Climate Minister Cetin is very disappointed with the outcome of the climate summit

At the same time, the minister said that a breakthrough has been made in the matter of climate damage. “This is very important for vulnerable countries that are already suffering from it, often without contributing much to climate change themselves. This step will help restore confidence between the global north and south. We hope it will make possible new breakthroughs for a real acceleration of our climate approach.”

Disappointing result

At the UN Climate Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, nearly two hundred countries agreed Creation of the Climate Damage Fund. This aims to offset damage in developing countries as a result of climate change. Moreover, almost the same agreements were struck at the climate summit as during last year’s summit in Glasgow, which is why many parties called it a disappointing outcome.

The European Union is also disappointed. The EU considers the result insufficient, says European Commissioner and Vice-President Frans Timmermans. “This agreement is very small and it’s a step forward,” says Timmermans the critic.

According to the Dutchman, many countries are afraid to make the necessary efforts to reduce climate change. In addition, he called on the participating countries to acknowledge that the agreement falls short.

The Climate Damages Fund is the only bright spot, says human rights organization Oxfam Novib. Moreover, no progress has been made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the organization notes.

The science is crystal clear

For example, no agreements have been made about phasing out fossil fuels. “While the science on this is crystal clear,” says Oxfam Novib. “Continuing with the fossil any longer means missing the 1.5 degree mark.”

In the Paris Climate Agreement, all countries agreed to limit global warming to 2 degrees and preferably 1.5 degrees. The fact that no additional agreements have been concluded, according to Oxfam, is indicative of the “serious lack of ambition and urgency on the part of world leaders”.

‘The worst was prevented, but the recession worsened’

Climate expert Bart Verheijn of RTL Nieuws describes the introduction of the Climate Damage Fund as very positive. “Because that was already hanging by a thread. There will be debate about the details in the coming years. And at a high level it was determined that it would come, but who will have to pay and how much and what countries will pay for it? The eligibility of the fund is still not clear. Developing countries will consider Anyway to enter the fund as a gain.

What is missing at the end of this climate summit, Verheegen says, are targets that are more ambitious than what was agreed upon in Glasgow last year. “You could say that the worst has been prevented. Because the previous agreements were not mitigated. But to reduce global warming, we will have to get rid of fossil fuels. And the oil-producing countries have succeeded in preventing this. Unless it is also stated in the text of the final agreement that emissions must be To be declining from 2025. Time is ticking and standing is still declining.”

On the coast of Alexandria, Egyptian beach tent owner Ayman faces the consequences of climate change. He used to have forty or fifty tables, now only two, as he says in this video: