Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

ENVIRONMENT

French minister ‘angry’ with big oil producers at COP28

The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is pushing against proposals to target fossil fuels at the COP28 climate summit, drawing fury from France.

Published: 9 December 2023 11:00 CET
The French Energy Minister has hit back against oil producers seeking to protect the fossil fuel industry at COP28.
The French Energy Minister has hit back against oil producers seeking to protect the fossil fuel industry at COP28. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)

French Energy Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said Saturday she was “stunned” after the oil cartel OPEC urged its members to thwart any deal targeting fossil fuels at the COP28 conference.

“I am stunned by these statements from OPEC. And I am angry,” she said from the climate conference in Dubai, adding that “OPEC’s position endangers the most vulnerable countries and the poorest populations who are the first victims of this situation”.

The minister said she was “counting on the presidency of the COP not to be influenced by these declarations, and to reach an agreement which affirms a clear objective of phasing out fossil fuels”.

OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais sent a letter to the group’s 13 members and 10 Russian-led allies this week after negotiators at talks in Dubai released a draft deal that included calls for a phase-out of fossil fuels.

In the letter sent Wednesday, Ghais urges the group to “proactively reject any text or formula that targets energy i.e. fossil fuels rather than emissions”.

The letter has drawn anger from activists and the High Ambition Coalition, a broad group of nations ranging from Barbados to France, Kenya and Pacific island states.

Spain’s ecology transition minister Teresa Ribera called the move “disgusting”.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

WINE

Italy to overtake France as world’s largest wine producer

Italy is due to regain its spot as the world's largest wine producer in 2024 as France's vineyards are hit by unfavourable weather, according to figures from each country's agricultural authorities.

Published: 18 September 2024 16:24 CEST
Italy to overtake France as world's largest wine producer

After a disastrous 2023 harvest, Italy’s production will recover eight percent to between 41 million and 42 million hectolitres, the country’s main agricultural association Coldiretti said on Wednesday.

The French agriculture ministry had estimated earlier this month that French production will fall 18 percent to 39.3 million hectolitres.

Coldiretti noted that this year’s output in Italy still remains well under the average of recent years, as different parts of the country cope with either heavy rains or drought.

Since 2007, Italy has been the world’s top producer each year apart from 2011, 2014 and 2023, when it was pipped by France, according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV).

Coldiretti said Italy is “divided in two” with the north hit by “intense rain and hail in spring and early summer”, while large parts of the south and Sicily have faced drought.

Heat and lack of rain led to particularly early harvests in some parts of the country.

In France, the steepest fall is expected in the eastern Jura mountain range where frosts and mildew are expected to result in a 71 percent drop in output.

In terms of volume, the biggest drop will be in the western Charente region where production will fall 35 percent.

Output is expected to fall by 30 percent in the Loire Valley and by a quarter in the Burgundy-Beaujolais area, which was hit by severe hail.

SHOW COMMENTS