It is my honour to present this statement on behalf of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock of Germany:

“Did you do everything you could?”

This is the question that our children will ask us.

Everything to make sure our planet will not be torn apart by conflicts over scarce land, food, water.

The answer is in the here and now – in the days that we have left here at COP29.

We know what we can achieve. If we take up our responsibility:

A new chapter on climate finance. Where we bring all levers into play to get the finance flowing to developing countries at the scale needed.

Germany remains committed to its promises. We will do our part.

But everyone needs to take responsibility. Transparently and particularly according to their economic strength in the here and now.

Because we cannot address the needs of today with the recipes of the 1990s.

We need the private sector.

We need simpler procedures to make climate finance accessible for those in need.

And we need an ambitious outcome on mitigation.

We need an acceleration of a just, equitable and orderly transition away from fossil fuels, tripling renewable energy and doubling energy efficiency improvements by 2030.

And we are forging ahead: Germany closed 16 coal-fired power plants in 2024.

Renewables make up almost 60% of our electricity consumption.

Our gas demand is falling and we still have one of the most stable grids in the world.

We are doing our part!

And to those all who have thoughts about turning the clock back I say: be warned!

The solutions to the climate crisis are the greatest economic opportunity of this generation.

Global investments in green energies are twice as high as investments in fossil energies today.

And no investor wants to see their investments stranded.

So let us seize these opportunities.

We want to deliver on our promise to make Europe completely climate-neutral by 2050.

Not only for our own sake.

But for all of us. That we can be the first generation that creates a world green and prosperous at the same time.

And tell to our children and our grandchildren: we did the right thing.