On Saturday, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed skepticism about the progress that could be made in the COP27 climate negotiations.
The talks, organized by the United Nations, are to take place in Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the world is “doomed” if developed and developing countries fail to agree to limit the impact of climate change.
What did the Federal President say about the COP27?
Steinmeier said the “military confrontation” in the world reduced the likelihood of a climate deal happening.
“It’s hard to imagine states like Russia or China playing a constructive role in and after Sharm el Sheikh in times of conflict and even military confrontation,” he said at a climate policy discussion in Busan, South Korea.
“Progress is absolutely necessary, even if the conditions for it are not exactly encouraging,” said Steinmeier.
Steinmeier said it was difficult to find money to turn Germany’s economy into a sustainable one, as Berlin allocates funds to boost its defense budget and support Kiev’s war effort.
“This is the same money we need to fight climate change,” he said, referring to defense spending and military aid to Ukraine.
“We will be doomed” – UN chief Guterres
Guterres told Britain’s Guardian newspaper that wealthier countries must strike a “historic pact” with developing countries at the COP27 summit to minimize the impact of climate change.
“There is no way to avoid a catastrophic situation when [developed and developing countries] are unable to make a historic pact,” Guterres told the newspaper. “Because at the current level we are doomed.”
Guterres noted that developed countries are responsible for most emissions, while developing countries are likely to bear the brunt of climate change impacts. He added that current climate policies “will be absolutely catastrophic”.
This report was partly written with material from the German Press Agency.
Edited by: Rebecca Staudenmaier