By plane to the climate conference

So far, the climate conferences have made little progress. And CO₂ emissions continue to rise. Those are not the best prospects for this year’s UN Climate Change Conference COP27 in Egypt.

At the start of the two-week event on Sunday, temperatures around the world were said to be the highest in eight years. According to the World Weather Organization, sea levels are rising twice as fast as they were 30 years ago. And according to researchers, greenhouse gas emissions should be cut by about half by 2030, otherwise the goal of the Paris climate conference in 2015 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees would not be met. Only: according to the states’ climate protection plans, they continue to rise.

The host has been heavily criticized

The host is also criticized, as the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” reports. The “Climate Action Tracker” portal, for example, characterizes Egyptian politics as “very inadequate”. The portal checks whether countries are helping to curb global warming.

The arrival of the participants in the alleged fight against global warming also gives something to talk about. The location of the event venue, the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh, helps attract more people from different regions that are otherwise often under-represented at climate conferences in Europe. A record number of 40,000 visitors from nearly 200 countries are expected at the climate conference.

Most of them have to fly there. Because: The tourist town on the Red Sea can hardly be reached in any other way. However, flying is the most climate-damaging mode of transport. In addition to CO₂, aircraft also emit other pollutants that promote global warming. The combustion of kerosene also creates ice clouds, which throw the heat radiation back towards the earth.

Across the Atlantic Ocean

About a hundred heads of state and government also arrive by plane. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (47) arrived on Sunday in a private jet. He waved at the cameras on the red carpet of the plane’s gangway. Other attendees include EU President Ursula von der Leyen (64) and French President Emmanuel Macron (44), who zealously shook hands on Monday. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (45) is also there. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro (59) has probably had the longest journey. He had to cross the Atlantic.

Only a few stay away from the climate conference, but are among the main tug-of-war on global warming. Among them is the Chinese head of state Xi Jinping (69), whose country has the highest CO₂ emissions in the world. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (72). His country is also one of the largest polluters of greenhouse gases in the world.