EU: "Unacceptable"

World Climate Conference: Many points of contention remain open

From left: Panama's climate envoy Juan Carlos Gomez and EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra

(Bild: AP/Sergei Grits)

The presidency of Azerbaijan has now presented a resolution on climate financing at the UN Climate Change Conference. However, no specific sums are mentioned and there is no specification as to whether only the traditional industrialized countries should remain donors (see video above).

It has been repeatedly discussed that wealthy emerging countries such as China and the rich Gulf states could also make payments. The paper is ten pages long and was published early on Thursday morning. In some cases, opposing positions are merely juxtaposed. The wording on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is vague, and indirect reference is also made to earlier resolutions.

"This is a summary of differences, it is not a basis on which we can continue to work," criticized Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) on Thursday.

EU rejects proposal
The EU immediately rejected the draft resolutions. "This is clearly unacceptable as it stands," said EU Climate Action Commissioner Wope Hoekstra at the COP29. In the dispute over the amount of future payments, the international community had recently said that other key issues had to be clarified first, but that China and the Gulf states should also contribute money. These were still classified as developing countries 30 years ago and are therefore recipient countries.

From left: Panama's climate envoy Juan Carlos Gomez and EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra

(Bild: AP/Sergei Grits)

Consensus by Friday?
The conference with tens of thousands of participants from almost 200 countries has been meeting since November 11. A consensus is to be reached by Friday. Following the criticism, the presidency has convened a meeting on the basis of which new drafts are to be drawn up. According to the UN, the need for external aid amounts to around one trillion US dollars per year by 2030. That would be ten to 13 times more than the current amount of climate aid.

"The draft text contains an option that rightly recognizes that trillions are needed. At the same time, no specific amount is set for the climate finance target. This is a disregard for the needs of millions of people who are already suffering from the climate crisis," criticized Jasmin Duregger from Greenpeace.

Poor countries demand more money
On Thursday, the developing countries demanded an increase in annual payments from industrialized countries to "at least" 500 billion US dollars (equivalent to 475 billion euros). They had previously called for 1.3 trillion US dollars by 2035.