Timmermans stresses personal importance at Glasgow Climate Summit • Lockdown Day Protests

On the closing day of the Climate Summit, US climate envoy John Kerry called on all participants to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade. According to him, the science is pretty clear when it comes to the necessity of this in the quest to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.

“To avoid the worst effects of the climate crisis, we must act now,” Kerry said. Major economies, which are also the largest emitters, must play an important role in this. According to Kerry, the United States, as one of the largest emitters, is ready to take on this responsibility. For example, he advocates ending subsidies for fossil fuels. Kerry says that should also be included in the closing statement in Glasgow. He described subsidies as “the definition of insanity”.

He also called on other texts in the draft statement not to be weakened. For example, changes have been made to paragraphs about short-term reductions in carbon dioxide and phasing out coal use. As for the passages dealing with reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Kerry said he believed “very deeply” that the text should be preserved. “He can’t get any weaker. He can’t turn back from here.”