Coninciding with the UN Climate Change Conference in Egypt (COP27), we as the traffic light coalition bring today, 11/11/2022 in the Bundestag our demands for COP27 to the Federal Government. The resolution of the Greens, SPD and FDP reaffirms the commitment nationally „to align climate, energy and economic policy in this legislature to the 1.5 degree path“ and to strengthen climate diplomacy internationally to meet Germany’s responsibility in the climate crisis.
The resolution „Treading the 1.5-degree path – taking climate-induced loss and damage seriously“ was adopted under agenda item „ZP 22“: https://www.bundestag.de/dokumente/textarchiv/2022/kw45-de-klimaschutz-920058
„This year, the COP is taking place in Egypt, a country where neither freedom of expression nor civil society engagement is possible without fear of arrest. With our motion today, the German Bundestag also calls for the release of political prisoners, respect for freedom of the press and an end to the persecution of civil society actors in Egypt. Human rights and a free civil society are the foundations for a just and effective foreign climate policy,“ said Kathrin Henneberger, Member of the German Bundestag and Green Party Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on International Climate and Energy Policy and the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development.
„We must live up to our historic responsibility to financially support those most affected by the climate crisis in dealing with climate-related damage and losses that are already occurring. That is why it is important for us to support the call for the establishment of a ‚Loss & Damage Finance Facility.‘ It is a matter of global climate justice to put in place financing mechanisms that protect people in the event of both short-term extreme weather events and long-term impacts.
A special announcement today is that the German Bundestag wants to establish a climate partnership with Colombia. Hard coal is also mined in northern Colombia for export to Germany, and in increased quantities since the war of aggression against Ukraine. A climate partnership is intended to create a joint coal phase-out and a transformation towards renewable energies,“ Henneberger continues.
This year, the COP is taking place in Egypt, a country where neither freedom of expression nor civil society engagement is possible without fear of arrest. With our motion today, the German Bundestag also calls for the release of political prisoners, respect for freedom of the press and an end to the persecution of civil society actors in Egypt. Human rights and a free civil society are the foundations for a just and effective climate foreign policy. #FreeAlaa #FreeThemAll
For us who are now going to Egypt for the COP, it is very important to stand in solidarity with the people who suffer repression on a daily basis. But also from Germany it is our duty to stand up for human rights and to work for their respect.
The German Bundestag resolves:
„to work together with the Egyptian Presidency to shape the COP27 as an inclusive and participatory global climate conference as possible and to ensure participation and demonstration opportunities for civil society actors and press representatives* from Egypt, the Global South and the Global North.“
„(…) and thus ensure that Egyptian as well as international civil society and press can exercise their right to freely and publicly draw attention to shortcomings of climate policies without fear of repression and support them in this sense.“
„(…) as well as to call on Egypt to respect human rights and freedom of the press, as well as the release of political prisoners and an end to the persecution of civil society actors, even beyond the COP;“
! Translated from German
We will only meet our historic responsibility if we provide financial support to those most affected by the climate crisis in dealing with climate-related damage and losses that are already occurring. That is why it is important for us to support the call for the establishment of a ‚Loss & Damage Finance Facility‘. It is a matter of global climate justice to establish financing mechanisms that protect people in the event of both short-term extreme weather events and long-term impacts.
Here we need tools for quick, simple and targeted financial support.
The German Bundestag resolves:
- To advocate at COP27 „to establish targeted financing mechanisms, guided by the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, to meet the demands of the G77 countries for a „Loss and Damage Finance Facility“ for damages and losses (…)“
- „Advance, together with international partners, global efforts to reduce and address the irreparable damage and loss caused by the climate crisis and fair financial support for people in the Global South.“
- „Continue to advocate at the international level to ensure that the debt sustainability of countries in the Global South is not overstretched by the climate crisis.“
The German Bundestag welcomes:
- That several banks and internationally operating companies have fulfilled their responsibility and refused to finance fossil projects, such as the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), in order to consider environmental and climate impact with their investments in new projects, in addition to respecting human rights.
! Translated from German
A special announcement today is that the German Bundestag wants to establish a climate partnership with Colombia. In the north of Colombia, hard coal is also mined for export to Germany, in increased quantities since the war of aggression against Ukraine. A climate partnership is intended to create a joint coal phase-out and a transformation to renewable energies.
Fossil fuels cause suffering and devastation no matter where they are taken from the earth. During my visit to Colombia in the summer of 2022, local civilians told me about the horrific impact of open-pit coal mines. Coal mining in the Cerrejón open pit destroys entire ecosystems and habitats of the indigenous Wayúu people who live there. People are being resettled without their consent, human rights defenders are being persecuted and murdered, and vast amounts of scarce drinking water in an arid region are being wasted and contaminated in open pit mining. As the purchaser of this hard coal, we must be accountable to our responsibility here and will ensure that the coal remains in the ground there as well.
The German Bundestag resolves:
„(…) to enter into negotiations for a bilateral climate partnership with Colombia.
! Translated from German
Already tomorrow I will arrive in Egypt. From November 12 to 19, I will be on site, meet with actors of the Egyptian civil society for human rights in Cairo on November 12 and participate in the UN Climate Change Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh from November 13.
I’ll keep you updated via my social media accounts, and I’m sure there will be a newsletter or two published during that time. So: