COP30: Belgium calls for greater contribution from major polluters
At the UN climate summit COP30 in Belém, Brazil, Belgium will call for a greater contribution from the biggest polluters and a global carbon pricing system. That announced the offices of federal climate minister Jean-Luc Crucke and Walloon minister for the air-climate plan Cécile Neven, the two ministers representing Belgium in Brazil.
In Belém, Belgium will strive for a collective increase in global ambition, with specific reference to the responsibility of the countries with the highest emissions and those that produce fossil fuels.
Another focus will be on accelerating the energy transition, away from fossil fuels towards a tripling of renewable energy and a doubling of energy efficiency by 2030. The participating ministers added that “the great potential for the development of renewable energy sources lies in emerging and developing countries”.
In addition to calling for a level playing field through the global roll-out of carbon pricing, Belgium wants climate financing to be brought into line with the new target agreed at last year's UN climate summit COP29, namely the mobilisation of 300 billion dollars by 2035. This also includes “a stronger call on emerging economies to contribute more to this effort”.
Finally, Belgium is also striving for more attention to adaptation and a just transition. Minister Crucke emphasised that progress has indeed been made since the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015. In 2015, the world was still heading for a warming of around 4 degrees Celsius, but that scenario has now been reduced to 2.5 degrees.
“But let's be clear: 2.5 degrees is still too much and the consequences are already noticeable,” stated Crucke. “That is why we must maintain our level of ambition - collectively, and especially the major economies.” Minister Neven added that she will advocate for “a strong but pragmatic transition, ambitious but economically sustainable, fair but demanding”.
Belgium does not negotiate at the UN climate summits on its own behalf, but as part of the European Union, which represents the official position of the member states.
Illustration © PHOTO Ludovic MARIN / AFP
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