneva and New York, Ms. Espinosa Cantellano has been engaged as a leader in the global challenge to address climate change and its consequences, notably as Chair of the 16th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC leading to the adoption of the Cancun Agreements.

“Named by the UN Secretary-General to the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post 2015 Development Agenda, she is a tireless supporter of multilateralism as a way to improve conditions for development in all regions of the world, understanding the inextricable link between the aims of the Paris Climate Agreementand the Sustainable Development Goals,” the statement said.