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Biden's climate summit: Merkel's speech causes head shaking - Greta Thunberg speaks of "shame"

2021-04-23T09:53:15.568Z


US President Joe Biden has invited the 40 heads of state and government of the most important nations to the climate summit. Angela Merkel's speech was not well received by environmental activists.


US President Joe Biden has invited the 40 heads of state and government of the most important nations to the climate summit.

Angela Merkel's speech was not well received by environmental activists.

  • US President Joe Biden has invited to the virtual climate summit.

  • Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin, Jair Bolsonaro and Xi Jinping * are among the guests.

  • Angela Merkel's speech caused little enthusiasm among environmentalists (

    see update from April 22, 6.46 p.m.

    ).

  • The news ticker is updated continuously.

Update from April 22nd, 6.46 p.m

.: Climate activists and environmental protection associations reacted disappointedly on Thursday to the speech by Chancellor Angela Merkel at the virtual US climate summit. The organizations Germanwatch and Greenpeace criticized the fact that the Chancellor had not sent any new messages on the fight against climate change.

“While the new US president presents his vision of climate protection as a job engine with shining eyes, Angela Merkel is reeling off tired familiar things. At the end of 16 years Merkel is the pandemic the best climate protector in Germany, "said Greenpeace boss Martin Kaiser. Germanwatch stated that the Chancellor had "missed the opportunity" to ensure more dynamism in international climate protection. Now it remains to be hoped that the Petersberg Climate Dialogue planned for the beginning of May will bring new commitments, the organization wrote.


The climate activists from Fridays for Future (FFF) called on the heads of state and government to end government subsidies for fossil fuels such as coal and oil.

Swedish FFF activist Greta Thunberg said on Thursday that the need to reduce emissions will still be discussed in 2021 and that fossil fuels will continue to be subsidized directly or indirectly.


The German activist Luisa Neubauer criticized Merkel's statement on Twitter that Germany would withdraw from coal-fired power generation by 2038 at the latest.

The activists consider this target date to be far too late.

Joe Biden's climate summit: Bolsonaro goes on the offensive - Brazil should be climate neutral by 2050

Update from April 22nd, 4:20 p.m .:

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro * announced that his country wanted to be climate neutral by 2050 - and thus bring this goal forward by ten years. Bolsonaro was previously not known for its climate protection policy, but has now vowed to work with the international community. Brazil will eliminate illegal logging in the Amazon rainforest by 2030 through strict enforcement of existing forest laws. By then, Brazil will also have reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent - that is also new. So far, Brazil had spoken of "around 40 percent". "Brazil is one of the few developing countries that sets absolute emission targets," emphasized Bolsonaro. Thanks to investments in wind, solar, hydropower and biomass, the country already has one of the most climate-friendly energy mixes in the world.

Update from April 22, 3:55 p.m.:

A curious scene during the online broadcast of the climate summit: French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macrons was simply interrupted.

“Thank you very much, Mr. President.

I now hand over the floor to the President of Russia, His Excellency Vladimir Putin, ”said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the midst of Macron's speech.

Macron continued to speak at first, then President Putin was added, but he was apparently not yet ready for his speech - and only began to speak after a while.

Macron then got a second chance later - his speech was shown again in full.

Shortly afterwards, it was said from Élysée circles that there had been a technical problem on the US side.


Update from April 22nd, 3:09 p.m .:

Russian President Vladimir Putin * takes the floor. The future will show whether the joint efforts will be enough, said the Kremlin politician. Russia is investing in its infrastructure, including its pipelines. Putin referred to a pilot program for emissions trading on the Sakhalin Peninsula that would allow the region to become carbon neutral as early as 2025. But it is not enough to avoid emissions in the future, said Putin. The carbon dioxide that has already been emitted must also be extracted from the atmosphere and stored. "Russia makes a huge contribution to CO2 storage," said Putin. His country could store 2.5 billion tons of CO2 every year. Putin also called for more attention to be paid to methane emissions. "Methane accounts for 20 percent of man-made emissions," Putin said.This has a greenhouse effect that is 25 to 28 times as strong as that of carbon dioxide. “If we cut methane emissions in half, this would correspond to a temperature reduction of 0.18 degrees”.

Joe Biden's climate summit: Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks

Update from April 22nd, 2:55 p.m.:

Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomes the US announcement that it intends to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2005.

This national goal is a clear commitment in the fight against global warming and an important signal to the global community.

In order to be able to achieve the global goals for the reduction of greenhouse gases, the world depends on the contribution of the United States, said Merkel.

It is also an important signal that the US is back at the negotiating table to tackle the climate issue.

Germany has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent compared to the reference year 1990. The Chancellor declared that the country will continue to follow this path. Germany will make its contribution to the now binding EU target of reducing greenhouse gases by 55 percent by 2030, Merkel said. The coal phase-out will also be achieved by 2038 at the latest. At the same time, Germany continues to invest in renewable energies. Last year, 46 percent of electricity was obtained from clean energy sources.

It is also of great importance to stop the loss of biodiversity and protect 30 percent of the land and sea areas, said Merkel. Solidarity with developing countries is also a central element in the fight against climate change. The industrialized nations have pledged to mobilize 100 billion US dollars annually by 2020 to support developing and emerging countries in adapting to climate change. This obligation must be extended at least until 2025, said the Chancellor. Germany has already doubled its own commitment from two billion euros to four billion euros annually. The Chancellor promised to continue to make a fair contribution.

Update from April 22,

2:50

p.m.:

Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga * announces that his country wants to reduce emissions by 46 percent by the fiscal year 2030/2031 compared to the fiscal year 2013. So far, a reduction of only 26 percent was planned. Together with the USA, Japan wants to support developing countries in decarbonising, said Siga.

The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau * also announces a new climate target: Canada now wants to reduce its emissions by 40-45 percent compared to 2005 by 2030. Previously, the target was 30 percent. Canada has made faster progress, said Trudeau. "We will make this climate commitment legal - as well as the goal of carbon neutrality in 2050." Trudeau also mentioned a pollution tax that the country was the only one in the world to introduce. His country will also put 30 percent of the land and water under protection and plant two billion trees.

Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, is prominently placed on the list of speakers - as one of the leading voices of the vulnerable developing countries.

Large parts of their land are below sea level and would be permanently lost if they rose.

At the same time it is a very poor country.

Bangladesh spends around five billion dollars each year on adaptation to climate impacts and climate resilience.

At the same time, her country is striving for a climate-friendly restructuring Hasina called on the industrialized countries to provide more financial support.

Climate Summit / Joe Biden: Xi Jinping: China's biggest climate problem is coal

Update from April 22nd, 2:45 p.m .:

China's President Xi Jinping * will be the first foreign head of state - an important diplomatic signal to China of the importance of its participation in global climate protection efforts. Xi agreed that China would work with the international community on climate protection - but insisted that industrialized and developing countries must contribute to the common commitment in different ways. China always saw itself as a developing country - even if it is now more of an emerging country. China's biggest climate problem is coal, which so far has contributed almost 59 percent to electricity consumption *. Xi said China will "strictly control" the increase in coal consumption through 2050. Coal consumption will fall on the roof. Xi reaffirmed China's 30/60 targets - emissions peak before 2030,and climate neutrality before 2060. "China will make the path from peak to neutrality much faster than other countries," said Xi. That requires a lot of effort.

Update from April 22nd, 2 p.m .:

Joe Biden's climate summit has started. Vice President Kamala Harris welcomed the participants. The US politician emphasizes that the world is united in the fight against the climate crisis. Because no country is “immune” to the danger of climate change. Joe Biden then takes the floor at the online summit he initiated. He, too, underlines the importance of a common fight against human-made global warming. And calls on the global community to set more ambitious goals in the fight against climate change. “We have to act - we all,” said Biden on Thursday at the start. The United States is one of the world's largest producers of carbon dioxide. Now you have to "step forward". Time is short, but he believes that the climate crisis can be overcome together. "We have no choice, we have to get it done",the US President finishes his remarks.

“Mother Nature doesn't wait,” says António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations.

Young people have already shown the older generation what the right way to go.

Guterres criticized that the share of spending on climate protection in pandemic recovery programs in many countries is too low.

Joe Biden's Climate Summit has begun - Joe Biden and Kamala Harris open two-day event

Update from April 22nd, 1:55 p.m.:

The virtual climate summit starts in a few minutes.

It will be opened by US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Update from April 22nd, 12:38 p.m.:

The US wants to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 compared to 2005.

President Joe Biden will present this plan on Thursday at the US-hosted virtual climate summit, said a government official in Washington.

The aim is to encourage other countries to take a more ambitious approach in the fight against global warming.

According to the information, Biden's plan provides for a 50 to 52 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions between 2005 and 2030.

Joe Biden's climate summit: Merkel, Putin, Xi Jinping and Bolsonaro take part

First report from April 22nd:

Washington, DC - US President Joe Biden is meeting with 40 heads of state and government for an online climate summit this Thursday and Friday. The meeting aims to underline the urgency and economic benefits of stronger climate action on the way to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November. Biden is expected to announce a new target in reducing his country's greenhouse gases for 2030 as a contribution to the Paris Climate Agreement *, to which he returned the US after leaving through his predecessor Donald Trump *.

The new US administration wants to put the fight against climate change at the center of its foreign and security policy and play a pioneering role.

With a new set of goals of its own, Washington wants to persuade other countries to adopt more ambitious intentions.

Environmental groups and business representatives have called on the new US administration to set a new climate target for 2030 to reduce greenhouse gases by at least 50 percent of the 2005 level.

Joe Biden's online climate summit: Merkel, Putin, Xi Jinping and Bolsonaro take part

In addition to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin *, China's President Xi Jinping * and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro * have all agreed to attend the two-day summit.

The US and China are the world's largest producers of carbon dioxide, so their efforts are particularly important.

According to the White House *, no invitee canceled.

Washington urges a global show of strength: A government official stressed before the summit that the US is responsible for about 13 percent of global emissions.

"If we want to solve the problem, we have to take action in the other more than 85 percent of the world."

+

US President Joe Biden has invited to the digital climate summit (archive image).

© Andrew Harnik / dpa

On the day before the climate summit, the European Union officially committed itself to reducing greenhouse gases by at least 55 percent by 2030 and an economy without new climate loads by 2050. If the EU wants to achieve its new goals, it will have to completely reorganize its economy in the coming years. The hope is that the US, China * and other major polluters will join in to stop dangerous global warming.

At the World Climate Conference in Glasgow, all partners of the Paris Climate Agreement are to officially sharpen their climate targets.

Otherwise the treaty goal of keeping global warming below 2 degrees - and if possible at only 1.5 degrees - would be missed.

The benchmark for comparison is the pre-industrial era.

The corona pandemic * had stalled climate diplomacy at the United Nations.

The conference in Glasgow was supposed to take place at the end of last year.

Joe Biden's climate summit: Activist Greta Thunberg speaks in front of the committee

Climate activist Greta Thunberg * is due to speak to a committee of the US Congress on Thursday. The activists of Fridays for Future have called for worldwide protests on Friday. Under the motto “No more empty promises”, the movement wants to take to the streets with creative campaigns for more international climate protection. Rallies are also planned in several German federal states in compliance with the pandemic-related safety precautions. As Fridays for Future Germany announced, the activists also want to call for an "end to symbolic politics" on Friday afternoon during an action in front of the Chancellery.

The climate activists are pressing for a clear commitment from global decision-makers to “climate neutrality as soon as possible”.

One of the core demands is that investments in and subsidies for fossil fuels such as coal and gas must come to an end.

In addition, the movement calls for a coal phase-out by 2030 and a 100 percent renewable energy supply by 2035. (dpa / fmü)

* Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA

List of rubric lists: © Maurizio Gambarini / dpa

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-04-23

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