Mateusz travels these days the whole world through Katowice. “People from Saudi Arabia, had I been on Board, the Americans and the Indians,” says the young Pole, who offers his car for the participants of the climate conference about the driving service Uber. “We are talking of course about climate change.” How harmful pollutants from coal combustion are, white, Mateusz. A gray Smogglocke covered in Katowice in the Winter, the coal smell in the air. “Go to Krakow, because it is even worse,” he says in farewell to the Congress centre, where the conference takes place.
In the German pavilion, the delegates on Friday morning are pretty tired. It was a short night. At three o’clock in the morning, the Polish presidency has to submit the first draft of the so-called “rule book” – a manual for the Paris agreement. “We move on to the finishing straight,” says the Federal environment Minister, Svenja Schulze (SPD), the journalists present. “It is certainly not the last draft, because here and there is dissatisfaction. But I think we can figure it out.“ The President of the climate conference, Mihal Kurtyka, meets in the course of the day, with individual countries, to solve the sticking points.
developing countries perceive financial aid as a insufficient
it’s often about technical Details, but also politically, a lot is open to: developing countries financial support for climate change damage is not enough. In the draft of the rule book, with the note that the States are sharpening their national climate objectives at least up to 2020 is missing. Critical is also seen as the 1.5-degree report will be incorporated in the rule book. According to the current state of the scientific contributions of the world are estimated intergovernmental panel on climate change the “value”. The island States and African countries, this is not enough. Of the German Delegation, it means that you will not verkämpfen.
The USA had already by the end of the first week in a politically unusual Alliance with Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait…photo: AFP-Tsp/Klöpfel
Overall, but Germany, at least, the Federal Ministry for the environment, in Katowice, in solidarity with those countries by climate change, are affected most. Visible the a few days ago on a hurriedly convened press conference in the pavilion of the European Union.
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As environment Minister Schulze on stage, in a red dress and white flower earrings that fit well to the Pacific Islands, between the representatives of the governments of the Marshall Islands, and Ethiopia. For the EU climate Commissioner Miguel Arias was Cañete. As an Alliance of the Ambitious, they have committed themselves to climate targets for 2020 to increase, and others called on to do the same. Schulze handed the microphone eagerly from one to the other, each should get rid of its appeal to the many journalists who had squeezed into the stuffy pavilion. “We will sink if nothing is done,” cried David, Paul, Minister of the environment of the Marshall Islands. Schulze looked concerned.
support by the Federal government, she learns: The coalition partners of the climate ambition of the Minister of the environment is increasingly on the nerves. Federal Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) said on Thursday evening in the ZDF that Schulze could connect the idea of the climate target increase. It decisions but ultimately the Federal government. In addition, Germany could only goals that abide by it actually. In the German pavilion in Katowice Schulze indicates that you can Altmaier not be intimidated. “The coalition agreement”, said the SPD-politician in a nutshell. That “hot time” is the word of the year, is expected to help the Schulze climate protection.
Saudi Arabia is the new climate disruptor
sturgeon was set on fire in Katowice, as expected from the American government. In a politically unusual Alliance with Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait, the US had pronounced already at the end of the first week, however, to welcome the 1.5-degree-report””. They wanted to take him merely to “note”.
The American negotiators would have been shown but mostly constructive in Katowice, it is now. If the next President doesn’t mean Donald Trump, there is a Chance that the US will remain in the Treaty of Paris. The new climate interferer is Saudi Arabia, will tell a conference observer, if you put in the evening together at events heads. Many of them are exhausted. During the day, it has often served only for a sandwich, which was devoured in front of the Laptop sitting.
Later that day, the Minister of the environment of Costa Rica, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, Alarm, for more climate protection. “How can it be that, for the Pacific Islands to Survive, and Saudi Arabia only about his Oil speaks?” the Minister, indignant at the press center. On his collar is a badge with the letters NDC attached. Icon is your goals for the increase of the climate. Costa Rica would like to have aligned to the next climate conference. They wanted to Yes, says Rodríguez. But the country has little capacity. The conference agreed then to Chile as the host for the next Meeting.
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Unresolved points of dispute to the UN climate change conference must be in the extension
is still open. The final rule book also. Only one thing is for sure: With the Uber driver will again talk about climate change.
