US President Joe Biden has called “all countries to do more” to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, Friday, November 11, during a brief stopover at COP27. “The climate crisis is about human security, economic security, national security and the very life of the planet”launched the American president before the annual UN climate conference, which is being held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
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The war in Ukraine “only reinforces the urgency for the world to get out of its dependence on fossil fuels”, of which the United States is the world’s largest producer and consumer, he insisted. He brandished as an example his colossal plan of nearly 370 billion dollars of investments for the climate, in particular the energy transition, and assured that the United States would meet their objective of reducing emissions by 50% to 52% in 2030 by compared to 2005 levels.
“We must renew and raise our climate ambitions”, he insisted, while the current commitments of the various countries leave the planet on the trajectory of a catastrophic warming of 2.8°C, according to the UN. Is well beyond the objectives of the Paris agreement, the cornerstone of the fight against climate change, namely to contain the rise in temperatures clearly below 2°C, if possible at 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial era.
Joe Biden’s exhortation to do more is aimed without saying so at the major emerging countries, such as India but also China, whose relations with Washington have become very strained. However, cooperation between Beijing and Washington, respectively the world’s largest and second largest emitters, on the climate issue is considered crucial. Chinese President Xi Jinping did not make the trip to Sharm el-Sheikh, but the two men will meet Monday in Bali, Indonesia, on the sidelines of the G20 summit.
On another issue, insufficient aid to poor countries, on the front line of climate change, the American president, on the other hand, was very cautious, arousing criticism. Four activists also sought to interrupt the American president, uttering howls evoking coyote cries and trying to unfurl a banner before being expelled from the room.
Washington has indeed still not honored its commitments as part of the promise of rich countries to provide 100 billion dollars of financing per year to the poorest, to fight against emissions and adapt to climate change. Joe Biden, however, reiterated his commitment to an $11.4 billion contribution, but a future Republican majority in Congress could block it, even if the presidential camp avoided the debacle announced in the midterm elections this week.