World Climate conference: We have experienced a new spirit here in Bonn

The World Climate conference was a success for the German Environment Minister Hendricks. The delegations would have fulfilled their duties – 34;d As is the spirit of Paris 34;, she praised.

World Climate conference:   We have experienced a new spirit here in Bonn

Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks has assessed World Climate conference in Bonn as a success in her final balance sheet. The 195 states had drawn up draft texts for a set of rules on Paris Convention and thus fulfilled expectations. Everyone would have to be in Bonn and want to participate, ultimately also USA, unofficially represented by several states like California. "This is spirit of Paris," said SPD politician.

The regulations must now be decided at next World Climate conference in Poland in Katowice. The statement that delegations lacked courage was "plain and simply wrong," said environmental secretary of State Jochen Flasbarth. "We have delivered what is needed now."

Coal exit task for new government

Hendricks regretted that Germany had not become more concrete about issue of coal, which had attracted international criticism. "Of course this must also stir up negotiators to Jamaica," said outgoing minister with a view to ongoing exploratory talks in Berlin. But it would have been "not decent" if it had been prejudged by next federal government.

Hendricks was confident that future federal government would sign a path for coal phase-out until climate conference in Katowice. "The new federal government will certainly have to do that."

The legislation in progress is mainly about how CO2 emissions from 195 countries will be measured and reported in future. All must apply same standards. The aim of Paris agreement is to reduce global warming to significantly below 2 degrees, possibly even 1.5 degrees.

"Here is spirit of Paris to feel"

The environmental protection organization Greenpeace missed "courage and enthusiasm" in negotiations in Bonn. The strongest impetus had come from outside, for example from Country Alliance, which announced phasing out of coal, was criticized by Greenpeace managing director Sweelin Heuss.

Also Ottmar Edenhofer, chief economist of Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), once again called for a quick coal phase-out: "The world is in coal trap – and UN climate conference has not changed this," he said. "From this coal trap, humanity must liberate itself if it wants to limit costs of climate change."

However, Conference did not only take place at World Conference Center, where delegates negotiated, but also in Bonn Zone. Many hundred events took place in tent in Rheinaue. "I have heard more often, as people have said: Here spirit of Paris is felt," concluded Secretary of State Flasbarth his minister in evaluation of Conference.

Date Of Update: 18 November 2017, 12:02
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