At a two-day meeting in Berlin attended by numerous high-ranking climate envoys, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged governments worldwide to collaborate and establish an ambitious goal for renewable energy that would signal the end of the fossil fuel era and mitigate dangerous global warming.
Baerbock emphasized the urgent need to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions to restrict global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit). She acknowledged, however, that not all countries are willing to make the necessary changes. Therefore, she proposed discussing the possibility of reaching a renewable energy target at the next climate conference.
Baerbock’s proposal differs from a previous attempt to set a deadline for the elimination of all fossil fuels, which faced opposition from significant oil and gas exporting nations. These nations instead favoured capturing emissions that contribute to global warming as a means of reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Experts have expressed scepticism about such technologies, referred to as carbon capture and storage, noting that they have not yet been proven at scale and may require significant investments that could undermine more cost-effective alternatives such as solar and wind power.
During the opening of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin, Sultan al-Jaber, a former oil company executive and the chair of the upcoming COP28 climate summit, urged nations to triple their renewable energy capacity by 2030 and double it again by 2040. His call publicly endorsed a target previously set by the International Energy Agency and which he had raised in a closed-door meeting with G7 leaders in Japan the previous month.
Additionally, al-Jaber called on developed nations to fulfil their long-standing promise of a $100bn climate package for developing countries. He acknowledged that trust was low and expectations were high, and requested that donor countries provide a definitive assessment of the delivery of this commitment before the start of COP28.
During the annual meeting, Baerbock spoke to officials from approximately 40 countries and stated that solar and wind power are currently the most cost-effective energy sources in many parts of the world. She emphasized that the upcoming climate conference in Dubai should aim to initiate the end of the fossil fuel era.
However, the United Arab Emirates, which is hosting this year’s UN climate summit, responded coolly to the idea. Al-Jaber stressed the need for a pragmatic and just transition to zero-carbon alternatives, with a focus on phasing out fossil fuel emissions while increasing the availability and affordability of sustainable options. He underscored the word “emissions” during his remarks.
Albeit, he also acknowledged that existing energy sources will continue to play a role in the global energy mix for the foreseeable future. As such, he affirmed the UAE’s commitment to collaborate with the world to decarbonize the current energy system while constructing a new one capable of transitioning even the most carbon-intensive industries.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for a complete end to fossil fuel use, which is responsible for most of the global warming that has occurred since the industrial era began. However, to date, only coal has been targeted for “phase-down” by nations, as agreed two years ago.
Environmental advocates argue that in order to successfully phase out coal, oil, and gas, solutions must also be found for the millions of workers in these industries, as well as alternative sources of energy for the billions of people who still depend on cheap fossil fuels. “What we need to see from COP28 is not only a fossil fuel phaseout, but a fair phaseout of fossil fuels,” stated Harjeet Singh, the head of global political strategy at Climate Action Network International.
In addition to discussing how to increase various forms of financial assistance for developing countries hardest hit by climate change, diplomats attending the Berlin meeting will be addressing the need to raise trillions of dollars to assist all countries in transitioning to a green economy. Experts have suggested that while aid is crucial, substantial funding must also come from the private sector, as well as through the implementation of carbon taxes on air and sea travel.
Pakistan’s Climate Minister Sherry Rehman expressed the impatience of countries such as her own, which are still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s devastating floods. “We want to move forward in finding climate financing paths that are genuine, actionable, and delivered in a timely manner, without institutionalized red tape, to countries that need them and countries experiencing climate catastrophes,” she told reporters in Berlin.
