Half-time in Dubai: Ambitious climate resolutions within reach according to German delegation
The fact that the new fund for climate damage was made operational and filled with money right at the start of the conference brought a "positive dynamic to the negotiations as a whole right at the start of the COP", said Morgan.
Germany and the host country, the United Arab Emirates, each pledged 100 million dollars (92 million euros) as seed money for the so-called Loss and Damage Fund at the start of the conference on November 30. Pledges of more than 650 million dollars have now been made.
The negotiations on aid money for climate protection and climate adaptation measures in developing countries were also "moving in the right direction", said Morgan. However, the international community must negotiate an "ambitious overall package" in Dubai, which also includes comprehensive measures to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. The climate envoy warned that "everyone must now show a firm determination to phase out fossil fuels, first and foremost coal".
According to Morgan, it is a "strong signal" that 123 countries have now backed the target, which is also supported by Germany and the Emirates, of tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030 and doubling energy efficiency. That is almost two thirds of all countries worldwide.
The anchoring of these targets in the COP decision "became tangible after one week", said Morgan. However, the other countries would also have to agree to these targets by the end of the conference, which is scheduled for Tuesday next week.
The resolutions of the World Climate Conference must be reached by consensus. Even more controversial than the targets for renewables and energy efficiency is a fundamental commitment to a global phase-out of all fossil fuels.
There are "major differences between individual countries", said Morgan. Flasbarth commented on the strong resistance to the phase-out from major oil and gas producing countries such as Saudi Arabia, saying that this was the "last flare-up of the fossil fuel world".
The State Secretary for Development emphasized that after the first week of negotiations in Dubai, there was "every reason to be optimistic". He did not notice any "mid-term blues". With regard to the German delegation, in which several ministries are involved, COP veteran Flasbarth said that he had "never felt so much inner unity and also so much inner conviction".
Flasbarth assured that the budget crisis at home would not restrict Germany's scope for action in Dubai. After all, the majority of Germany's pledges of climate protection funds had already been pre-negotiated. "For the rest, we have reached an agreement with the finance minister that enables us to make our pledges here at the climate conference."
The State Secretary for Development said he was "confident" that Germany would ultimately "behave responsibly" and that everyone would understand the importance of climate policy during the budget negotiations in Berlin.
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Source: www.stern.de
