On Sunday and ahead of a crucial week for talks at COP28, United Nations’ climate change chief Simon Stiell asked countries to team up so that they can come out with a deal and close the discussion during the event. However, disagreement remains especially on the need to stop burning fossil fuels.
Although, some progress has been made, Stiell stressed that only the maximum ambitious climate actions could mitigate these consequences. They cover topics such as ambitions on mitigation of carbon dioxide, finance and support. A new draft text of the prospective final accord document will be released by the COP28 Presidency led by the UAE.
The US together with the European Union has brought along more than eighty other nations that want to force a deal on “phasing out” fossil fuels at COP28 climate talks- something not achieved within three decades of U.N. summits. Nonetheless, stiff resistance especially from Saudi Arabia which is a prominent member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) creates some hurdles.
These talks should reach an agreement upon at least ninety-nine percent of almost two hundred nations involved. Sultan al-Jaber, the COP 28 president, will set a deadline on Tuesday giving negotiators only a few more hours to agree on the world’s first phase-out deal from fossil fuels, which is the largest emission’s contributor.
As the COP28 summit winds up its affairs, U.N Secretary general Antonio Guterre takes another breath calling on leaders to recommit towards 1.5 degrees global warming limit, end the fossil fuel age and deliver climate Justice.”
Nevertheless, strong opposition continues, led by Saudi Arabia among others, with a UNFCCC representative saying that the COP28 agreement needs to cut emissions, not target specific sources of energy. Similarly, in a letter to their members, opec urged against any language taking direct aim at fossil fuels. Fossil fuel emissions contribute significantly to climate change and yet they make up more than eighty percent or world’s energy resources.
Several OPEC or OPEC+ members like Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Iran face opposition at COP28 for inclusion of fossil fuel phase down in the final agreement. Singapore’s Minister for the Environment, Madam, noted some progress but highlighted other “significant” concerns.:
As per Fu, even though important and critical issues have been pinpointed, there are still gaps that need to be addressed. This will decide future initiatives towards tackling climate change and going away from fossil fuels across the globe.
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