Climate conference begins - German government calls for ambition

Climate conference begins - German government calls for ambition

At the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, the German government wants to push for ambitious targets - including a global phase-out of coal, oil and gas. "Now is the time to set the pace. COP28 is the most important global climate conference since the Paris Agreement. For the first time, we are taking stock of where we stand as a global community," said Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) before the start of the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

For two weeks, representatives from around 200 countries will be meeting in the Gulf Emirate of Dubai from today to discuss how to contain the climate crisis.

In Paris, the states agreed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees if possible in order to avert the worst consequences of climate change. In fact, most countries are lagging behind in the fight against the impending climate catastrophe. The 1.5 degree target cannot be achieved with the current climate protection plans.

Targets a long way off

According to a new UN report, the world is heading for an increase of up to 2.9 degrees compared to pre-industrial times - resulting in more and more devastating extreme weather events. The world has already warmed up by around 1.1 degrees, and according to the latest data the figure for Germany is as high as 1.7 degrees.

Overshadowed by wars in the Gaza Strip and Ukraine, around 70,000 participants will come together in Dubai - making the meeting the largest climate conference ever held. Around 160 heads of state and government from all over the world are expected to attend on Friday and Saturday.

Controversial host

Climate activists and non-governmental organizations fear that they will be heavily monitored in the authoritarian United Arab Emirates. Demonstrations are only permitted on the conference grounds on the outskirts of the city.

The host is also criticized because the designated president of the conference, Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, is also the head of the state oil company Adnoc. Before the start of the meeting, however, he called on all states to be more ambitious: "We have no time to lose. We urgently need to reduce emissions now."

What Germany wants to achieve

At the meeting, the German government wants to work towards ensuring that the community of around 200 states agrees on the gradual phase-out of fossil fuels - which is considered a particularly contentious issue in the oil state, but according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is absolutely necessary to limit the crisis.

Germany also wants to enshrine the goal of tripling renewable energy capacities by 2030 and doubling energy efficiency. This means, for example, that appliances consume significantly less energy or that goods are produced more efficiently.

Payments for climate damage

At the climate conference, money is also to be poured into a pot agreed last year to compensate for climate damage and losses in poor countries, into which all states are to pay. In the middle of the month, Foreign Minister Baerbock called on the oil and gas states in the Gulf and China in particular to pay into the fund.

Jan Kowalzig, climate expert at the development organization Oxfam, called for Germany to play a leading role in the climate damage fund. "A German contribution of one billion euros would be appropriate for initial start-up financing - the German government should pledge a substantial share of this at COP28."

The Executive Director of Greenpeace Germany, Martin Kaiser, explained that the decision in Dubai must include "an uncompromising commitment to a rapid phase-out of all fossil fuels, with an immediate start to phasing out investments in coal, oil and gas".

Viviane Raddatz, Head of Climate Action at WWF Germany, explained: "We can no longer talk about targets but continue to stick to the starting line. We can only prevent climate collapse if we stop burning oil, coal and gas and thus further fuel global warming."

1. At the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) emphasized the importance of COP28, stating, "This is the most important global climate conference since the Paris Agreement, and now is the time to set the pace."
2. During her speech at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, Annalena Baerbock also highlighted the German government's goal at the conference: pushing for a global phase-out of coal, oil, and gas, as part of their ambition to limit global warming and combat the climate crisis.

Source: www.dpa.com