Moritz Ehrmann warns

“The planet is hotter than ever before”

(Bild: krone.tv )

On the occasion of the World Climate Change Conference in Baku, Moritz Ehrmann, Director of the Austrian Center for Peace, warns in an interview with krone.tv about the current situation: "The UN Climate Change Conference has recently been held in cities that are often criticized in terms of climate policy. For example in Abu Dhabi, Sharm El-Sheikh or now the COP29 in Baku."

"After all, oil and gas are often extracted in these countries. However, it is a good idea to include these difficult countries in the climate issue," says Ehrmann.

A major problem is that armed conflicts are also taking place in many of the 25 countries most affected by climate change. For example in Libya, where the central structure has been destroyed and water resources are increasingly disappearing. A renewed withdrawal of the USA from the Paris Climate Agreement was also expected under Donald Trump. According to Ehrmann, however, this would lead to another problem: "Big countries like China and India would then say how can you in the West come to us and tell us how we should behave if you don't do it yourselves."

More and more consumption
In general, the ACP Director is sobered by the expected resolutions at the climate conference: "There won't be a big deal. Only small steps will be taken. But even these are important. Because our entire planet has never been as hot as it is now. Austria in particular is disproportionately affected by climate change. If the global average temperature rise is two percent, Austria will be affected by four degrees." A broad mix of measures is therefore needed to counteract the current situation. Above all, energy must be produced in a way that conserves resources. Part of the solution also lies in technology. However, Ehrmann also identifies a general fundamental problem for climate policy: "More and more and more and more consumption."

Watch the full interview in the video above!