Previously “shopping list” – COP27: Experts expect only weak results

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The negotiations at the COP27 world climate conference are entering the final round with only vague declarations of intent. A 20-page non-paper circulated in Egypt early Thursday morning and is intended as a draft for the final text. It is extremely unusual that at this point only keywords on the individual topics are included and no actual draft text is presented. Experts do not expect an ambitious result.

Actually, the climate conferences officially end on Friday evening. However, observers already expect it to be extended again this year. The Egyptian presidency initially planned a closing conference for Saturday evening. On Thursday afternoon, a new round of negotiations was scheduled at official level.

States must agree on every comma
The battle for the draft text is always tough. The nearly 200 negotiating states must agree on every comma in a consensus. Each country also has a right of veto, regardless of size. While the Global South is pushing for significantly greater financial aid, for example for loss and damage caused by the climate crisis, some major industrialized countries don’t even want the fossil fuel phase out mentioned.

Invest four trillion euros in renewable energy
Fossil energy sources only appear once in the current draft: it is emphasized how important it is to increase the share of renewable energy sources at all levels. Countries are being asked to “accelerate ongoing efforts to reduce unabated coal-fired electricity generation and phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies,” it said. In total, around four trillion euros should be invested in renewable energy worldwide by 2030.

The – demanded by many experts – a committed end to all fossil energies again failed in the design. The science clearly says that the target of 1.5 degrees can only be achieved if all fossil fuels, ie oil, gas and coal, are phased out. Already at the COP in Glasgow last year there were big arguments about that wording. Industrialized countries heavily dependent on fossil fuels gained the upper hand at the last minute and weakened the text.

“Deep regret” for developing countries
The draft “deeply regrets” that developing countries, which would have the financial and technological resources to reduce their greenhouse gases, have not reached their potential.

Experts on Thursday morning talked more about a “shopping list” for the individual states than about an ambitious draft text. With regard to climate finance, reference is made to a “growing gap” between the needs of developing countries, especially because of the already noticeable effects of the climate crisis, and the level of actual aid. One of the focal points of the conference, the creation of a fund for vulnerable countries, as demanded by developing countries, to compensate for the “loss and damage” caused by global warming, is only mentioned.

There was nothing to read about a concrete pot with money
The text highlights the “urgent need to accelerate and scale up mitigation action and to provide support to tackle climate change in the areas of mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage”. This is the only way to achieve the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. There was nothing to read about a concrete or mandatory use of such a pot of money.

Greenpeace has strongly criticized the state of the negotiations. “It is absolutely unacceptable for decisions made to be repeated at the end of a two-week climate conference alone. Sharm El-Sheikh’s final statement should step up efforts for climate protection,” said Jasmin Duregger, a climate and energy expert at the environmental organization. in Austria from the APA. “The clear end of coal, oil and gas, as well as a commitment to a financing pot for damages and losses should be included in the paper.” Anything else is irresponsible to the millions of people who are already losing their homes to the climate crisis.

Source: Krone

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