Cop 27: Envoy signals Germany is credible in coal talks – Climate Hypocrisy is in play

Germany

Sharm el-Sheikh, 10 November (Argus) — Germany’s special envoy for international climate action, Jennifer Morgan, has signalled that the recent increase in the country’s coal-fired generation is not diminishing its credibility in international coal phase-down talks.

Asked if she was concerned that the recent increase in coal-fired generation in Germany could in some way harm Germany’s credibility in international talks about phasing down coal-fired generation, Morgan said, “I don’t have concerns.”

“I know that the government is moving forward and I share that with my partners and colleagues here. And it’s very important that we can work together with other countries on accelerating the energy transformation, that’s our main focus,” Morgan told Argus on the sidelines of the UN Cop 27 climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Germany “stands by” its plan to phase out coal-fired generation by 2030, Morgan said, along with its commitment to increase the share of renewable energy in its power mix to 80pc by the same date and to put in place “massive” energy efficiency measures.

Some coal-fired plants are being brought on line “to ensure that our citizens have heat through the winter”, Morgan said, pointing to the need for Germany to replace 55pc of its gas supply, which had come from Russia before the latter’s invasion of Ukraine in February.

But “that is not a sign of any kind of change. We stand by our climate targets. We’ve strengthened them”, Morgan said.

Source: Argusmedia.com