The Petersberg Climate Dialogue took place as planned, with over 40 countries invited, paving the way for COP30. (Photo: UN)
The 16th Petersberg Climate Dialogue was held on March 25 in Berlin, Germany. This two-day meeting will decide the agenda for the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil later this year. It highlights the ongoing commitment of countries to climate action, even after the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
On the opening day, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released a study showing that if countries set more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), it would help drive economic growth. In contrast, unclear climate policies could delay private sector investments.
COP30 pre-meeting proceeds despite U.S. withdrawal
The Petersberg Climate Dialogue is an international ministerial-level meeting focused on climate issues, with over 40 countries invited, including small island nations, economically developing countries, and G20 members.
This meeting garnered additional attention as it follows the World Meteorological Organization's announcement that global temperatures are projected to exceed a 1.5°C rise by 2024, and is the first ministerial-level climate conference after the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
Jennifer Morgan, Germany's Climate Special Envoy, expressed regret over the U.S. exit from the Paris Agreement but said the strong attendance at the meeting reaffirmed her belief in the Agreement's influence. She emphasized that "we are all here" and called for countries to design multinational cooperation plans on climate change and accelerate their implementation.
Despite the absence of U.S. representatives under the Trump administration, the meeting proceeded as scheduled. Christoph Bals, Chief Policy Officer of the environmental NGO Germanwatch, expressed hope for continued climate action, noting that “It was really a joint acknowledgement to say, 'when one big emitter moves out, that's a real problem, but we have to deal with this, and we want to do it together.”
Some believe that U.S. climate action will continue through other means. Wopke Hoekstra, the European Commissioner for Climate Policy, noted that the development of renewable energy and electric vehicles presents significant business opportunities. He emphasized that both Republican and Democratic states have committed to continuing climate policies to prevent previous efforts from being undermined.
OECD: Sustainability efforts drive economic growth
On the first day of the meeting, the OECD released a report stating that enhanced NDC would not hinder economic growth but could contribute 0.2% to global economic growth, elevating total economic output to a level similar to Sweden’s. According to the World Bank, Sweden’s GDP in 2023 was approximately $584.9 billion
The analysis, jointly presented by the OECD and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), argued that investing in clean energy and improving energy efficiency would increase productivity and innovation. Specifically, reinvesting carbon revenues could further drive economic growth while ensuring transition justice and social support. On the other hand, unclear climate policies may delay private investments and depress the economy, potentially reducing global GDP by 0.75%.
Ambitious climate policies could lift an additional 175 million people out of extreme poverty by 2050.
— UN Development (@UNDP) March 25, 2025
At the Petersberg Climate Dialogue, we jointly highlighted with the @OECD how stronger climate policies drive economic growth.
Find out more: https://t.co/Iphnz3ZeHT pic.twitter.com/qn154fzjBg
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock highlighted in a statement prior to the meeting that global investment in renewable energy last year was nearly double that of fossil fuels, and that China’s clean energy technologies now contribute 10% to its GDP. The global market for clean energy is expected to reach $200 billion by 2035.
With COP30 scheduled for November, and the original deadline for submitting updated NDCs on February 10 already passed, Brazil is urging countries to finalize their contributions by September to provide more data for the COP30 discussions. Hoekstra also mentioned that the EU plans to update its NDC targets soon, though no exact date was provided.
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