Many countries call for nuclear expansion – DW – December 2, 2023

There is a group of about 20 states UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai Expand Nuclear power was invited. The United States, France, Great Britain and the host nation, the United Arab Emirates, signed the joint declaration. Its aim is to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

Kerry: Climate neutrality cannot be achieved without nuclear power

The group of states demanded that the capacity of nuclear power plants installed worldwide by 2050 should be tripled by 2020. US Climate Representative John Kerry made the announcement. Signatories include Belgium, Finland, Japan, Poland, Sweden and Ukraine, but not Russia and China, which have the largest number of nuclear power plants.

Kerry noted scientific reports that climate neutrality by 2050 “cannot be achieved” without nuclear power. International financial institutions have been called upon to encourage the expansion of nuclear power. It is now partially excluded in their laws. Critics point to the risks associated with nuclear power, unresolved disposal issues and high costs.

The employer International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, called for more investment in nuclear power. He told AFP news agency on the sidelines of the World Climate Conference that it was “wrong” to reject nuclear power because of problems with some projects. Obstacles to financing nuclear power plants must be overcome.

US: Fight Against Methane – Billions of Dollars in Climate Finance

In the fight against global warming, the United States also wants to make progress in reducing climate-damaging methane emissions. US President Biden’s climate adviser Ali Zaidi and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new standards in Dubai that would require oil and gas producers to cap methane leaks. In addition, bore wells should be better monitored so that unnecessary gas leakage can be prevented. The second most important greenhouse gas, methane, escapes from the extraction of coal, oil, and natural gas. Although it stays in the atmosphere for a shorter time, it is more harmful than carbon dioxide (CO2).

With these measures, the United States aims to prevent 58 million tons of methane emissions by 2038—which, according to the report, corresponds to 1.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide. Two years ago, the United States and the European Union launched an international effort to tackle the methane problem. Currently more than 150 countries have joined.

US Vice President Kamala Harris pledged in Dubai that her country would commit $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund (GCF). This is the first US contribution to the fund since 2014. The GCF is one of the most important instruments of the International Climate Fund. Financial objective…Climate protection and adaptation to climate impacts in developing countries to support. Industrialized countries have actually committed $100 billion a year to these goals starting in 2020, some of which will flow into the GCF.

Scholes: Get off fossil fuels

The Climate Convention generally says this Expansion of renewable energies anteriorly. Chancellor Olaf Scholes warned in his speech at COP28 Exiting Fossil Fuels. All must now demonstrate a firm commitment to phase out fossil fuels, primarily coal. The climate conference could set the sails for this.

There is still potential to reduce emissions within this decade 1.5 degree target Be approachable Scholes Further. The aim is to keep global warming below two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, but to limit it to 1.5 degrees if possible. Despite all the geopolitical tensions, the SPD politician insisted that we must hurry. In particular, he recommended an agreement on two binding targets by 2030: the expansion of renewable energies and doubling energy efficiency. So far, more than 110 countries have agreed to expand green electricity generation at this pace.

The president also insisted on restructuring the international financial institutions. At least some progress has been made at the World Bank. Many countries in the global South, but also China, are calling for greater participation in institutions still dominated by the West. World Bank And International Monetary Fund and new financial instruments.

Triple renewable energy

At the World Climate Conference, nearly 120 countries, including Germany, have already shared a goal of tripling renewable energy production by 2030. “I call on all countries to come on board as soon as possible,” said Sultan Al-Jaber, president of the World Climate Conference from the United Arab Emirates, in Dubai. Almost 120 countries have already signed up. This includes Germany and other EU countries. Countries have committed to increasing energy efficiency rates from around two percent to more than four percent by 2030. This means less energy is required to produce goods or services. Meanwhile, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced 2.3 billion euros from the EU budget over the next two years to “support the energy transition in our neighborhood and around the world.”

sti/se (afp, dpa, epd)