“It’s Sobering”

Negotiations at the twenty-seventh climate summit in Egypt, which was originally due to end on Friday, went smoothly. At the time of writing last night, the last meeting was still in progress. Nevertheless, Minister of the Environment Simonetta Sommaruga drew a first conclusion for SonntagsBlick.

Sunday view: Simonetta Sommaruga, do you think there will be a joint closing statement this year?

Simonetta Sommaruga: It was fought over all Saturday. I made countless phone calls and our delegation kept pushing for good solutions until the very end. While the initial proposals would have put us behind the Glasgow resolutions, the situation has at least improved somewhat in recent hours.

Will the statement be ambitious enough?

Even though the night is already late: I can’t say for sure yet. But it doesn’t look like we’re getting any closer to the 1.5 degree target tomorrow. The risk of losing sight of this goal at a conference in Africa, of all places, is disappointing. That would be for the poorest countries, which already benefit from the
global warming is existentially threatened, a catastrophe. But if the countries and especially the major emitters implement the resolutions ambitiously, the 1.5 degree target is still achievable.

What about the much-discussed financing of climate damage?

The Egyptian presidency has proposed a fund to help countries deal with the damage caused by climate change. But a fund to which neither the biggest polluters have to contribute anything and to which even financially strong states such as Saudi Arabia have access is not a satisfactory solution. Switzerland, together with many states in solidarity, has therefore demanded that the major polluters and the financially strong countries also contribute, and that this fund is primarily for the most vulnerable states. We fought for that until the last minute.

Were there any developments that gave you a positive feeling?

The realization that the global community must do more to protect the climate and that everyone must contribute is very widespread. Scientific findings play an important role. The situation in many poor countries and the Pacific Islands is dramatic. The problem is that some major issuers and emerging markets are trying to hide behind the poorest countries. Switzerland put its finger on the sore spot and addressed it openly.

Do you sometimes find it sobering to see how slowly the negotiations are progressing?

Of course, and how! But we also have to be realistic: the approximately 190 countries that have signed the Paris Agreement have very different starting points, challenges and needs. For example, there are the small island states like Tuvalu, for which global warming poses an existential threat. Then there are countries like Saudi Arabia, which are only rich thanks to oil, gas or coal. Or developing countries that have oil and gas reserves and now want to exploit them and get rich from them. That’s where worlds meet.

How do you ensure that you remain confident in the fight against climate change?

I stick to the facts. Science tells us: we can still achieve the target of 1.5 degrees. And I am currently experiencing a rethinking in Switzerland: the war against Ukraine has shown us what it means to depend on gas and oil from abroad. That is why more and more people want local energy from the sun, water, they want heat from the ground, because that means more energy security and at the same time it is also the best way to protect the climate.

Do you understand why climate activists are increasingly resorting to civil disobedience?

I can understand the impatience. Throwing soup at photos or sticking yourself to the ground doesn’t change that. In Switzerland in particular, you can make a change by voting yes to climate protection. Or by getting involved in politics. I would be happy if the young people who are committed to the climate are tomorrow in a city council, in the Swiss parliament or in the government. Sitting next to me on Friday was Swedish Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari – she is 27 years old.