Switzerland optimistic for UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai
Published: Thursday, Nov 30th 2023, 05:50
Updated At: Thursday, Nov 30th 2023, 05:51
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Switzerland has expressed its optimism before the start of the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai. COP 28 is a great opportunity, said Swiss environmental ambassador Felix Wertli when asked by the Keystone-SDA news agency.
Wertli saw the fact that 140 heads of state from all over the world were attending the conference as a positive sign. Whether the countries will actually agree on stricter environmental goals at the conference is still open, however, he admitted. Wertli will lead the negotiations for Switzerland from Thursday in Dubai.
"Switzerland's most important concern is to keep the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees within reach," said Wertli. With the so-called "Global Stocktake", all participating countries will take stock of the progress made since the 1.5 degree target was adopted in Paris for the first time at the conference. In order to achieve this goal, new, science-based reduction targets are needed, said Wertli.
"China and the USA must make a contribution"
"Countries with high CO2 emissions, such as China and the USA, must also make their contribution to this," emphasized Wertli. In this context, a decision should also be made to expand renewable energies worldwide by a factor of three and to increase energy efficiency by a factor of two.
According to Wertli, the Swiss delegation is also working towards the adoption of resolutions to phase out coal by 2040 and oil by 2050.
According to the environmental ambassador, another important point of the negotiations is the precision of the fund for poorer countries affected by the effects of climate change that was agreed at the last COP27 climate conference. "Financing should be based on the polluter-pays principle and the fund should particularly benefit vulnerable countries and those most affected by climate change," said Wertli.
Targets not achieved at the moment
There is a lot at stake at the climate conference in Dubai. "At the moment, the goals have not been achieved," said Wertli. "If no effective resolutions for climate protection are passed at the climate conference, it will be more difficult to achieve the 1.5 degree target."
President of the Federal Council Alain Berset and Environment Minister Albert Rösti will also be attending COP 28. President Berset will attend the meeting of heads of state and government at the start of the conference. Rösti will take part in a meeting of environment ministers in the second week of the conference.
©Keystone/SDA
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