The chief negotiator and head of EU climate policy, Frans Timmermans, said in a hastily called press statement: “We’d rather have no deal than a bad one.” However, he has not given up hope and is optimistic that the negotiators could reach an agreement on Saturday.
Timmermans called on the other negotiating partners to return the EU’s efforts to reach an agreement. The Union has made “big steps”, but other countries have not moved forward. The main issue here is the use of a pot of money to finance climate-related damage in vulnerable countries (“loss and damage”). Timmermans emphasized that the United States was acting cooperatively.
The EU negotiators have not yet seen a final text, it said. According to official planning, the world climate conference should have ended on Friday evening. It has now been extended until Saturday. An end on Sunday or no bursting of the talks seemed possible on Saturday morning.
Source: Nachrichten
