Glasgow. United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow has called upon the countries of the world to take the initiative to phase out coal for the first time. The declaration, approved by nearly 200 countries on Saturday, also called for an end to “inefficient” subsidies for oil, gas and coal. However, the wording was weakened at the last minute under pressure from China and India. EU commissioner Frans Timmermann expressed his great disappointment about this, but nevertheless praised the demand for phasing out coal as “historic”.
No compulsion to tighten climate protection plans by the end of 2022
In addition, the countries jointly committed themselves to the goal of stopping global warming at 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial times. For this, they should refine their previously inadequate climate protection plans by the end of 2022. But it is voluntary, there is no compulsion.
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So far, plans submitted to the United Nations have not been sufficient to achieve the 1.5° target agreed in Paris in 2015. For this to happen, global emissions of climate-damaging greenhouse gases would need to be reduced by 45 percent over this decade, the manifesto said.
More financial aid has been promised for poor countries
More financial aid is also promised for poor countries so they can adapt to the deadly consequences of the climate crisis in many places. Millions of people are already faced with more frequent and prolonged droughts and heat waves or more violent storms and floods. Notably, this financial assistance is to be doubled by 2025, i.e. from about 20 to about 40 billion US dollars (about 35 billion euros) at present.
For the first time, the long-standing call by poor countries to set up money pots to assist in the event of damage and loss has been taken up. It refers to the destruction or forced resettlement after a drought, storm or hurricane. States have been asked to give money for this. However, no concrete amount has been given for this. Only “technical support” should be available after damaging events, but not full damages paid.
