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12th Petersberg Climate Dialogue: Germany disappoints on climate finance

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Petersberg Climate Dialogue VIII in Berlin, 2017
Petersberg Climate Dialogue VIII in Berlin, 2017. Image courtesy OECD.
  1. Germany has failed to announce an increase in international climate finance at the 12th Petersberg Climate DialogueDebt crises in vulnerable and middleincome countries see them unable to build back better, adapt to climate change and recover from COVID-19. 
  2. This solidarity failure comes as the US yesterday announced it would support the waiver of IP protections on COVID-19 vaccines. 
  3. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson calls on all G7 countries to come prepared to increase support by the June G7 summit.  

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Today’s 12th Petersberg Climate Dialogue aimed to bring further momentum to climate policy negotiations ahead of the COP26 UN climate summit in November. Ministers from 40 countries, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson discussed adaptation, climate finance and issues key to a successful UN climate conference, COP26, outcome.

Despite pressure on Germany to double climate finance for developing countries by 2025 and allocate at least half toward adaptation, chancellor Merkel failed to announce any new support to developing countries. 

Last week, Germany’s constitutional court ruled parts of the country’s Climate Change Act insufficient. In response, a new climate target of 65% (up from 55%) emissions reduction by 2030 was announced, as well as a new aim to reach net zero emissions by 2045, five years earlier than planned. This sets a new standard within the G7 and makes Germany the first EU member state to set an updated domestic 2030 target as part of the EU’s target to cut carbon emissions by at least 55% by 2030.

Quotes on 12th Petersberg Climate Dialogue

Jennifer Tollmann, Senior Policy Advisor at E3G said: 

“2021 is the greatest test of the multilateral system – but as of today Chancellor Merkel and most of her equivalents in the G7 are leaving vulnerable and middle-income countries in the lurch – on green recovery, on adaptation to climate change and on equitable access to vaccines that would allow them to build back better.  

 

Germany can still bridge this solidarity and climate finance gap, as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson clearly pointed to the June G7 summit as the moment where G7 partners could collectively step up solidarity. Doing so is mission critical for COP26 and trust in the broader multilateral system.” 

Brick Medak, Leiter Berliner Büro von E3G sagt: 

Wir sehen in der heutigen Ankündigung von Bundeskanzlerin Merkel Licht und Schatten. Die Erhöhung des deutschen Klimaziels für 2030 auf 65 Prozent und das Vorziehen des Klimaneutralität-Ziels auf 2045 sind ein wichtiges Signal an die anderen EU-Länder und Staaten wie China und Indien, die ihre Klimaziele noch vor dem UN-Klimagipfel im November in Glasgow erhöhen müssen. Allerdings hat Deutschlands es verpasst, eine starke Botschaft der Solidarität insbesondere an die Entwicklungsländer zu senden.

 

Dass die Bundeskanzlerin keine Verdopplung des jährlichen deutschen Beitrags zur internationalen Klimafinanzierung bis 2025 verkündet hat, ist eine große Enttäuschung. Deutschland wird damit seiner Vorreiterrolle beim Klimaschutz nicht gerecht.

 

Deutschland und die anderen führenden Industrieländer müssen jetzt bei den anstehenden G7- und G20-Gipfeln enger zusammenarbeiten, um noch vor dem Glasgower Gipfel ambitionierte Zusagen zur Klimafinanzierung zu gewährleisten. Nur so kann das notwendige Vertrauen wiederhergestellt werden.”

Available for comment

Jennifer Tollmann and Brick Medak are available for comment, please contact them directly:

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