Conference in Egypt: Why are the climate negotiations stalling?

Negotiations at the 27th World Climate Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, are making no progress. While Brazil’s head of state da Silva is celebrated like a pop star, China and Saudi Arabia are slowing down.

Annalena Baerbock knows: She won’t be able to leave Sharm el Sheikh any time soon: “In any case, I didn’t pack my suitcase for Friday afternoon, those are the experiences you’ve had before.” The negotiations are dragging on again, it seems that there is hardly any progress at the moment. And so it is unlikely that the world climate conference will end on November 18th.

It is no coincidence that Foreign Minister Baerbock is now planning bilateral talks with various countries: observers speak of a difficult negotiation phase – some countries currently seem to be blocking climate protection and the issue of climate-related damage and losses. “We know that there are countries that see things differently,” says Baerbock. Countries that see things differently, also out of self-interest. “Unfortunately, we’re not where we want to be in the end.”

Block China and Saudi Arabia

According to observers, China and Saudi Arabia, among others, are said to be blockers of the process. The current negotiations are primarily about compliance with the desired 1.5-degree target for global warming – and about the contentious issue of climate-related damage and losses.

Poor countries demand compensation from rich countries when they suffer damage from climate change. Germany is making itself strong in this area and is negotiating with all sides. But will there be a solution, a separate checkout, in the end?

Can Germany and the EU be exploited?

Baerbock doesn’t know the answer: “I don’t know if she will come and if this is the right moment.” Reluctance instead of euphoria – the talks don’t really seem to be progressing so far. Yes, Germany and the EU wanted to talk about the topic, said Baerbock, and yes, she knew that other countries would exploit it. She would say so very clearly.

Optimism sounds different. Some countries apparently only think about their own gain. In order to give at least a little hope for climate protection, the German negotiators are repeating, almost like a mantra, the planned German exit from coal, oil and gas. Baerbock: “For Germany, we will be out of fossils by 2045, and that also applies to our imports.”

Environmentalists warn of gas from Africa

But environmental protection organizations see it differently: Chancellor Olaf Scholz, for example, spoke out in favor of gas production projects in Senegal, activists such as those from the organization “Don’t Gas Africa” ​​complain:

Lula da Silva is celebrated like a pop star

But there are also new hopes in the area of ​​climate protection: The new Brazilian President Lula da Silva was celebrated almost like a pop star at the conference. He received a lot of applause for his combative speech in the evening – Lula wants to save the rainforest and completely rebuild Brazil: “There is no climate security for the world without protecting the Amazon. We will do everything we can to reduce deforestation and destruction to zero by 2030 to lower.”

Germany announced that after Lula da Silva took office in January, the previously frozen forest aid for Brazil would be made available again. Brazil wants to host the 30th World Climate Conference in 2025.

Activists call on politicians to act

Our planet is dying, shout the activists who are symbolically trying to revive a globe. It is doctors and nurses from all over the world who have come together at the world climate conference to warn of the health consequences of climate change.

The activists demand that something must finally happen – the politicians should act now. But that is exactly what seems to be a long way off at the world climate conference at the moment – a real salvation of the patient earth.