More heat waves, droughts, forest fires and floods – the climate crisis is striking around the globe. Can the World Climate Conference in Antalya send a stop signal despite political conflicts?
Antalya. After a year of climate catastrophes, the world is probably heading for another extreme year. In view of the climate crisis that has barely been slowed down, humanity must prepare for the fact that 2027 could be the warmest year ever recorded, as the World Weather Organization (WMO) warned at the start of the two-week UN climate conference in Antalya, Turkey.
The natural climate phenomenon El Niño, which is unprecedentedly strong this time, acts like a risk amplifier for man-made global warming, explained WMO boss Celeste Saulo. “Heat waves, tropical cyclones and storms with heavy rain are intensifying faster than our historical baselines would suggest.” The current El Niño, which lasts until spring, will probably be the strongest since 1950. The phenomenon, which occurs every few years, causes extreme weather and rising temperatures.
According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, a new era of climate extremes has dawned. “And those who are least responsible for it suffer first and most severely.” Guterres appealed to government representatives at the climate conference with tens of thousands of delegates to get serious: They must reduce harmful emissions more quickly, accelerate the decision to move away from oil, gas and coal and provide the states at risk with the necessary finance and protection.
The hosts of the conference, which this time is being organized jointly by Turkey and Australia, also called for speed. Delays in climate protection are expensive, said Turkish Environment Minister and summit president Murat Kurum. Today, climate policy is also policy for development, nutrition, energy and health. “And above all, it is a policy to protect the human future,” said Kurum. “A drought in one part of the world can be felt at the dinner table in another.”
According to the WMO, the past twelve years have been the warmest since records began - and the past four years have been the four warmest ever.
The world actually wanted to stop global warming at 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial times in order to avert the most catastrophic consequences of the climate crisis. According to the United Nations, it is now inevitable that the mark will be exceeded, at least temporarily, because the world has, despite the decision in the Paris Climate Agreement, emitted too many climate-damaging greenhouse gases. The aim now is to keep exceeding the critical mark as short as possible.
According to the UN environmental program UNEP, the earth is currently heading for 2.8 degrees of warming compared to pre-industrial times by the end of the century with current global climate policy.
Australia's Climate Minister Chris Bowen, who serves as the climate conference's "president of negotiations," said experts say the 1.5-degree target will be torn down, "but we can still get back if we act together, with urgency, solidarity and determination."
Heike Henn, State Secretary in the German Environment Ministry, said that the fatal consequences of the climate crisis are being felt worldwide and also in Europe and concluded: “We have to reduce emissions as quickly and as low as possible.”
An alliance of climate protection and environmental organizations wrote in an open letter to the Turkish and Australian conference leaders that the climate conference must focus on keeping the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees alive. To achieve this, the already agreed, orderly and fair phase-out from coal, oil and gas must be accelerated. The industrialized countries would also have to specifically state their planned contributions to the new financing target.
Two years ago it was agreed that industrialized countries would provide at least $300 billion in climate finance annually by 2035 at the latest. The money is intended to help countries adapt to new extreme conditions and also reduce their own emissions.
However, many countries – including Germany – are currently reducing their spending on climate aid, even though the need is increasing significantly. Money has also become scarce due to the USA's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement: The United States was previously the largest donor of development financing. This is causing outrage and a major loss of trust among poorer countries - this is also likely to be felt in the negotiations.
Germany is also making itself scarce in terms of personnel this year: Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) will not travel to Antalya, which climate activists have criticized harshly. Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) is the only German minister to arrive in the second week of the summit. The Parliamentary State Secretary in the Development Ministry, Johann Saathoff (SPD), said that the Chancellor's absence did not mean any disdain for the climate conference. Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan (SPD) is also staying away from the meeting.
