The Canadian Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault, does not want to make any case of the addition of the qualifier “inefficient” to the commitment made, at the COP26, for the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies.
While we adjust the last words and the last commas to the final declaration of this summit, environmentalist groups have denounced the addition of this adjective and other “ambiguous terms” in the drafts of the documents circulating. Countries would thus commit to eliminating, without setting a date for doing so, subsidies for “inefficient” fossil fuels.
At a press briefing in Glasgow, Minister Guilbeault assured that Canada will respect its commitment to eliminate these subsidies by 2023, “all” these subsidies. He said that some countries wanted the qualifier to be present, but Canada, for its part, did not think so.
This summit is the 26e attempt to find a way to slow global warming.
Mr. Guilbeault has shown his optimism about the fight against climate change. He believes that maintaining global warming to a maximum of +1.5 ° C is still achievable.
The Glasgow summit was due to end on Friday, but negotiations continued to draft a final declaration that would do everyone’s business. Everyone expected the work to continue for several more hours.
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