By Andrea Thomas
BERLIN/SCHARM EL-SCHEICH, Egypt (Dow Jones) — At the start of the UN climate conference, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) called on the international world community to step up the pace and take concrete action in the fight against global warming. A “robust work program” with concrete steps to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions must be agreed.
“Not less, but more speed, more ambition, more cooperation in the transition to renewable energies is the order of our time. Our resolute commitment to climate protection must be followed by equally resolute action,” said Scholz in a previously distributed speech for his appearance at the 27th World Climate Conference (COP27) in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, to which numerous heads of state and government are expected.
The aim must be to agree on a “robust work program for reducing emissions”. It must be a work program that “contains concrete reduction steps and closes the implementation gap that has been gaping so far,” Scholz demanded. “Only then will we be able to leave the global peak in greenhouse gas emissions behind us by 2025 at the latest and almost halve emissions by 2030,” said Scholz, according to the text of the speech.
More aid for countries suffering from climate change
At the same time, he showed understanding for the demand for more international solidarity from states that are hardest hit by the consequences of climate change but have contributed least to causing it. “We are ready to support them even more,” said Scholz.
By 2025, Germany will increase its annual contribution from public funds for international climate finance to EUR 6 billion after EUR 5.3 billion last year, and at the same time mobilize additional private funds. In addition, Germany will specifically support the countries most severely affected by climate change in dealing with losses and damage.
In addition, Germany will increase its contribution to protecting biodiversity as part of international climate finance to 1.5 billion euros a year by 2025.
Germany stands by its national climate targets
Scholz also emphasized that Germany is “firm” in its national climate goals. By 2045, Germany wants to be one of the first industrialized countries to become climate-neutral. “We will phase out fossil fuels without any ifs or buts,” said Scholz. “There must be no worldwide renaissance of fossil energies. And for Germany I say: there will not be either.”
At the same time, he concedes that Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine is forcing Germany to put coal-fired power plants back on the grid “for a short time.” “But: We are firmly committed to phasing out coal. Only a few days ago, we therefore decided that some of our coal-fired power plants would be shut down even earlier than originally planned,” promised Scholz.
He was convinced that the future belongs to wind power, solar energy and green hydrogen. Germany is offering its partnership here by developing and disseminating the technologies to enable people around the world to prosper without harming the climate. In this context, he promoted the idea of an open and cooperative climate club to strengthen global cooperation in the climate-friendly transformation of industries.
The group of seven major industrial nations (G7) laid the foundation for this. “But the climate club is open to everyone who wants to work with us to make progress in the climate-neutral conversion of our economies and in particular our industries,” said Scholz.
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
November 07, 2022 14:08 ET (19:08 GMT)