Climate Chancellor has become Fossil Chancellor in Germany

"Climate crisis is the greatest security risk"

At the start of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue, which is taking place in Berlin, Foreign Minister Baerbock warned of the consequences of the climate crisis.  It is about "the greatest security risk for all people".  That is why "the answers shouldn't stop at any border".  Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock has called on partner countries to act jointly and intensify their efforts against man-made global warming. "The climate crisis is now the biggest security problem for everyone on earth," said the Green politician in Berlin before the start of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue. "The climate crisis doesn't stop at any border.  That is why the answers shouldn't stop at any border," said Baerbock.

"Greatest security threat of this century"

The aim is to be able to "contain the greatest security threat of this century" together and internationally.  The Petersberg Climate Dialogue is a central building block in paving the way for a successful World Climate Conference COP27 in November this year in Egypt.  "We are all in the same boat, which means we can only turn things around together," said Baerbock last year in the Ahr Valley.  "We must intensify our joint efforts," she said.  Germany must redouble its efforts”

According to Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, Germany will not make any compromises in climate protection because of the Ukraine war and the resulting energy crisis.  Germany must re-activate coal-fired power plants for a short period of time - "but only as an emergency reserve," Baerbock emphasized at the conference in the Federal Foreign Office.  "However, it does not mean that we are giving up our 1.5-degree target." Germany must redouble its efforts.  There are still eight years left to halve global emissions of greenhouse gases, said Baerbock.  She demanded that the industrialized countries, as those primarily responsible for previous CO₂ emissions, finally have to implement their commitments to provide poorer countries with 100 billion euros a year for climate finance.  "The industrialized countries have a special responsibility."

Climate insurance for poor countries

Once again, she promoted a global climate risk umbrella.  This is a programme for climate risk insurance to compensate for damage caused by storms and floods, for example.  "We have to recognise that there is climate damage and that it is precisely the most vulnerable countries that need our solidarity to deal with it," said State Secretary for Development, Jochen Flasbarth.

The spokesperson for the Board of the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit-Association for International Development (GIZ), Tanja Gönner, also said that especially in fragile regions and contexts, the climate crisis acts "like an accelerant".  "People have to leave their homes and conflicts arise or escalate." That is why it is crucial that poorer countries receive funds for adaptation to climate change.

Criticism from Fridays for Future

Climate activist, Luisa Neubauer sharply criticized Olaf Scholz before the start of the event and described him as a "fossil chancellor".  Scholz must now present a plan on how to protect people from the climate crisis and financially support the global south, said Neubauer from the environmental movement Fridays for Future of the "Rheinische Post".  "For the first seven months of his Chancellorship, Olaf Scholz was not a Climate Chancellor, but a Fossil Chancellor - new gas production in Senegal, a fossil G7 summit, new fossil energy contracts.  That is a dramatic change."