The Emirati head of the UN’s climate conference, Sultan Al Jaber, is pressing countries to strive for common ground and reach a “historic” deal by early next week. With negotiators having just a few days to untangle disagreements over the fate of fossil fuels, Al Jaber set an ambitious goal of having a deal in place by 11 a.m. (0700 GMT) on Tuesday, the last official day of the conference.
Al Jaber is urging the nearly 200 nations represented at the conference to work with a “spirit of compromise” and step out of their “comfort zones” to find common ground and deliver a high ambition and balanced outcome. The conference, known as COP28, kicked off last week with the landmark launch of a loss and damage fund for nations devastated by climate change.
However, the first week of negotiations ended with delegations unable to produce an updated version of a draft agreement that was published the previous day. The draft agreement includes language on phasing out fossil fuels, which is supported by the European Union, the United States, island nations, and African countries. On the other hand, there is also an option to leave the issue off the final text, a position backed by China, Saudi Arabia, and other Arab nations.
Scientists warn that greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from burning fossil fuels, must fall by 43 percent by 2030 from 2019 levels in order for the world to reach the ambitious goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Al Jaber emphasizes the importance of aligning proposals on fossil fuels, renewables, and energy efficiency with the science.
Despite concerns over Al Jaber’s position as the head of UAE national oil firm Adnoc, he has sought to ease suspicions by stating that a phase down of fossil fuels is “inevitable.” However, UN climate chief Simon Stiell criticized the draft text, describing it as a “grab bag of… wish lists and heavy on posturing.” Stiell calls for COP28 to deliver a bullet train to speed up climate action, emphasizing the need for significant commitments from major emitters.
The latest draft text includes a new phrase calling for an “orderly and just” phase-out. The inclusion of the word “orderly” could signal a consensus candidate, as it would allow countries with different levels of development and reliance on fossil fuels to have different timelines for cutting emissions.
During closed-door talks, Saudi Arabia once again opposed any mention of fossils, expressing a desire to avoid explaining their position. With divisions becoming more apparent, Europe has called for a harder line, with European climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra stating, “I want this COP to mark the beginning of the end for fossil fuels.” Germany’s climate envoy Jennifer Morgan emphasizes the need for parties to move away from their red lines and find solutions.
US climate envoy John Kerry acknowledges that there are still complicated issues to resolve but emphasizes that it is time for adults to behave like adults and get the job done.
In conclusion, the Emirati head of the UN’s climate conference, Sultan Al Jaber, is urging countries to find common ground and reach a historic deal. With disagreements over the fate of fossil fuels, negotiators have a few days to work towards a resolution. The draft agreement includes language on phasing out fossil fuels, but there is also an option to leave the issue off the final text. Scientists emphasize the need for significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and Al Jaber calls for proposals aligned with the science. Despite concerns, Al Jaber assures that a phase down of fossil fuels is inevitable. As the conference continues, it is crucial for major emitters to enhance their commitments and for countries to move away from their red lines and find solutions.
Source: The Manila Times
