The former German politician and member of the Greens says that “a kind of COP related nervousness and energy” around commitments is “sometimes a bit overplayed”. For him action taken on the ground is what counts as progress. “I have to say the progress that I ve seen in agriculture, but most important in renewables in India, also on topics like methane and so on, actually quite impressive.”
Further, the impact of the two ongoing wars - in Ukraine and Gaza - on energy security and prices, coupled with the pandemic-related economic setbacks, have made the transition to a low-carbon economy ever more challenging. In this backdrop, the decisions taken in Dubai will have far-reaching consequences.
The Russian head of delegation at a major UN climate conference apologised for his country's invasion of Ukraine on Sunday, which he said lacked justification, according to several sources who heard him speak at the virtual meeting.