Swiss minister frustrated by COP30 deadlocks

Brazil: Cop30; Rösti, major disagreements in negotiations Keystone-SDA

Swiss environment minister Albert Rösti described negotiations at the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém as "difficult".

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Disagreement concerns in particular the so-called roadmap, i.e. concrete measures to be taken by individual states to reduce CO2 emissions. Rösti, who is in Brazil for the last stages of the summit, told Keystone-ATS.

The differences are bigger than at previous climate conferences, he said. On the one hand there are the countries that do not want to commit to a roadmap; on the other hand there are those in the West, including Switzerland, who believe that decarbonisation measures can only take effect if everyone is involved. “If we really want to decarbonise, the whole planet needs to be involved,” said Rösti.

Asked about Switzerland’s red lines, Rösti criticised the lack of ambition in the draft agreement. Furthermore, Bern cannot accept a massive increase in funds for adaptation measures in the poorest countries without at the same time setting clear and sufficiently ambitious targets for the transition from fossil fuels to climate-friendly energy sources.

“If the Paris Climate Agreement is to be taken seriously, concrete measures must be taken,” Rösti said. Otherwise, all efforts would remain without any effect on the environment. “We cannot pay without getting concrete performance in return. And we too, although a rich country, have limited financial resources.”

Translated from Italian by DeepL/mga

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