French foreign minister Laurent Fabius makes a speech during the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin, Germany, 18 May 2015. (Photo: Reuters)

(VOVworld)- The 6th Petersberg Climate Dialogue opened in Berlin on Monday with the participation of ministers from 35 countries in the world.

The informal discussions are in preparation for UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP21) to be held in Paris in December.

In the opening speech, German environment minister Barbara Hendricks said that 2015 is the decisive year to protect the Earth against the global climate disturbance under which member countries are urged to agree on the way to keep the global temperature rise to less than 2 degrees Celcius.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, co-host of the dialogue, said that the meeting is an important step to make the COP21 a success.

In addition to the reduction of greenhouse gas emission, participants discussed financial support for programs to protect and adapt to climate change and a common understanding of the milestones needed to achieve the broadest possible consensus in the run up to Paris. Fabius said that several other meetings were still scheduled before the Paris conference to resolve the pending issues.