Half-time at COP 25: Solutions are possible
Despite the predominant presence of the climate issue, there is hardly any trend reversal at COP 25, underlines Klimareporter°. Many industrialized countries, but also poorer countries of the world are keeping a low profile as far as solidarity agreements are concerned.
At the opening of COP 25, the environmental summit in Madrid, the heads of government and state of only 32 countries gathered, slightly more than a year ago in Katowice (25). However, there are fewer in 2019 than at the 2015 Paris negotiations (120). Many lofty goals were proclaimed far and wide, but action remains elusive.
"The international emissions trading system planned for the period after 2020 is still in its in contradiction states between transparency and robustness on the one hand and the desire of the developing countries after grants for climate adaptation and coping with unavoidable climate damage on the other hand," explains Reimand Schwarze, Professor of International Environmental Economics at the Frankfurt Viadrina, and scientific advisor to climate reporter°.
At the beginning of the conference reported the World Meteorological Organization the highest concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere since time immemorial. And global emissions of CO2 and other climate gases climbed to an unprecedented record level of 55 billion tons per year. But how do you tackle such pressing environmental issues?
Russia, just acceded to the Paris Agreement, was conspicuous by its absence at the start. China and India were also not represented and showed little profile in the first week. Shortly before the start of the summit, the USA had demonstratively their resignation from the Paris Agreement and will actually do so unless there is a change of government in Washington in 2020. The world's major "emitters" therefore show no will to take the reins for the environment.
The only ray of hope: the EU. The new Commission President Ursula von der Leyen promised trillion in investments in climate protection, a so-called "Green Deal" for the world. Everything necessary for this would be tackled in just a few weeks. This was a clear commitment to a claim to leadership in the community of states, but concrete solutions are not currently on the table.
"More likely," comments Raimund Schwarze, environmental economist and also a researcher at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, on the starting position of COP 25, "is the hoped-for turnaround, a mini-deal. The EU has issued as a minimum target for Madrid, the Complete Katowice set of rules, that is, to negotiate the chapter with the emissions markets."
Current give and take
The Confederation of States demands "transparent and robust" rules for international emissions trading. This means: no double counting of CO2-savings, no transfer of Fake credits from the time of the Kyoto Protocol. Instead, the aim is to achieve high-quality, additional emission reductions in developing countries.
The European Union has Switzerland and important countries in Asia and Latin America such as South Korea and Mexico on its side in this regard. For the rest of the world, this would be acceptable. Even Brazil, which at last year's climate summit and also the entire first week in Madrid massively braked, seems to be slowly relenting in parts. Negotiations could thus move from stagnation to normal give-and-take.
Poor countries demand fair share
The countries of Africa and the least developed countries in Asia and Central America want above all to share in the economic benefits of emissions trading. "They," says Raimund Schwarze, "are demanding a fair share here. For example, a tax on traded emission rights. Such tax revenue could be used, for example, in the UN Fund flow to help these countries adapt to climate change."
The climate summit will also discuss aid money in the event of Damage and losses from extreme climatic. The fact that the international community guarantees such aid is particularly important for the world's poorest countries. For them, the channel through which the money comes is secondary, although this is also a point of contention in Madrid.
Whether the funds are used as subsidies for insurances or as direct aid in the form of early warning in the event of disasters, or via a new fund, does not play such a major role - the main thing is that money flows and helps these particularly vulnerable states and regions.
Live from the COP 25: The 25th UN Climate Change Conference will take place in Madrid from December 2 to 13. Climate reporter° is on site and reports directly
