Title: Disagreements Over Fossil Fuel Phase-Out Jeopardize COP28 Summit Progress
In a tense showdown at the COP28 summit in Dubai, countries clashed over the possibility of an agreement to phase out fossil fuels, throwing efforts to combat climate change into disarray. The Saudi Arabia and Russia delegation stood firm on their position to focus on reducing climate pollution rather than solely targeting the fossil fuels responsible.
While over 80 countries, including the United States and the European Union, demanded a clear commitment to eventually ending the use of fossil fuels, negotiations remained deadlocked. COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber urged nations to expedite their work and find common ground, emphasizing that there were still more areas of disagreement than agreement.
Meanwhile, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) sent a letter to its members and allies, requesting them to reject any mention of fossil fuels in the final summit deal. This move raised concerns among climate change experts who advocate for urgent action to combat global warming.
Although China and India did not explicitly endorse a fossil fuel phase-out, they did support calls for boosting renewable energy sources. The summit also provided a platform for broader diplomatic grievances, including discussions on using frozen gold reserves as a climate damage fund and concerns over Taiwan’s participation in the talks, as well as the conflict in Gaza.
Climate-vulnerable nations warned that rejecting any mention of fossil fuels in the COP28 agreement would endanger the entire world. They stressed the importance of phasing out fossil fuels to achieve the global goal of limiting climate warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The latest draft of the negotiations revealed that countries were still deliberating between options ranging from a complete phase-out of fossil fuels to not mentioning them at all.
Germany’s climate envoy expressed concerns about the slow pace of negotiations and reminded all countries about the high stakes involved in addressing climate change. COP28 Director General Majid Al Suwaidi expressed confidence in delivering an ambitious outcome and reinforced the commitment to limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, the Alliance of Small Island States stressed the need for stronger commitments toward phasing out fossil fuels and ending fossil fuel subsidies.
In a positive development, Azerbaijan is set to host next year’s COP29 climate change summit, breaking a geopolitical deadlock and ensuring progress for the next global gathering to address climate change.
For comprehensive coverage of the COP28 summit, readers can access the Reuters Sustainable Switch newsletter.
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