The talks in Berlin were still going on when environmentalists reacted with disappointment and clear criticism. “The Petersberg climate dialogue falls short of the expectations of setting milestones for the climate negotiations in November,” criticized Olaf Bandt, chairman of the environmental protection organization BUND. With specific financial commitments, the federal government could have shown that it was serious about fighting the climate crisis and taking responsibility for countries that were particularly affected, Bandt told the newspapers of the Funke media group. And Greenpeace also let it be known that they had hoped for more initiative from Germany: the fight against the climate crisis must not fall behind other crises.
This names the two central points of conflict of the “Petersberg Climate Dialogue”, in the context of which representatives from around three dozen countries spent two days talking about the fight against the climate crisis. A meeting that was also intended to prepare for the COP27 world climate conference planned for November in Egypt. At least on the second point, the hostess, the German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, promised in the spirit of Greenpeace: “As a whole, we simply cannot afford further delays and compromises.” And even if Germany is now ramping up coal-fired power plants again because of the possible impending energy crisis: “We will not deviate an inch from our climate goals,” said Baerbock at the end of the meeting. “On the contrary: we will get out of the fossils even faster.” Germany is “solid” to the goal of being climate neutral by 2045.
She became less specific when it came to the other major topic of debate, the question of how to help those regions of the world that are hit hardest by global warming. This was addressed by the second host of the meeting, the Egyptian Foreign Minister, who will also chair the world climate conference in November. “We have to find a solution for damage and casualties,” demanded Samih Schukri. So for the question of who pays for damage caused by droughts or extreme weather events. “More money” demanded Schukri simply.
Baerbock: Germany should lead the way
This demand will presumably be raised more and more loudly by the countries of the so-called Global South up to and during the World Climate Summit. Baerbock did not speak of any concrete commitments at the “Petersberg Climate Dialogue” and pointed out that this was not one of the official preparatory conferences for COP27. Nevertheless, the Federal Government presented a concept for a protective shield for developing countries at the meeting; it contains regulations for early warning systems in particularly vulnerable countries, precautionary plans and rapid assistance in the event of disasters. Otherwise, Baerbock, who has taken over responsibility for global climate policy from the Ministry of the Environment in the federal government, only promised that Germany “wants to lead the way as a rich country” when it comes to switching to renewable energies. That is the future, but the “old fossil world” is inevitably going under. “Everyone can now decide whether to join this wave of progress or whether they will be overwhelmed by it.”