to the German edition

Climate conference in Baku begins on Monday: The 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) begins on Monday in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, but expectations are muted. The delegates are facing considerable challenges as global political instability – characterised by the government crisis in Germany, the election victory of climate-sceptic Donald Trump in the USA and the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East – is putting a strain on international climate action. Experts and climate protection organisations warn that geopolitical tensions could make financing and emission reductions even more difficult, making the already delayed climate targets even harder to achieve. Despite these political and financial hurdles, many climate activists hope that Baku will at least bring symbolic progress and thus pave the way for deeper decisions at the next COP30 in Brazil. In addition, the world climate conference is being chaired by a representative of the oil industry, Mukhtar Babayev, who experts doubt will be able to balance the interests of a wide range of countries and forge compromises behind the scenes. fair-economics.de , tagesschau.de, nzz.ch

Break-up of the traffic light coalition – bad for the climate? Following the end of the traffic light coalition, a minority government consisting of the SPD and the Greens will govern until further notice. It is dependent on the toleration of the CDU/CSU. As long as a new election date that is acceptable to all sides has not been set, the government will not be able to push through any more legislation. The break-up of the coalition has made the financing of climate policy measures more uncertain overall. In particular, the introduction of the planned climate money, which was intended to provide social relief in the event of rising CO₂ prices, is now questionable. A new government could either reject this concept completely or fundamentally revise it. The renewable energy industry is also concerned and is calling on all parties to take decisive action to secure the energy transition, as the expansion of renewable energies is systemically relevant for the German economy. The solar industry expects the expansion to continue and investment security to be created, while the German Renewable Energy Federation is calling for energy measures that have already been planned to be adopted by December. The CDU/CSU is open to new technologies in its energy policy and is considering nuclear fission and nuclear fusion in addition to renewable energies. It is sticking to the 2045 climate target, but plans to strengthen bioenergy, hydropower and geothermal energy and involve citizens more through energy sharing and tenant electricity. At the same time, the CDU/CSU wants to amend the Heating Act, make fossil-fuelled heating systems more expensive and introduce social compensation. However, much remains vague regarding the Union’s exact direction in the energy transition. pv-magazine.de, telepolis.de

18 million private flights analysed with a clear result

CO₂ emissions from private flights rose by 46 per cent between 2019 and 2023, often caused by short distances that could alternatively be covered by car or train. A study shows that almost half of private flights are shorter than 500 kilometres, which illustrates the high carbon footprint of the super-rich. Many flights are for leisure or holiday trips, and in some countries they are tax-privileged and not included in emissions trading. Experts are therefore calling for stricter regulations for private air travel in order to reduce the growing impact on the climate. spiegel.de

 

What to expect from a US President Trump on climate issues: Donald Trump’s re-election as US President has triggered global concern about the future of climate protection. Experts and politicians see this as a potentially massive setback in the fight against climate change, with potentially far-reaching consequences for global environmental policy. Calculations by the specialist information service CarbonBrief indicate that another Trump administration could cause an additional four gigatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 – equivalent to four billion tonnes of CO₂. Trump’s climate policy strategy is summarised by the Tagesspiegel under the motto „Drill, baby, drill“. He plans to significantly expand the extraction of fossil fuels, particularly oil and gas, and wants to roll back numerous climate protection measures introduced under Biden. His agenda also includes weakening the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and cutting support programmes for renewable energies. fair-economics.de , zeit.de, bild.de

What role Germany plays in climate change: Donald Trump’s re-election brings a climate-sceptic course back to the top of the USA, one of the world’s biggest emitters. His plans to expand the oil industry are at odds with climate targets, which puts Germany and the EU under additional pressure to take on a pioneering role in climate protection. Germany accounts for around 1.8 per cent of global CO₂ emissions and, as a wealthy industrial nation, is seen as particularly responsible for climate protection. Successes in the expansion of renewable energies have had a global impact, and Germany could also influence global climate-friendly standards via the EU. However, climate change is already being felt here: extreme weather events, heatwaves, floods and droughts are increasingly affecting Germany and causing considerable damage. The health and economic consequences are particularly hard on vulnerable groups. Higher food prices due to climate-related crop failures show the global impact of the climate crisis, which also affects affluent nations. stuttgarter-zeitung.de

Copernicus – Global warming virtually certain to exceed 1.5 degrees in 2024: According to the EU climate service Copernicus, 2024 is expected to be the warmest year since records began and the first to average more than 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. These record values are due to rising greenhouse gas emissions and the El Niño climate phenomenon, which is further fuelling temperatures. Although the Paris Climate Agreement sets ambitious temperature targets, it gives countries a great deal of room for manoeuvre when it comes to implementation. Current climate protection measures are not sufficient to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees; without significantly increased efforts, an increase of 2.5 to three degrees is expected. The COP30 in Brazil next year should therefore adopt stricter climate targets. Despite everything, climate protection measures in recent years have slightly curbed the predicted rise in temperatures. Nevertheless, there is still an urgent need for comprehensive change, particularly in the energy sector and agriculture, in order to achieve the target. deutschlandfunk.de

New CDU/CSU energy programme: The CDU/CSU has presented its new energy programme, which is surprisingly similar to the previous climate policy of the traffic light coalition, although it sets significantly different priorities in some areas. While the CDU/CSU supports the expansion of nuclear power and research into modern reactors, it remains vague on the construction of new nuclear power plants and instead favours long-term technologies such as nuclear fusion. The CDU/CSU is calling for a more cost-effective energy transition, but is planning measures that could potentially increase costs, such as the promotion of biogas and the expansion of the hydrogen core network. A key point is the rejection of the traffic light energy law for buildings, which sets targets for the use of renewable heating systems. The Union favours voluntary support for heat pumps instead of mandatory measures. It also rejects the abolition of subsidies for climate-friendly technologies and is in favour of support programmes, unlike the FDP, which recently proposed stopping such programmes. The CDU/CSU plans to reorganise the EEG feed-in tariff and is in favour of reducing taxes and levies in the energy sector. Its long-term goal remains climate neutrality by 2045. Proposals such as climate money, which is intended to increase social acceptance, are still controversial internally and are being planned in other papers. focus.de

BOOK TIP OF THE WEEK:

Auf den Spuren der Freiheit

Wege in eine hoffnungsvolle Zukunft. Einsichten aus einem Selbstversuch

In their book, Nick Schramm and Carolin Rüffert invite readers to think about a good life that is free from exploitation and kind to people and nature. In this inspiring work, the author duo show that small changes in everyday life are often enough to achieve lasting, positive effects.

With charm and humour, the two dare to conduct an unusual self-experiment: a sustainable and fulfilling life with limited resources. In doing so, they scrutinise old thought patterns and break down conventional ideas of prosperity and happiness. The philosophical and critical journey leads deep into the roots of our current social system and opens up a new perspective on what it really means to be human in the modern world.

The book is a refreshing counter-movement to the pessimism and resignation that often prevail in public discourse. Instead, Schramm and Rüffert offer a perspective on a peaceful, hopeful future and encourage us to rethink and act – a valuable work for all those who believe that a good life in harmony with nature is possible.

oekom.de

In a nutshell:

UN report: Massive financial gap in climate financing. rnd.de
Dark doldrums: There was a dark doldrum in Germany this week – neither wind nor solar energy could be produced during this time. The price of electricity rose. wdr.de
EU: Controversial environment and crisis commissioners confirmed after political deal. euractiv.de
EU Commissioner-designate Síkela: More control over EU funds for development promotion and more development promotion. radio.cz
Government tightens controls: Amazon deforestation in Brazil at lowest level for a long time. rnd.de
Global climate crisis puts fast food in massive danger: US experts warn that climate change is increasing the threat of food-borne pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella. today.at
Arable farming in Siberia: Will Russia be the winner of climate change? agrarheute.com
Greenpeace: CCS is a bogus solution and could cost up to 80 billion. greenpeace.de
Winegrowers in Belgium:How climate change is changing viticulture. heute.de
Wastewater: Pharmaceutical companies in the EU must help clean it up. ksta.de
German nuclear waste storage facilities: Serious safety problems with nuclear waste storage in Germany.t-online.de

Track access charges: rail user charge becomes a case for the ECJ. verkehrsrundschau.de
Electromobility: VDA reports progress in expanding the charging network. golem.de
Danger in road traffic: Expert sees major deficits in many children’s cycling skills. tagesspiegel.de
Karlsruhe: How personal data should improve mobility. swr.de
Stalled transport turnaround: federal states examine cuts in public transport. busplaner.de

Stalled expansion: Where is Germany’s hydrogen strategy heading? tagesschau.de
Taking stock: Germany’s big hydrogen dream is now becoming reality. focus.de
New EU project: Making jet engines fit for hydrogen. ingenieur.de
Setback for energy transition: Hydrogen pioneer HH2E files for insolvency. berliner-zeitung.de

PODCAST OF THE WEEK:

Should we keep the Heating Act?

The economist and President of the German Institute for Economic Research, Marcel Fratzscher, is in favour of retaining the controversial heating law. According to the expert, despite all the criticism, there are several reasons against turning away from what has been decided. n-tv.de

COMMENT OF THE WEEK:

The dark doldrums of traffic lights

by Joachim Wille

In his commentary, Joachim Wille criticises the end of the traffic light coalition and the resulting political standstill, particularly in the area of climate protection. Although the coalition brought progress in the expansion of renewable energies, it fell far short of expectations in other areas, such as building refurbishment and especially in the transport sector. A general speed limit failed due to opposition from the FDP, for example, and the switch to sustainable heating systems is progressing slowly.According to Wille, the CDU/CSU, which will probably lead the next government, could provide new impetus, as – unlike the FDP – it remains committed to climate neutrality by 2045. CDU politician Jens Spahn emphasises that the CDU/CSU wants to turn energy policy „from its head to its feet“, with a (re)entry into nuclear power also being discussed. Wille concludes that a CDU/CSU-led coalition with the SPD or the Greens could advance climate protection more efficiently than the current traffic light coalition.

Read the full commentary here fr.de

LAST WEEK IN THE BUNDESTAG:

Disagreement on CO2 storage: The Committee on Climate Protection and Energy discussed amendments to the Carbon Dioxide Storage Act to enable technologies for the capture, transport and permanent storage of CO₂ (CCS) to achieve climate targets.(20/11900, 20/12717) Expert opinions were divided: Matthias Belitz emphasised that CO₂ avoidance was a priority, but that CCS was indispensable for climate targets. Anne-Mette Cheese urged rapid measures for cross-border CO₂ transport, while Carolin Dähling wanted to limit CCS to unavoidable emissions. Alexandra Decker and Sebastian Lübbers saw CCS as necessary for the cement industry. Julia Metz and Viviane Raddatz pointed out the need for focussed application and longer storage periods. Carsten Rolle emphasised the cost benefits of onshore storage. However, there were also concerns about the environmental consequences and the potential industrialisation of the North Sea, while critics such as Martin Wehlan questioned the effectiveness of CCS as a whole. more on bundestag.de

Climate financing at the centre of the COP29 world climate conference: Climate financing will be at the centre of attention at COP29 in Baku, particularly the need for new financing targets and sources, as Parliamentary State Secretary Bärbel Kofler explained. She emphasised that emerging economies and oil-producing countries should also contribute to the financing mechanism. In addition to public financing, greater involvement of the private sector is being sought, including innovative approaches such as a „billionaire tax“ and contributions from shipping and aviation. Harjeet Singh from the Campaign for Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation called for climate finance to be based more on grants rather than loans in order to reduce the debt burden of poorer countries. Kira Vinke from DGAP emphasised that the current financing target of 100 billion US dollars per year for developing countries was too low. She called for all actors, including multilateral development banks, to increase their contributions and tap into new sources of finance to meet global climate needs. more on bundestag.de

The CDU/CSU favours a global approach to climate policy: Climate policy must combine environmental, economic and social aspects, according to the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, which advocates a balance between economy and ecology. In their motion (20/13611) entitled „Thinking climate, economy and social issues together – a holistic climate policy for Germany“, the MPs call on the German government, among other things, to work within the EU and internationally to gradually win over more and more countries outside the EU in favour of carbon pricing. One way to achieve this should be an effective and at the same time unbureaucratic European CO2 border adjustment mechanism. Until this is operational, free certificates for the export-orientated industry could be an important bridge. This could also establish fair competitive conditions.  International CO2 pricing must be a core issue of foreign climate policy. The aim must be to achieve internationally comparable standards. Climate policy can only be successful with a global approach. The MPs are also calling for the government to ensure the expansion of the energy infrastructure through a suitable regulatory framework – and to mobilise more private capital for investments in the energy infrastructure. Greater use should be made of storage technologies and the digitalisation of grids. At the same time, the tax framework should be further developed so that climate-friendly behaviour is rewarded through taxation. Climate protection and corporate relief should be brought together: In future, investments in climate technologies and energy efficiency to reduce CO2 emissions should be tax deductible much more quickly and more effectively. The earlier the investment is made, the higher the tax advantage should be. This would create strong incentives for investment in climate protection, argue the CDU and CSU MPs.

TAKEN LITERALLY:

There is more than enough private capital available worldwide. With the right framework conditions and an attractive risk/return ratio, this money can certainly be mobilised.

Jürgen Zattler, Development Expert, Center for Global Development. … At the upcoming World Climate Summit in Baku, the importance of private capital for climate protection will once again be emphasised. Although there is enough private capital available worldwide, only a small proportion of it flows to developing countries – around 15 percent of global investment in the energy transition. This is mainly due to the high cost of capital and unfavourable framework conditions in these countries. While loans in industrialised nations are available at interest rates of 3-4 per cent, they are often over 10 per cent in poorer countries, as investors there assume high risks.

According to Zattler, development banks such as the World Bank play a decisive role in promoting investment in these regions by hedging risks such as exchange rate risks or providing guarantees for investors. This could strengthen the confidence of private investors and reduce the cost of capital. In addition, political strategies could be promoted instead of individual projects in order to create long-term stable investment conditions – similar to South Africa, where this has already been successfully implemented.

Although the multilateral development banks (MDBs) are already working on more efficient lending, they still need additional capital to fully fulfil their tasks. The states must therefore be prepared to provide more capital, as such use of public funds could mobilise many times more private capital through so-called „leverage“. Ultimately, an active industrial policy and the creation of clear and long-term framework conditions could help to effectively mobilise the necessary private capital for climate protection in developing countries too, Zattler emphasised.

The whole interview is available at Klimareportern.de

 

AFRICA: