Government delegations around the world are now huddled behind the computer for an online meeting. Another important report from the UN climate panel IPCC will be adopted in the next two weeks.
All governments must agree word for word with the summary of the report. The big question is: how can the goals of the Paris climate agreement still be achieved? And are Russia and Ukraine still involved?
The document now to be adopted is the third part of the IPCC’s seven-yearly report. The earlier parts were published in February and last summer (see box). This gave rise to the impression that the global effects of the changing climate are already far-reaching and partly irreversible.
The third part is about the technologies and possible solutions that are available to combat climate change. For example, wind and solar energy. But nuclear energy or the capture and storage of CO2 (CCS) are also discussed. It also deals with the costs of climate policy, and what is needed to gain sufficient support for the measures.
Apologies for Russian invasion
The talks are overshadowed by the war in Ukraine. It started during the final days of the drafting of the previous report, at the end of February. The Ukrainian government delegation announced at the time that it wanted to continue talking as long as possible, and only wanted to stop if bombs were dropped. But when the violence got too close, the Ukrainians left for the bomb shelters, only to reappear at the end.
Ukrainian Svitlana Krakovska addressed the meeting. “We will not surrender in Ukraine, and we hope the world will not surrender in building a climate-resilient future,” she said. And: “Man-made climate change and the war against Ukraine have the same roots: fossil fuels and our dependence on them.”
The Russian delegation met all the time. But the chairman did apologize during the meeting for the Russian invasion. “Let me apologize on behalf of all Russians who have not been able to prevent this conflict,” he said. As far as can be ascertained, the Russian was not arrested for this.
He who is silent agrees
Members of the Dutch delegation say they do not know whether Ukraine and Russia will participate in the global meeting again this time. But if they are not there, the meeting will continue, they expect.
“In principle, each country must agree to proposed changes, because in the end the report is adopted unanimously,” explains Bart Strengers of the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. But it doesn’t mean that every country has to be present, he says. “If you’re not against, and don’t say anything, you’re in favour. That also applies to the countries that are not there. So it works according to the principle ‘who is silent consents’.”
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