The FRFG gave a press conference, reporting on proceedings during COP23 in Bonn. Delegates of the FRFG and the Jugendbündnis Zukunftsenergie spoke about a recently organised young people’s exchange between Germany and Fiji, the necessity of keeping the climate in good shape and their open letter (in German) to the negotiators at the summit.
We made our demands clear with a protest as heads of state and government entered the conference building on the 16th. Though Germany has so far been considered a pioneer when it comes to climate change it now seems clear that we will miss our climate targets for 2020. We need an about-turn in transport policy and to abandon coal if we are going to meet our targets. Germany’s environmental policies are under the spotlight this year thanks to our hosting this UN summit. But we have been rather reserved up until now, especially when it comes to abandoning coal, which still accounts for 40% of total German energy production. 20 other countries, Canada and the United Kingdom among them, have meanwhile formed an anti-coal alliance. Germany has stayed out. At the same time politicians in Germany are passing up the opportunity of coalition negotiations to come up with new policies for the climate and swift measures to meet our targets.
Our open letter and demonstration at COP23 protested against that in particular. Germany must not be allowed to lose its credibility international climate negotiations.
