In the final spurt World Climate Conference Germany and dozens of other countries are struggling to achieve more ambitious results in the fight against global warming. What is needed is a clear roadmap to avoid climate-damaging burning of oil, gas and coal, said a statement from Brazil’s broad alliance of conference management, backed by the federal government.
Hours before the planned end of the two-week UN meeting, Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider said regarding the current draft of the final text: “The text cannot remain as it is.” This SPD politician emphasized that more concrete progress is needed for climate protection. “These negotiations will still be difficult.”
The EU’s chief negotiator, Commissioner Wobke Hoekstra, also drew red lines. “We will not accept this text under any circumstances – and nothing even close to what is currently available.”
Environmentalists also fear weak results from the two-week consultation in Belém, which is officially scheduled to end at 6 p.m. local time (22:00 CET). In recent years, meetings have always extended for hours or even days.
Repair required
Apart from Germany, countries signing the fire letter include France, England, Spain, Colombia, Chile, Kenya and a number of small island countries that are at risk of drowning due to rising sea levels. They demanded improvements to the newly published draft text. “We cannot support any outcome that does not provide a roadmap for an orderly and just transition away from fossil fuels,” they wrote. The second alliance – some of which have the same supporting countries – emphasizes a socially just transition away from oil, coal and gas. Topping the list are Colombia and the Netherlands; Germany originally did not exist.
Now it’s “all about”
Oxfam expert Jan Kowalzig called it “completely unacceptable” that the draft law does not provide a plan to exit fossil fuels. There is a risk of “political failure”. Now India and China must be convinced by the idea of such a plan, called the COP30 Roadmap. On the other hand, it is important to isolate oil-rich countries like Saudi Arabia “so they are no longer in the way.” They have blocking power because a unanimous decision is required.
Greenpeace Germany leader Martin Kaiser said: “In the next few hours, everything will be a problem!” In his view, a fundamental decision to halt deforestation worldwide is important – but this is also missing from the current bill.
Activists from Fridays for Future and other groups protested the bill in the conference room. It takes a clear plan to get out of there, shouted German activist Carla Reemtsma.
Rapid action is needed given the worsening climate crisis. Burning oil, gas and coal produces most of the greenhouse gases that are harmful to the climate, causing the earth to heat up. The ten hottest years since records began were: the last ten years. And science now assumes that the 1.5 degree limit targeted in the Paris Climate Agreement will be tentatively exceeded by the early 2030s at the latest.
A blow to Washington
The current president of the World Climate Conference in Brazil, André Corrêa do Lago, immediately called on negotiators to show a willingness to compromise. This is not a matter of winning or losing, but a matter of consensus among almost all countries in the world about what has its own value.
“The world is watching us,” do Lago said. If no agreement is reached, this will harm those who oppose multilateralism, namely international cooperation. In this context, he specifically mentioned the United States, which did not participate in the conference.
“Putting people before profits”
A day earlier, UN Secretary General António Guterres spoke to negotiators in Belém. “Leadership is needed now. Be brave. Follow science. Put human interests above profit,” he urged.
Viviane Raddatz of conservation organization WWF said it would now be a difficult task for Brazil’s presidency to find a compromise. The current draft text needs to be improved. “But there is still enough time and we also see room for that.”
© dpa-infocom, dpa:251121-930-320161/5
