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Climate negotiations in Baku: interim results of the World Climate Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan. COP29 is taking place in a country heavily dominated by the oil and gas industry, which had triggered a lot of criticism in the run-up to the conference. Organisationally, the event is running smoothly, but negotiations are stalling, particularly on the issue of climate financing. The focus is on how much money should be made available from 2025 and who should pay for it. The EU is demanding more contributions from wealthy countries such as China, while poorer countries are urgently calling for support totalling over a trillion dollars a year. The conference is also overshadowed by political tensions: Donald Trump announced that he would once again withdraw the USA from the Paris Climate Agreement and Argentina withdrew its delegation on the orders of President Milei. These events are fuelling fears that other countries could follow suit. Protests are muted as many activists fear repression or have not been allowed to enter the country. This is worrying as the conference is one of the few places where the climate crisis is being negotiated globally. Despite the difficulties, many are hoping for unity and progress to support particularly affected countries. COP 29 is less of a climate policy stage for Azerbaijan than a geopolitical one. While international guests marvel at Baku’s glamorous development, social inequality remains a shadow that characterises the country. Nevertheless, the conference could at least help to strengthen the importance of the South Caucasus on the global climate map – and provide initial impetus for a regional climate policy. wdr.de, zdf.de, fair-economics.de

Pathways to climate finance: A study shows that taxing excess profits from the oil and gas industry could be an important source of funding for climate change mitigation and adaptation. In 2022, 93 of the world’s largest oil and gas companies made excess profits of around USD 490 billion as a result of the energy crisis following the war in Ukraine. This sum is almost equivalent to the climate aid promised to poorer countries for five years. 42% of the excess profits were made by state-owned companies, as in Norway, while the rest was made by private companies, mostly from the US, UK, France and Canada. An excess profits tax could help industrialised countries meet their climate finance pledges while curbing investment in fossil fuels and promoting the transition to clean energy. The study proposes an international agreement to tax such profits, inspired by the global minimum tax. The revenues could be channelled into a fund so that they are also available in years without excess profits. Such measures could align financial flows with the Paris climate targets and pave the way for a sustainable energy system. tandfonline.com, energiezukunft.de

One trillion dollars a year by 2030 – a race against time

A new study by leading economists shows that poorer countries urgently need 1 trillion dollars a year in climate finance by 2030 – five years earlier than wealthy countries are currently willing to agree to. The money is intended to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the consequences of extreme weather events. But delays could have catastrophic consequences, warns the independent High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance. fair-economics.com

Deforestation – New negotiations in Brussels: The European Parliament has taken an important decision regarding the planned law against deforestation. MEPs voted in favour of postponing implementation by one year, meaning that the regulations are now not expected to come into force until the end of 2025. In addition to the postponement, changes to the content were also agreed. A narrow majority of parliamentarians supported amendments tabled by the conservative EPP group. These provide for the introduction of a category of „non-risk countries“ to which less stringent rules would apply. These decisions mean a weakening of the original draft bill. Environmentalists see the introduction of „non-risk countries“ as a potential loophole that could allow environmentally damaging deforestation. Due to these changes, the law must now be renegotiated with the EU member states. If no agreement is reached, the law could come into force in its original form as early as 2025, which would pose considerable challenges for many companies .deutschlandfunk.de, lebensmittelpraxis.de

Oil manager sees „no climate crisis“: Trump nominates fracking entrepreneur Chris Wright as US Secretary of Energy. Wright is to drive forward the extraction of fossil fuels, reduce bureaucracy and boost investment. Trump describes Wright as a key player in the US shale gas revolution and is working with him to expand fossil fuel production, despite its controversial environmental impact. Wright’s positions, such as his rejection of a climate crisis and his support for fracking, have been met with criticism. He is also set to become part of a new National Energy Council, which aims to promote US dominance in the energy sector. Trump plans to reduce state subsidies for climate-friendly technologies and implement an energy policy that could once again lead the USA out of the Paris Climate Agreement. tagesspiegel.de

Nationally determined contributions: By February 2025, all countries must submit their new climate targets (NDCs) in order to drive forward global emissions reductions. According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the targets must be compatible with the 1.5-degree target, with the G20, as the largest emitters, taking a leading role. However, the implementation of the NDCs to date is currently inadequate, which could lead to global warming of 2.6 to 2.7 degrees according to the Climate Action Tracker. Some countries such as the UAE, Brazil and the UK have announced new targets, some of which appear ambitious but often fail to be realised in practice. The UK, for example, is planning to reduce emissions by 81% by 2035, while Brazil has declared its targets to be compatible with 1.5 degrees, which experts doubt. Azerbaijan and other countries are lagging behind in formulating new targets. NGOs are calling for more robust NDCs that include concrete phase-out plans for fossil fuels and a stronger link to sustainable development goals (SDGs). Developing countries are often dependent on international climate finance to realise ambitious goals. The implementation gap between targets and real measures remains a key problem that must be addressed in the coming rounds of negotiations. focus.de

21 million litres of pollutants in the environment: Last year, around 21 million litres of pollutants were released into the environment in Germany, almost three times as much as in the previous year and the largest amount since 2019. 3.3 million litres of this remained permanently in the environment, including liquid manure, heating oil and diesel. The number of accidents remained constant, but agriculture in particular contributed to the increased amount of pollutants. According to the Federal Statistical Office, such fluctuations are not unusual due to the nature and severity of the accidents. tagesschau.de

BOOK TIP OF THE WEEK:

PUTSCH

Der Aufstand gegen Europas Kolonialismus in Afrika

In his book „Putsch: The Revolt against European Colonialism in Africa“, Issio Ehrich sheds light on the ongoing influence of European states on African countries since the 1960s. Although colonialism is officially considered to be over, Ehrich shows how European actors continue to promote corrupt political systems in order to protect their own interests. In the Sahel region in particular, resistance to these neo-colonial structures is growing, leading to support for military regimes that overthrow supposed democracies.

Ehrich succeeds in revealing the complex connections between Europe and Africa and initiating a change of perspective. He makes the often overheard voices of the African population heard and calls for a critical examination of the existing power relations. His work is an urgent appeal to question Europe’s neo-colonial practices and to pay more attention to the people of Africa. quadriga.de

In a nutshell:

„Greening is not enough“: How climate change is forcing cities to change. augsburger-allgemeine.de
European Union: Citizens demand more protection from the climate crisis. energiezukunft.de
Property industry: „Focus on energy saving in the building sector has failed“. immobilienmanager.de
Violation of environmental law: ECJ ruling against Germany. dnr.de
Climate protection in everyday life: 2nd hand clothes help save raw materials, CO2 and resources. tagesschau.de
MC Donalds and the environment: Farting cows are a real problem for the climate. They emit a lot of methane. McDonalds wants to improve this with a new food. businessinsider.com
Climate protection: Court of Appeal in the Netherlands overturns climate judgement against Shell. deutschlandfunk.de

Study: The mobility of Generation Z. greencarmagazine.de
Transport policy: Union faction wants to approve the Deutschlandticket after all. zeit.de
Traffic light switch-off: Is the renovation of the Hamburg-Berlin railway line at risk? ndr.de
Deutsche Bahn: Hardly any new and electrified railway lines next year. faz.net
Mobility: Hamburg will become a model region for autonomous drivingfrom mid-2025. stadtundwerk.de

Hydrogen shortage: Explosion at filling plant causes nationwide hydrogen crisis. heise.de
Hamburg hydrogen company HH2E: Energy pioneer is insolvent.t-online.de
Hydrogen strategy: Medium-sized companies don’t know where they stand when it comes to the future of hydrogen.tagesschau.de
Target for 2030 very ambitious: RWE doubts sufficient hydrogen production. n-tv.de

PODCAST OF THE WEEK:

Climate Secretary of State on the World Climate Conference: „We are capable of action“

The government’s special envoy for climate policy, Jennifer Morgan, wants to press ahead with climate protection negotiations on the international stage in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku despite the minority government. „We are very well prepared, the negotiations are about issues that we have been negotiating for a long time. We can make good progress with our current mandate.“ br.de

COMMENT OF THE WEEK:

Lovebirds give me hope in the climate crisis

Svenja Beller comments on the bleak situation at the COP29 in Baku, which is taking place in an authoritarian oil state, while the global climate crisis is becoming ever more pressing. She describes the challenges, including insufficient climate finance for developing countries that urgently need trillions of dollars to keep the 1.5 degree target within reach. At the same time, she sees Donald Trump’s return to the White House and his destructive climate policy – including the expansion of fossil fuels and withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement – as a further obstacle. Added to this are record levels of global CO₂ emissions and the ironic reality that initiatives such as deforestation freezes and methane reductions have so far had the opposite effect.

Beller also criticises the discrepancy between the reality of the climate crisis and the business world, such as the airline Easyjet, which advertises city breaks to regions devastated by climate disasters such as floods or hurricanes. Nevertheless, she finds hope in a small, inconspicuous moment: two lovebirds that she observes from her window symbolise enduring beauty and love in the midst of global crises. For her, this sight symbolises that even in the midst of chaos and catastrophe, there are still small joys and glimpses of light – a glimmer of hope that will not simply disappear. Read the full commentary here in FREITAG

LAST WEEK IN THE BUNDESTAG:

Implementation status of the introduction of a climate money: In its coalition agreement, the coalition government has agreed to introduce a climate money. Since then, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group has been waiting for something substantial on the design or administrative implementation. In a minor interpellation (20/13587) entitled „Implementation status of the introduction and payment of a climate money“, the CDU/CSU MPs asked about this. Among other things, they want to know which departments within the Federal Government are involved with the climate money and what discussions representatives of the Federal Government have held with the federal states, experts and associations since 1 January 2024. They also enquired about the status of the technical per capita payment announced by the then Federal Minister of Finance Christian Lindner.

Sustainability researcher argues in favour of an annual prosperity report: Sustainability researcher Roland Zieschank from the Institute for Futures Studies and Technology Assessment has called for the annual economic report to be developed into an annual prosperity report. In an expert discussion in the Parliamentary Advisory Council on Sustainable Development, he emphasised that the value of ecosystem services and biodiversity must be more strongly integrated into national reports, company balance sheets and the annual economic report. Economic and social prosperity are largely dependent on an intact natural environment, the value of which is often underestimated. Zieschank warned of the risks of the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services, as highlighted in the 2019 IPBES report, which describes their negative impact on 80 per cent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He positively assessed the expansion of the 2024 Annual Economic Report to include special chapters on welfare measurement and social progress. This emphasises that indicators beyond GDP, such as social justice, education, healthcare, climate protection and gender equality, are crucial for welfare. bundestag.de

TAKEN LITERALLY:

„Climate protection has long been taking place all over the world, with the expansion of renewables, for example, reaching record levels every year. And surveys repeatedly show that the vast majority of people in Germany and around the world want more to be done in terms of climate protection. Even in the USA, there is a majority in favour of climate protection and society expects the government to act. There is a phenomenon of pluralistic ignorance: people consider climate protection itself to be important, but believe they belong to a minority. In reality, this minority is a majority.“

Luise Neubauer, co-founder of the German Fridays for Future movement, emphasises that there is no point at which climate protection becomes pointless and that it is always possible to avert disasters through decisive action. However, she sees Donald Trump’s re-election as a setback for global climate protection. Despite the many crises that have diverted the focus away from climate change, Neubauer believes that public support for climate protection remains strong, even if the impression often arises that it is waning. She criticises the idea that climate protection is a luxury or dependent on majorities. The government is obliged to take action, regardless of public pressure. Neubauer takes a critical view of the Ampel government’s cooperation on climate protection and describes the measures taken so far as inadequate. Neubauer rejects the idea that climate protection should be equated with renunciation and instead calls for a discourse on the benefits of good climate policy, such as clean air, greener cities and renewable energies. Young people continue to be active, but the climate movement cannot be held solely responsible for the implementation of climate protection. She sees it as a success that climate issues have now reached the political arena even without major protests. In the USA, Neubauer has learnt how climate protection can be linked to social improvements, for example by creating jobs and reducing electricity costs. She sees progress at the climate summit in Baku, despite the strong influence of fossil fuel lobbyists on the negotiations. ausgburger-allgemeine.de

 

AFRICA:

Consequences for today – The Berlin Africa Conference: The German Chancellor had called – and the 14 most powerful states in the world met in Berlin to divide up an entire continent among themselves. Historian Ulrike Lindner from the University of Cologne says: „At the Berlin Conference 140 years ago, the foundations were laid for many of the problems that still plague Africa today. The Berlin Conference of 1884/85 led to the division of Africa among the great powers without including African representatives. The aim was to resolve colonial conflicts of interest, particularly in the Congo, and to establish the German Empire as a diplomatic actor. The conference laid the foundations for the colonisation of Africa, including the drawing of borders, which still exist today and caused numerous problems, such as ethnic conflicts, forced labour and the destruction of established structures. Germany then began to establish its own colonies, often under questionable circumstances, for example in South West and East Africa. The colonial policy led to cruel uprisings, such as the Herero and Nama uprising (1904-1907), which resulted in genocide. In economic terms, colonial involvement brought the German state hardly any profits; private companies were the main beneficiaries. The conference is seen as the origin of many of Africa’s problems today, including arbitrary borders and the legacy of colonial rule. Despite the original intention to combat slavery, the colonial powers instead introduced forced labour and new tax systems. Bismarck’s initial scepticism towards colonial policy eventually gave way to economic and power-political interests, which shaped Germany’s colonial ambitions. rnd.de

Chinese industrial policy – The mobile phone kings of Africa: In many African countries, people prefer to buy Chinese technology and household goods. This is not only due to the price; the products are better suited to the African market. The West can learn from China here. spiegel.de

Better education, smaller families: How women in Africa are driving change. fair-economics.de

Guest article by Annalena Baerbock: Recognising injustices committed in Africa. fr.de

From Kenya to the world: Teresa Wabuko’s fight against exploitation. arbeit-wirtschaft.at

MORE KNOWLEDGE:

Invisible polluters in the garden: While we are striving for electric cars and energy savings in our homes, the garden often remains a blind spot when it comes to environmental protection. The figures are alarming: a petrol-powered lawnmower emits as many pollutants in just one hour as a car on a 650-kilometre journey. The reason for this lies in the outdated engines of these devices, which have hardly any filter systems and release pollutants into the air almost unfiltered, while the emissions from leaf blowers are even more alarming. Tests have shown that a small petrol leaf blower produces 6.8 times more nitrogen oxides and nitrogen dioxide than the engine of a V8 pickup truck. These devices are real pocket-sized environmental killers. fair-economics.de

Europe’s path to the energy transition – How citizens are driving the switch to green electricity: The European Union has set itself ambitious climate targets: It wants to become climate-neutral by 2050. Increased use of renewable energies is a key factor in this endeavour. But how can citizens be brought on board? An EU-funded research project called DIALOGUES has trialled innovative approaches – including conversations with mothers in Berlin playgrounds. fair-economics.de

CALENDAR:

2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29)

When: 11-22 November 2024

Where: Baku, Azerbaijan
More information: Press release from COP28
At last year’s COP28 conference in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), countries agreed for the first time to move away from fossil fuels and to finance the Loss and Damage Fund.
In November, heads of state and government and delegates from all over the world will meet again in Azerbaijan for the biggest climate event of the year to set a new global target for climate financing.

Session of the UNCCD Conference of the Parties (COP16)

When: 2-13 December December
Where: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
More information: Website
Not to be confused with the UN Biodiversity Conference: COP16 will bring together world leaders to take action on drylands under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). Since the last UNCCD Conference of the Parties in May 2022 in Abidjan (Ivory Coast), this will be the world’s largest summit on land issues.

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