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A historic breakthrough, but also frustration at many standstills: the two-week climate conference in Egypt has only made real progress in the fight against the looming climate crisis in terms of financial aid to poorer countries. On the other hand, the 200 or so countries made no progress in the urgently needed reduction of climate-damaging greenhouse gases – only old decisions were reaffirmed in Sharm el Sheikh. Not only environmental organizations expressed their disappointment on Sunday, but also the European Commission and the federal government.

Only after almost 40 hours of extra time did the last hammer fall early in the morning at the meeting with some 34,000 participants. In concrete terms, it was decided: New fund for climate damage

After decades of debates, the climate conference agreed for the first time on a common pot of money to offset climate damage in poorer countries. The new compensation fund should deal with the inevitable consequences of global warming, such as increasingly frequent droughts, floods and storms, but also rising sea levels and desertification. Developing countries that are particularly at risk are given preference. The development organization Care spoke of a “historic step”, but complained that essential questions will not be worked out until 2023. So no sums are mentioned. And it is also unclear who should pay. Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) wrote: “These include the largest emitters, the US, China and, of course, the EU.”

Goodbye to coal, but not to oil and gas

The states confirmed their decision taken last year in Glasgow to phase out coal. There is no mention of a farewell to oil and gas – as requested by a number of countries, including India, the EU and the US. But a few states put up “fierce resistance,” as Secretary of State Annalena Baerbock reported. That was “beyond frustrating”. The EU’s demand that global greenhouse gas emissions should peak in 2025 was also not adopted. Germany’s Greenpeace chief Martin Kaiser called it a scandal that the leadership of the Egyptian conference allowed oil states like Saudi Arabia “to torpedo any effective climate protection”. Oxfam expert Jan Kowalzig spoke of a “depressing result”.

Boost for renewable energy?

For the first time, the demand for an expansion of renewable energy sources can also be found in the final document of a climate conference. But because the future mix also talks about “low-emission” energy sources, MEP Michael Bloss (Greens) fears that this could be misused as a “gateway for nuclear energy and gas”.

Fuzzy 100 billion target

$100 billion for climate protection and climate adaptation – that’s how much industrialized countries should actually be paying annually to poor countries since 2020. To date, they owe most of the money. However, the final declaration lacks a clear plan as to whether and when additional payments must be made. The difference with the new fund: The 100 billion flow to the adjustment that is still possible, the fund is intended to compensate for the damage caused.

Also missing is the mandate for a roadmap – still included in the initial drafts – on how and when the rich countries will double their climate change adaptation aid for poorer countries – from currently about $20 to $40 billion.

Climate protection plans should be improved – but only on a voluntary basis

The final document also asks states to improve their largely inadequate climate protection plans by the next climate conference. It will take place in the United Arab Emirates at the end of 2023. The improvements remain voluntary, there is no obligation.

In 2015, the world community agreed in Paris to limit warming to 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial times. The world has already warmed up by more than 1.1 degrees, Germany even more. According to scientific warnings, exceeding the limit of 1.5 degrees significantly increases the risk of activating so-called tipping elements in the climate system and thus uncontrollable chain reactions. (sda/dpa)