BELÉM (dpa-AFX) – Shortly before the final plenary session of the World Climate Conference, Environment Minister Carsten Schneider accused the oil states of preventing ambitious resolutions on climate protection. At the same time, poorer states did not consistently counter this. “We were confronted with a very strong petro-industry – countries that make their money with oil and gas, that have organized a blocking majority against any progress in this area,” said the SPD politician in Belém, Brazil.
“I would have expected that a louder voice would have been heard on the issue of climate protection, especially from the countries most affected, the island states and Africa,” complained Schneider. “To be honest, that was only heard from Europe.” In recent days, Germany and the Europeans have vehemently advocated a plan to move away from oil, gas and coal.
Schneider, who was negotiating for Germany for the first time at a climate conference, admitted: “I’m a little disappointed, of course.” He would have liked a much stronger signal against deforestation. It was a climate conference “that endured and took a side step, an intermediate step.”
Nevertheless, with a view to the USA’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, the minister emphasized: “The important thing is that the world is sitting at the table, that a big player has left the country and that they are still coming to a result that brings progress.” But this is not enough to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees as agreed.
“At least in the right direction”
EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said they supported the compromise presented by the Brazilian conference leadership. “We support him because he at least points in the right direction.” He added that the EU would have liked to achieve more and be more ambitious in all respects.
The world is going through difficult political times. Therefore, an agreement at the climate conference with almost 200 countries at the table has “value in itself”. But the EU will not hide the “fight”. “The world is what it is. And the conference is what it is.”
French Environment and Climate Minister Monique Barbut spoke of an “agreement without ambition”. Although it does not increase the level of ambition, it does not involve any regression either. “I cannot call this COP a success,” she added./toz/DP/zb