COP28 ends with a strong signal to end fossil fuels
Some call it a historic moment. For the first time in the history of the world climate conferences, the final text mentioned the phase-out of fossil fuels. Not in the form of a complete phase-out, as many wanted, but in the form of a transition. This text was preceded by days of wrangling over the wording.
While it was still dark here, intensive work was already underway in Dubai: Today, Wednesday morning, a new, sharpened final text was presented to the plenary and adopted the same morning. This emerged from a far less progressive text proposal, which the EU and a large number of states had rejected and also threatened to break off negotiations.
Photo ©️ COP28 / Christopher Pike
The oil-producing countries in particular, such as Saudi Arabia, stood on the brakes until the very end when it came to specifying the phase-out of oil and gas in the final document. In this respect, it is an important signal and success of this year's COP that the international community has now agreed on a wording to this effect. Conference President Sultan Al-Jaber spoke of a "historic package".
"We have not ended the age of fossil fuels, but this result is the beginning of the end"
UN Climate Change Secretary Simon Stiell at the closing of COP28
Photo ©️ COP28 /Kiara Worth
More than 100 countries (and the EU) had previously called for a clear phase-out of fossil fuels, preferably with fixed dates. This does not appear in the final text adopted in Dubai on Wednesday; instead, there is talk of a "transition away". However, the same sentence states that this transition must "achieve climate neutrality by 2050 in line with science". It also emphasizes that the transition away from fossil fuels must take place "in a just, orderly and fair manner" - this addition was particularly important to developing countries.
Photo ©️ COP28 / Christopher Pike
This decade is critical
The text also contains a call to accelerate efforts in this critical decade and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 43% by 2030 - hidden in another passage. In addition, the infrastructure for renewable energies is to be tripled by 2030 and the rate of increase in energy efficiency is to be doubled. More than 190 states are called upon to act, it is not just "proposed" - as in the previous draft text.
New in the text is the recognition of transition fuels - normally a code word for gas, according to Christoph Bals from Germanwatch. And also new is the call to accelerate the use of nuclear power and other controversial technologies.
Not an ideal text, but an improvement
Christoph Bals is quite satisfied with the outcome: "For the first time, a world climate conference, a COP, is formally calling on all countries to move away from fossil fuels. This is a strong signal for the oil countries and for all those who still want to invest in fossil fuels," he explained in an interview with ORF Ö1.
The environmental organization WWF takes a more critical view. Thomas Zehetner, WWF, believes that the wording is not sufficient to mark a turning point in international climate policy. Jasmin Duregger from Greenpeace Austria takes a similar view: "The text is not as ambitious as it could be," she says. It sends a strong signal, but leaves a back door for "false solutions".
Photo ©️ COP28 /Kiara Worth
Our pro.earth.conclusion: The fact that all countries have agreed on this text is a good signal. Considering how little time we have left to curb global warming to a level that is tolerable for us humans, however, these words must be followed by many deeds very quickly. And since the oil countries have managed to leave a few loopholes open, we will have to wait and see to what extent the global community will complete the phase-out of oil, gas and coal. The actions of the next few years will be very decisive for us humans. We hope that the existing plans to further expand gas and oil production will now be shelved and the funds used in a more forward-looking way. One can dream, after all.
