Friday November 12th 2021
Climate summit an “air number”?
New draft text outrags environmentalists
On the officially last day of the World Climate Conference, the draft of the final declaration is available. In it, crucial passages from an earlier version have been significantly weakened. Environmental groups are putting pressure on, but hardly expect a turnaround. Nevertheless, there are smaller bright spots.
In a new draft for the final declaration of the World Climate Conference, the demand for an accelerated phase-out of coal and an end to subsidies for fossil fuels has been significantly watered down. Environmental protection associations reacted indignantly and demanded that Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze had to “hang in” in the final phase of the negotiations so that the UN meeting in Glasgow would not be a no-brainer. Climate activists also wanted to build up pressure again: on the streets of Glasgow they criticized the powerful as incendiary arsonists – sometimes disguised as Boris Johnson and other politicians.
In an earlier version of the final declaration it was mentioned that all states should accelerate the phase-out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuels. The current version only speaks of coal-fired power stations, the carbon dioxide from which is not bound – for example, by being stored in suitable rock layers. Critics of this technology argue that it is uncertain whether the carbon dioxide will remain trapped over the envisaged period of 10,000 years or whether it will escape.
With regard to subsidies, it is stated restrictively that only “inefficient” subsidies should be removed. Oxfam climate expert Jan Kowalzig said that it would be up to the individual states to decide which subsidies should be meant.
At the end of the mammoth meeting with around 40,000 delegates – scheduled for Friday evening – the representatives of the around 200 countries have to unanimously decide on the final text of the declaration. All the conferences of the past years have been extended to the weekend. The German Greenpeace boss Martin Kaiser said: “Now the moment has come when Environment Minister Svenja Schulze has to bring the weight of the fourth largest economy into the negotiations.” The loopholes on the subject of coal and subsidies urgently need to be closed. “Otherwise Glasgow will be a dangerous air act.”
Environmentalists: Not a real U-turn
But from the point of view of the environmental and development associations, there are also small bright spots. The request to all countries to improve their climate protection plans for this decade by the end of 2022 was retained. However, this remains voluntary, there is no obligation. The ministers should also meet annually on the subject. Kowalzig commented: “The current draft can still not be described as a real U-turn in the fight against the climate crisis.”
For the first time, the draft also takes up the longstanding demand of poor countries to set up a money pot for aid in the event of damage and loss. This involves, for example, destruction and forced resettlement after droughts, storm surges or hurricanes, which increase as a result of global warming.
The states are asked to pay into this new “facility”. However, there is no obligation to do so, and no concrete sums are given. Kowalzig criticized the fact that the pot should only provide technical support after incidents, but not pay for the entire damage. “It’s like the arsonist telling the owner of the destroyed house: I’ll only pay the architect for the new building.”
The new draft further calls on the rich countries to double the financial aid for poorer countries for adaptation to climate change, such as droughts. The end date 2025 and the benchmark, namely the current level, were added. Currently, around 20 billion dollars are flowing worldwide for this, so this would have to be increased to 40 billion in four years.