The new draft resolution from the climate conference in Dubai only envisages a reduction in fossil fuels – horrified statements follow. Baerbock reacts sharply.
Update from December 11th, 9:08 p.m.: New developments from Dubai. After the strong criticism of the draft resolution text at the World Climate Conference, an extension of the negotiations is now conceivable. “It is difficult to reach a result here by midday tomorrow,” explained Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) on Monday. This is not a problem for the European delegation: “We have time and we are prepared to stay a little longer,” explained Baerbock, who had previously expressed her disappointment with the draft resolution.
COP28 President Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber urged quick decisions after presenting the new draft. He had set the goal of ending the conference on Tuesday promptly at 11 a.m. local time (8 a.m. CET). However, those close to the COP presidency said that the draft text could be viewed as a “chess opening” and could lead to further negotiations.
Update from December 11th, 6:52 p.m: The World Climate Conference ends with an affront: After the change to the coal passage, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) called the draft final paper a “disappointment”. “Overall it is not sufficient, essential elements are not acceptable to us as the European Union,” she said on Monday evening. Above all, the text lacked the concrete instruments for implementation in order to even get to the 1.5 degree path. This refers to the goal agreed in Paris in 2015 to limit global warming to as much as 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial times.
Trouble over Cop28 draft resolution: Germany and EU reject paper – Baerbock disappointed
First report from December 11th, 5:18 p.m: Dubai – Only “reduction” instead of “exit”: A new draft for the final text of the world climate conference in Dubai is much milder than initially expected. In a previous version, the exit from coal, oil and gas was mentioned as one of several options. Environmental organizations reacted with disappointment – as did states that are particularly threatened by the climate crisis.
The climate activist Luisa Neubauer had that Traffic Light Coalition previously fired up. At the beginning of the negotiations, the federal government “made big announcements that it wanted to find an agreement that does justice to the Paris Agreement and does not create any new loopholes for the oil companies,” said Neubauer from Fridays for Future RND-Newspapers from this Monday (December 11th).
Now there are disappointed reactions. They didn’t come to Dubai “to sign our death warrant,” said John Silk, chief negotiator for the Marshall Islands, which is threatened by rising sea levels. “We will not go quietly to our watery graves.”
Environmentalists “stunned” by COP28 decision
The executive director of Greenpeace Germany, Martin Kaiser, said he was “truly stunned” that the presidency of the United Arab Emirates was putting forward a text “that serves the wishes and interests of the oil and gas industry, but not of the people who are now are already suffering the most from floods and droughts.” The draft is very non-binding, especially when it comes to phasing out fossil fuels, which over 100 countries have called for. “If it is passed like this, it can cause this conference to fail,” warned Kaiser.
Now it’s up to the Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) and their EU colleagues, together with the island states and the most wounded states, to ensure “that this non-binding nature is removed from the document and that we get a binding exit from the burning of coal, oil and gas.”
The Greens around Foreign Minister Baerbock disappointed in Dubai
Jan Kowalzig, an expert at the Oxfam organization, spoke of a “very weak formulation” to move away from fossil fuels. And even the other desired goals – tripling renewable energies and doubling energy efficiency – would not be seen as a goal, but only as a possible measure. “COP28 must not end like this,” he warned.
The 1.5 degree target agreed in Paris in 2015 is likely to be thrown out the window with this draft “despite assurances to the contrary elsewhere in the text”. Kowalzig demanded that the EU should under no circumstances agree to the declaration and that it must loudly reject this text with its allies among developing countries and demand significant improvements.
Greens MEP Michael Bloss said the worst expectations would be confirmed. “The fossil interests are nipping any hope of maintaining 1.5 degrees in the bud.” The prospect of ending the fossil age is currently being put in the sand at the climate conference in Dubai. Europe and its governments would have to collapse this conference without a clear commitment to the end of coal, oil and gas. (frs/dpa/AFP)