Berliner Zeitung refers to a Bloomberg/FT report from Oct. 4 noting opposing views of the West and Russia on the future of fossil energy sources.
The United States and the member states of the European Union are planning a global agreement on a precise timetable to reduce the use of fossil fuels, to be drawn up at the UN Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai in November.
But, according to the FT Oct. 4 report, the Russian government has already voiced opposition, in a statement to the UN climate body. “We reject any provisions or outcomes that discriminate in any way against a particular energy source or type of fossil fuel or call for it to be phased out,” FT and Bloomberg allege to quote from the Russian statement.
The Kremlin’s reluctance to give up its fossil fuel business, Berliner Zeitung claims, may also be due to the fact that Russia is the world’s third-largest crude oil producer. However, it is also due to Russia’s intention to continue to develop its nation. As Putin said on Oct. 11 at the Russian Energy Week: “I would like to note that last year, Russia had record-high energy consumption, and there is reason to believe that it will be broken this year. One does not have to be an expert to know that, if energy consumption grows, it means the economy is growing. In fact, this conclusion has been confirmed by other data as well.”
The Financial Times expects tough negotiations to begin Nov. 30 in Dubai.
