Baerbock: Rapid switch to renewables
The Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin ends with urgent appeals for a rapid switch to renewable energies.
Berlin (dpa) - In the fight against climate change, Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called on all countries to switch rapidly to renewable energies. “The demise of the old world of fossil fuels is unstoppable, and the new world is a world of renewable energies,” the Green politician said in Berlin on Tuesday at the end of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue. “Everyone can now decide whether to join in this wave of progress or whether to be overtaken by it.” She added that Germany, being an industrialised country, intends to lead the way on the path to climate neutrality.
The German foreign minister and her Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry appealed for an immediate change of course to get the climate crisis under control. “The world as a whole simply cannot afford any further postponements or compromises,” Baerbock warned. “We cannot postpone the climate crisis. And therefore we cannot postpone the fight against the climate crisis either.” Shoukry stressed: “We must take action now. We must act now. We need to make progress everywhere and ensure that no one is left behind.” In this context, Shoukry again demanded aid for those states particularly affected by climate change.
Baerbock said that the energy crisis meant that Germany would use more coal for a short period of time or keep more coal-fired power plants in reserve. However, she made it clear at the two-day conference: “We will not deviate one centimetre from our climate goals. On the contrary: we will phase out fossil fuels even faster.” She explained that Germany intended to massively step up its ambitions in terms of expanding renewable energies and increasing energy efficiency. “We are rock-solid in our commitment to the goal of climate neutrality by 2045.”
The conference in Berlin was hosted by Germany and Egypt. One of its aims was to set the course for the International Climate Conference (COP27) that will be taking place in the Egyptian coastal town of Sharm el-Sheikh in early November. Shoukry stressed that COP27 should be a climate conference that sees previously agreed goals implemented.