COP28 climate summit ends with deal to transition away from fossil fuels
PUBLISHED WED, DEC 13 20232:32 AM ESTUPDATED WED, DEC 13 20239:51 AM EST
Government ministers representing nearly 200 countries on Wednesday agreed to a deal that calls for a transition away from fossil fuels, after a previous proposal was met with heated and widespread backlash.
“With an unprecedented reference to transitioning away from all fossil fuels, The UAE Consensus is delivering a paradigm shift that has the potential to redefine our economies,” the summit’s UAE presidency said on social media.
The latest proposal published by the UAE earlier on Wednesday called for “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science.”
COP28 president Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber speaks during the Transforming Food Systems in the Face of Climate Change event on the sidelines of the COP28 climate summit at Dubai Expo on December 1, 2023.
COP28 president Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber speaks during the Transforming Food Systems in the Face of Climate Change event on the sidelines of the COP28 climate summit at Dubai Expo on December 1, 2023.
Ludovic Marin | Afp | Getty Images
Government ministers representing nearly 200 countries on Wednesday agreed to a deal that calls for a transition away from fossil fuels, after a previous proposal was met with heated and widespread backlash.
“With an unprecedented reference to transitioning away from all fossil fuels, The UAE Consensus is delivering a paradigm shift that has the potential to redefine our economies,” the summit’s UAE presidency said on social media. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has been hosting the conference for the past two weeks against a backdrop of controversy, geopolitical conflicts and increasing extreme weather events.
“We delivered world first after world first,” the UAE summit presidency said in a further social media update.
“A global goal to triple renewables and double energy efficiency. Declarations on agriculture, food and health. More oil and gas companies stepping up for the first time on methane and emissions. And we have language on fossil fuels in our final agreement.”
An updated proposal published by the UAE earlier Wednesday, which was agreed on after all-night discussions, called for a “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science.”
The draft deal text also urged for “accelerating efforts towards the phase-down of unabated coal power” and for “tripling renewable energy capacity globally and doubling the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030.”
Critically, the proposal did not mandate an absolute phase-out of hydrocarbons.
COP28 summit ends with deal to transition away from fossil fuelsWATCH NOW
VIDEO04:30
COP28 summit ends with deal to transition away from fossil fuels
A “phase-out” commitment would likely have required a shift away from fossil fuels until their use is eliminated, while a “phase-down” agreement would have indicated a reduction in their use — but not an absolute end.
Many believed the COP28 summit could only be considered a success if it resulted in a deal to phase out all fossil fuels. On Monday, one young climate activist burst onto the stage to call for action on this issue. Licypriya Kangujam, 12, interrupted a presidency event while holding a sign that read: “End fossil fuel. Save our planet and our future.”
The burning of coal, oil and gas is the largest contributor to climate change, accounting for more than three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Indian environmental activist Licypriya Kangujam holds up a sign that reads: “End Fossil Fuel. Save Our Planet And Our Future” after running onto the stage during a High-Level Event on day eleven of the UNFCCC COP28 Climate Conference as negotiations go into their final phase on December 11, 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Sean Gallup | Getty Images News | Getty Images
The Wednesday announcement comes after a previous draft text published in the final throes of the talks triggered widespread criticism for failing to include language on ending the use of fossil fuels, as negotiations laid bare deep divisions among policymakers over the future of hydrocarbons.
The draft proposal of Monday suggested a range of options for countries to accelerate climate action but, crucially, it omitted language regarding a phase-out or phase down of fossil fuels.
Arduous talks ensued, with Wopke Hoekstra, EU commissioner for climate action, describing “various phases of hope, sometimes also of despair” throughout the talks.
“One of the things that truly made a difference, I feel, is the tremendous amount of diplomacy we have deployed and the bridge building we did with our friends in the Pacific and the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, and Asia and, of course, also North America to make sure that that supermajority … would show what it needs in terms of mitigation of human products,” he added.
PUBLISHED WED, DEC 13 20232:32 AM ESTUPDATED WED, DEC 13 20239:51 AM EST
Government ministers representing nearly 200 countries on Wednesday agreed to a deal that calls for a transition away from fossil fuels, after a previous proposal was met with heated and widespread backlash.
“With an unprecedented reference to transitioning away from all fossil fuels, The UAE Consensus is delivering a paradigm shift that has the potential to redefine our economies,” the summit’s UAE presidency said on social media.
The latest proposal published by the UAE earlier on Wednesday called for “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science.”
COP28 president Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber speaks during the Transforming Food Systems in the Face of Climate Change event on the sidelines of the COP28 climate summit at Dubai Expo on December 1, 2023.
COP28 president Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber speaks during the Transforming Food Systems in the Face of Climate Change event on the sidelines of the COP28 climate summit at Dubai Expo on December 1, 2023.
Ludovic Marin | Afp | Getty Images
Government ministers representing nearly 200 countries on Wednesday agreed to a deal that calls for a transition away from fossil fuels, after a previous proposal was met with heated and widespread backlash.
“With an unprecedented reference to transitioning away from all fossil fuels, The UAE Consensus is delivering a paradigm shift that has the potential to redefine our economies,” the summit’s UAE presidency said on social media. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has been hosting the conference for the past two weeks against a backdrop of controversy, geopolitical conflicts and increasing extreme weather events.
“We delivered world first after world first,” the UAE summit presidency said in a further social media update.
“A global goal to triple renewables and double energy efficiency. Declarations on agriculture, food and health. More oil and gas companies stepping up for the first time on methane and emissions. And we have language on fossil fuels in our final agreement.”
An updated proposal published by the UAE earlier Wednesday, which was agreed on after all-night discussions, called for a “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science.”
The draft deal text also urged for “accelerating efforts towards the phase-down of unabated coal power” and for “tripling renewable energy capacity globally and doubling the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030.”
Critically, the proposal did not mandate an absolute phase-out of hydrocarbons.
COP28 summit ends with deal to transition away from fossil fuelsWATCH NOW
VIDEO04:30
COP28 summit ends with deal to transition away from fossil fuels
A “phase-out” commitment would likely have required a shift away from fossil fuels until their use is eliminated, while a “phase-down” agreement would have indicated a reduction in their use — but not an absolute end.
Many believed the COP28 summit could only be considered a success if it resulted in a deal to phase out all fossil fuels. On Monday, one young climate activist burst onto the stage to call for action on this issue. Licypriya Kangujam, 12, interrupted a presidency event while holding a sign that read: “End fossil fuel. Save our planet and our future.”
The burning of coal, oil and gas is the largest contributor to climate change, accounting for more than three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Indian environmental activist Licypriya Kangujam holds up a sign that reads: “End Fossil Fuel. Save Our Planet And Our Future” after running onto the stage during a High-Level Event on day eleven of the UNFCCC COP28 Climate Conference as negotiations go into their final phase on December 11, 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Sean Gallup | Getty Images News | Getty Images
The Wednesday announcement comes after a previous draft text published in the final throes of the talks triggered widespread criticism for failing to include language on ending the use of fossil fuels, as negotiations laid bare deep divisions among policymakers over the future of hydrocarbons.
The draft proposal of Monday suggested a range of options for countries to accelerate climate action but, crucially, it omitted language regarding a phase-out or phase down of fossil fuels.
Arduous talks ensued, with Wopke Hoekstra, EU commissioner for climate action, describing “various phases of hope, sometimes also of despair” throughout the talks.
“One of the things that truly made a difference, I feel, is the tremendous amount of diplomacy we have deployed and the bridge building we did with our friends in the Pacific and the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, and Asia and, of course, also North America to make sure that that supermajority … would show what it needs in terms of mitigation of human products,” he added.
