US climate envoy warns of ‘dangerous’ business as usual approach
John Kerry, the US special presidential envoy for climate, has warned the UK and Germany against a “business as usual” approach to fossil fuels, amid the escalating tensions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Kerry said that the war in Ukraine should not be used as an excuse to prolong the global reliance on coal, oil and gas, which are the main drivers of climate change.
Speaking at a press conference in London, Kerry said that the world was facing a “critical moment” in the fight against global warming, and urged the UK and Germany to show leadership by phasing out their coal-fired power plants and increasing their renewable energy sources. He said that even if all countries delivered on their commitments to the Paris Agreement, the global average temperature would still rise by 2.5 or 3 degrees Celsius (4.5 to 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit), or even more.
“We can still win this battle, but it will require a wholesale elevation of effort by countries all around the world,” Kerry said. “We have to move faster, we have to be bolder, we have to be more ambitious.”
UK and Germany under pressure to end coal use
The UK and Germany are among the largest consumers of coal in Europe, and have faced criticism for their slow progress in transitioning to cleaner energy sources. The UK has pledged to phase out coal by 2024, but still relies on it for about 2% of its electricity generation. Germany has set a target of 2038 to end coal use, but coal accounts for about 25% of its power supply.
Both countries have also been accused of undermining their climate goals by supporting new fossil fuel projects, such as the controversial Cambo oil field in the North Sea and the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. Kerry said that these projects were “inconsistent” with the Paris Agreement, and called on the UK and Germany to reconsider their support for them.
Kerry also said that the UK and Germany should not use the war in Ukraine as a justification for increasing their dependence on fossil fuels, as this would only worsen the climate crisis and the security risks. He said that the US was working with its allies to provide alternative energy sources to Ukraine and other European countries, and to impose sanctions on Russia for its aggression.
“If countries extend their reliance on coal in response to the war, then we are cooked,” Kerry said. “We have to make sure that we don’t let this crisis distract us from the bigger crisis that we face, which is the climate crisis.”
Kerry praises UK’s COP26 presidency
Despite his criticism of the UK’s fossil fuel policies, Kerry praised the UK’s role as the host of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow last November, where nearly 200 countries agreed to a pact to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Kerry said that the UK’s COP26 president, Alok Sharma, had done a “remarkable job” in securing the agreement, and that the US and the UK had worked closely together to push for stronger action from other countries.
Kerry said that the Glasgow Climate Pact was a “historic achievement”, but also acknowledged that it was not enough to solve the climate crisis. He said that the pact had to be followed by concrete actions from all countries, especially the major emitters, to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and to provide financial and technical support to the developing countries that are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Kerry said that the US was committed to leading by example, and that President Joe Biden had taken several steps to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy, such as rejoining the Paris Agreement, setting a target of net-zero emissions by 2050, and proposing a $2 trillion infrastructure plan that would invest in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and energy efficiency. He also said that the US was working with China, the world’s largest emitter, to cooperate on climate issues, despite their differences on other matters.
Kerry said that the next major test for the global climate action would be the COP27 summit in Egypt later this year, where countries are expected to submit new and more ambitious plans to cut their emissions by 2030. He said that the US would continue to work with the UK and other partners to ensure that the summit delivers on the promises made in Glasgow, and that the world stays on track to achieve the 1.5 degree goal.
“We have a window of opportunity to make a difference, but it is closing fast,” Kerry said. “We have to act now, or we will face the consequences of our inaction.”
