The newly appointed European climate commissioner, Wopke Hoekstra, advocates for increased contributions from China to aid poorer nations affected by climate change. Hoekstra emphasizes the necessity for China to participate in the establishment of a climate damage fund, a topic slated for discussion at the upcoming COP28 climate summit.
In an interview with the British newspaper The Observer, Hoekstra stressed, “We need so much more money that we actually need everyone who can pay to contribute.” The proposed concept involves affluent nations depositing funds into the climate damage fund, allowing developing countries to address issues arising from climate change. The rationale behind this approach is that poorer nations often contribute less to greenhouse gas emissions and, therefore, bear less responsibility for climate change.
Hoekstra urges China and other emerging economies to increase their contributions, emphasizing the responsibility that comes with significant economic growth. He states, “Just because it’s fair and because the problem is so big, we really need everyone.”
As the former leader of the CDA, Hoekstra, now serving as a European Commissioner for over a month, faces the task of garnering support for the climate damage fund during COP28. The summit, set to commence in Dubai next Thursday and last almost two weeks, serves as a platform for Hoekstra to engage rich Western nations, emerging economies, and developing countries on this critical issue.
Earlier this month, Hoekstra engaged in discussions with the Chinese climate envoy to encourage Beijing to adopt more ambitious climate goals. Despite China having the highest emissions globally, Hoekstra points out that per capita emissions from countries like Qatar, the United States, and the Netherlands are higher.
Hoekstra views the COP28 meeting as a pivotal moment for the world, especially considering the current challenging geopolitical situation. The success of the climate fund likely depends on securing hundreds of millions of euros from both the private sector and governments, but as of now, few countries have made concrete promises in this regard.
