2023-12-05 19:18:37
The participants at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai have not yet been able to agree on how to deal with oil, gas and coal in the future. On Tuesday, the draft resolution on the so-called global stocktake became known, which could replace the traditional final document (shell decision). In it, the position on fossil fuels is left open for the time being; the text variants range from not mentioning the energy sources to the formulation that there must be an “orderly and fair withdrawal” from them.
A compromise variant suggests “accelerating efforts to phase out fossil fuels – provided there are no devices for capturing emissions – and reducing their use so quickly that carbon neutrality in the energy system can be achieved by the middle of the century.” .
Climate activists were dissatisfied, but welcomed the fact that “phase out” was at least an option and that there was no longer just talk of “phase down”. China and India pushed through this weaker formulation for the withdrawal from coal at the climate conference in Glasgow two years ago.
A veto from Saudi Arabia
The document also contains proposals to triple renewable energies and double energy efficiency by 2030. Here too, a consensus among all negotiating parties is not yet certain. However, the proposals are less controversial than the use of fossil fuels. Contracting states such as Germany and the EU want to stipulate the exit perspective, while sponsoring countries such as Saudi Arabia are strictly against it.
The German Climate State Secretary Jennifer Morgan once again supported the fossil fuel phase-out in Dubai: “The end of the fossil era must become tangible here at the COP,” she demanded. Riyadh, however, declared on Tuesday that it would “absolutely not” support such demands at the climate conference. Unanimity, including possible abstentions, is necessary for resolutions at the climate conference.
Hydrogen produced in a climate-friendly manner in Dubai is seen as a great hope for decarbonizing the economy. It is intended to be used as a replacement for natural gas, for example in the steel or cement industries. Hydrogen could also be used in shipping and heavy-duty transport. In order to facilitate international cooperation and trade and at the same time set uniform rules, 35 governments signed a declaration on hydrogen cooperation in Dubai on Tuesday. It states that the aim is to contribute to climate protection, accelerate the restructuring of energy systems, guarantee security of supply and promote “green industrialization”.
The initiative came from Germany, Japan, Namibia and the hosts, the United Arab Emirates. In addition to these states, many EU countries have also signed, as well as the United States, India, Brazil, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
A comment from Christian Geinitz, Dubai Published/Updated: Recommendations: 26 Oliver Schlömer, Corinna Zander and Rainer Stierli Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 1 Christian Geinitz, Dubai Published/Updated: Recommendations: 20
The goal of the declaration is to “pave the way to a global market for hydrogen”. The agreement not only allows green hydrogen produced from green electricity, but also blue hydrogen from natural gas, provided the resulting CO2 is stored. The collaboration initially consists of defining permissible forms of hydrogen and developing standards and norms, including their certification, which everyone recognizes among themselves.
The Parliamentary State Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Affairs Stefan Wenzel (Greens) said in Dubai that the alliance and trade are important for Germany because it will import two thirds of its hydrogen in the future. Wenzel represents Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck, whom the Chancellor had asked to stay in Berlin because of the budget negotiations.
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