The UN climate conference in Glasgow called for the first time to the countries of the world to initiate the phase-out of coal. The declaration approved by around 200 countries on Saturday also calls for the removal of “inefficient” subsidies for oil, gas and coal. However, the wording was weakened at the last minute under pressure from China and India. EU Commissioner Frans Timmermans expressed his great disappointment about this, but still praised the demand to phase out coal as “historic”.
In addition, the countries jointly committed themselves to the goal of stopping global warming at 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial times. To this end, they should refine their previously inadequate climate protection plans by the end of 2022. But this remains voluntary, there is no obligation.
So far, the plans submitted to the UN are nowhere near enough to achieve the 1.5 degree target agreed in Paris in 2015. The declaration states that this will mean that global emissions of climate-damaging greenhouse gases will have to fall by 45 percent this decade.
More financial aid is also promised for poor countries so that they can adapt to the fatal consequences of the climate crisis in many places. Tens of millions of people are already confronted with more frequent and prolonged droughts and heat waves or with more violent storms and floods. Specifically, this financial aid is to be doubled by 2025, i.e. from currently around 20 to around 40 billion US dollars (around 35 billion euros).
For the first time, the longstanding demand of poor countries to set up a money pot for aid in the event of damage and loss is taken up. This means, for example, destruction or forced resettlement after droughts, storm surges or hurricanes. The states are asked to pay in money for it. However, no concrete sums are given for this. Only “technical support” should be available after damaging events, but not the complete damage should be paid.