world climate conferences are frustrating. Lengthy negotiations in a technical language that outsiders can hardly understand. Even more important, it would be that the States send a clear Signal to the people: We do everything for the protection of the climate and therefore increase our climate target. At the conference in the Polish city of Katowice, the European Union, Germany, the former climate pioneer missed this Chance.
of Course, the process may be appreciated: 200 States have wrestled with the rules, with which climate protection, measurable and comparable. From the sea-level rise threatened island Nations were major oil producers at the table, their interests, apart from miles away. In view of this, it is amazing that it was agreed at the end on rules for global climate protection. How good the rules are, it must prove itself in practice. Target is what is set in the Paris climate agreement to limit global warming to below two degrees.
brakes
Because the Public’s enthusiasm for technical rules, was in Katowice on the political stage all the more important. Here is the group of “climate Laggards”, the USA, Russia, Saudi Arabia, of which the world already blockades expected. But the EU was Germany, who want to be “Good” when it comes to climate protection. They got together with the Pacific Islands and African countries, called for “more ambition”. But was specifically raised in a climate goal? No. And, although the Secretary-General of the United Nations promoted a number of times.
That of the EU, also in Germany. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has intervened in Brussels against the increase of the climate target. Long ago, the Federal government’s efforts to address climate change-ticket policy: the exit strategy from Coal, it is not one step further. Economy Minister Peter Altmaier joined his Cabinet colleague, environment Minister, Svenja Schulze, even symbolically in front of the climate-Shin, as he shouted to her via German TV: you can do in Katowice, and what she wants. At the end of the Federal government to decide anyway.
protests take
Meanwhile, the citizens of what is happening around you: The drought of summer is just one example that climate change is already here. Because of the ambition of the politician remains cloudy, take the book in Hand and tens of thousands protesting in the hambach forest against the brown coal.
As well. many people are understandably afraid of what is the meaning of consistent climate protection for you, in Small as in Large: The SUV driver will have to pay more for petrol, the Coal miner have to do a different Job, because neither Gas nor coal-with the Paris climate agreement To get everyone on Board, it must be the Transition to a low-emission economy. “Just Transition” has put the Polish presidency is therefore in the focus of the conference.
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compromise in Katowice UN summit adopts global rules for climate protection
Susanne Ehlerding
It is not enough to pay the exit strategy from Coal-affected regions the money and new Jobs to locate. Necessary, the emotional sympathy is all that the farewell to the Old, falls from the Usual difficult for the Affected person. If the policy is derived from this, but to the beginning of the farewell move, she is wrong. Because the truth is, On a dead planet there are no jobs.