“Hope and frustration close together” – This is how the agreement was reached in Sharm el-Sheikh

Sharm el-Sheikh The German foreign minister had no illusions. “It will be an intense day, probably also an intense night,” said Annalena Baerbock a few hours before the official end of the climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. Baerbock found that none of the outstanding questions were “unsolvable”. “All states can now show that they are ready for more ambition and more solidarity.”

But a result was a long time coming. It was to take another 40 hours before an agreement was reached between the almost 200 countries: Poorer countries should receive compensation for climate damage. Many delegates had already left, and food and drinks were running out on the conference site.

The talks about support payments for developing countries were particularly muddled. The G77 group, which brings together more than 130 countries, had called for a fund to help them cope with the increasing number of losses and damages caused by drought, floods and storms.