Diplomacy Swiss delegation satisfied with agreement at world climate conference

The Swiss delegation has expressed its satisfaction with the agreement reached at the World Climate Conference in Azerbaijan to increase climate aid. The head of the Swiss delegation spoke afterwards of a successful conclusion. However, he was also partly disappointed.

A total of at least 1.3 trillion US dollars is to flow annually until 2035, 300 billion of which is to come primarily from industrialized countries. The 300 billion and thus a tripling of the previous amounts can be achieved, said environmental ambassador Felix Wertli afterwards by telephone to the Keystone-SDA news agency.

The money should enable developing countries to pay for more climate protection and adapt to the fatal consequences of global warming - such as more frequent droughts, storms and floods.

Contribution not yet defined

Switzerland - like all other countries - is not specifically obliged to make payments as a result of the decision taken at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29). The Federal Council will adopt a report in 2025 in which a "fair" contribution from Switzerland will be defined, said Wertli. He emphasized that it was not just about paying more money directly. It was also about mobilizing funds.

In an interview with Swiss radio and television in the run-up to the agreement, Environment Minister Albert Rösti described the expectations of developing countries as "beyond good and evil". Switzerland is already fulfilling its historic obligation by "already contributing 700 million per year to climate protection, proportionally more than can be expected of it compared to other countries", said Rösti in the interview published on Friday.

More donor countries and additional funds

To date, the traditional industrialized countries have mobilized a good 100 billion US dollars in climate aid every year. However, according to an independent UN expert group, the need for external aid is now around one trillion US dollars per year by 2030 - and as much as 1.3 trillion by 2035.

In order to raise this investment target, the multilateral development banks should also extend significantly more loans or cancel the debts of poor countries, according to the agreement. Public money and that of the banks is also to be used to leverage private investments on a large scale, which will also be counted as climate financing.

In addition, other donor countries are to be encouraged to participate. One of Switzerland's goals at the climate summit was to increase the number of donor countries investing in global climate protection. Wertli said that this goal had been achieved. The agreement therefore provides for an expansion of the donor countries to include rich emerging economies.

Disappointment resonates

The head of the delegation was disappointed with regard to the issue of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Wertli also said that the Swiss delegation would have liked a stronger message from the conference on the commitment to the 1.5-degree climate target. Federal Councillor Rösti had reaffirmed Switzerland's 1.5-degree climate target at the climate conference.

The environmental organization WWF Switzerland criticized the agreement on 300 billion dollars annually as "completely inadequate". Switzerland should have discussed a fair share of the new financial target in advance, the organization said. Hardly any progress had been made on the planned phase-out of fossil fuels either. Switzerland had campaigned for a clear roadmap, but had been thwarted by the gas and oil states in particular.

SDA