Germany welcomes fossil fuel deal at UN climate summit

BERLIN

Germany has welcomed the UN climate summit conclusions, which called for a “transition away from” fossil fuels, but stopped short of “a phase-out.”

Speaking at a news conference in Dubai, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock defended the compromise agreement, saying all countries have now acknowledged that the world should move away from fossil fuels.

“Now the world has made a decision. In de facto terms, this climate conference seals the end of the fossil age. Of course, not all the points in the text are as clear and binding as we Europeans would have liked, but unanimity is needed at climate conferences,” she told reporters.

Baerbock said the conclusions also made it clear that the countries should boost investments in renewable energies to meet climate targets.

“Today's decision now clearly states that we are getting out of fossil fuels so that anyone who can do the math knows that investments in fossil fuels will no longer pay off in the long term,” she said.

After days of lengthy negotiations at the UN climate summit, 198 countries agreed on Wednesday on a text that called for “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner” to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.