EU settles its Cop 27 position

EU environment ministers today agreed the bloc's negotiating position for international talks at the Cop 27 UN climate conference, to be held in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt from 7-18 November.

In the agreed text, which sets the mandate for the European Commission to negotiate at Cop 27, ministers tread carefully on loss and damage, but call for promptly strengthening existing institutions providing "support" and delivering "concrete" solutions.

The European Parliament last week called for greater EU ambition, including a "loss and damage" financing facility, to be agreed at Cop 27. Parliament's non-binding resolution calls for increased EU climate targets with concrete binding measures and a treaty on "non-proliferation" of fossil fuels.

Dutch climate and energy minister Rob Jetten said it is too early to talk of finance for loss and damage.

"Let's start first by recognising that there's loss and damage," he said, noting Dutch firms' contribution with "their deep experience in water management and climate adaptation". Jetten said ministers had agreed on taking an "open position" on loss and damage for Sharm El Sheik.

The conclusions forming the basis for the EU's negotiating mandate also reconfirm continued bloc and member-state commitment to accelerating energy transition by "phasing down unabated coal power generation, by phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, by rapidly scaling up the deployment of clean power generation and energy efficiency".

Commission executive vice president Frans Timmermans said there is "misunderstanding" about increased coal-burn for short-term energy security as an effect of Russia's war on Ukraine.

"Even if we use a bit more coal today, we'll be going much faster in our energy transition. On balance, emissions will reduced even faster than before," he said, stressing renewables' role in bolstering energy security.

Timmermans said the EU must be ambitious to "build bridges" with developing countries.

"We have some ideas to make sure adaptation and loss and damage are addressed in a way that developing countries see as positive," he said.

Austrian climate and energy minister Leonore Gewessler called for the EU to send a strong signal to major emitters that Europe is still sticking to stated climate ambition even in the face of short-term energy security concerns. Germany's special envoy for international climate action Jennifer Morgan wants Cop 27 to close the gap between projected emissions cuts and greater climate-finance solidarity. Specific points for Morgan were a global phase-out for coal.

"With a strong EU position, we can work together with developing countries to get to a successful Cop in Sharm El Sheik," said Morgan.

"It's really important that Europe makes clear that, even if a degree of short-term flexibility is necessary, this is something absolutely temporary for energy security reasons with some countries now increasing coal consumption," said Spain's ecological transition minister Teresa Ribera.

By Dafydd ab Iago