The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) closed on Wednesday with an agreement that signals the “beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era by laying the ground for a swift, just and equitable transition, underpinned by deep emissions cuts and scaled-up finance.
Negotiators from nearly 200 Parties came together in Dubai with a decision on the world’s first ‘global stocktake’ to ratchet up climate action before the end of the decade – with the overarching aim to keep the global temperature limit of 1.5°C within reach.
“Whilst we didn’t turn the page on the fossil fuel era in Dubai, this outcome is the beginning of the end,” said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, in his closing speech.
“Now all governments and businesses need to turn these pledges into real-economy outcomes, without delay.”
In his reaction to the final agreement, the Director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Nnimmo Bassey, said: “Finally the COP grudgingly acknowledges that there must be a ‘transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems.’
“This is a major step, but the COP has not set concrete pathways and deadlines for this to happen. The COP still refuses to understand that fossil fuels are also a big climate issue in areas other than energy. The stubborn continued dependence on fossil fuels is based on the mythological conviction on the permanence of the petroleum civilisation.
“The COP must recognise that the time has come to halt the expansion of sacrifice zones, recognize the real burden of climate debt and call for the fossilization of fossil fuels to give the planet and all beings on it a much needed sabbath.”
At COP28, the fifth and final text of the Global Stocktake made a long overdue concession – finally including language that acknowledges the need to transition away from fossil fuels.
Environmental activists say that while this marks a collective win for and by climate vulnerable nations and the climate movement, it does not go nearly as far as it needs to, with no mention yet of how the transition will be funded fairly.
“People power has propelled us to the doorstep of history but leaders have stopped short of entering the future we need,” said May Boeve, Executive Director of 350.org, “It is frustrating that 30 years of campaigning managed to get ‘transition away from fossil fuels’ in the COP text, but it is surrounded by so many loopholes that it has been rendered weak and ineffectual.
The prize is finally on the table – a phaseout of fossil fuels and a world powered by renewable energy – but rather than clearing the way to it, we’ve been presented with yet another set of distracting doors that could still hold oil and gas expansion, and we don’t know just where the finance will come from.”
The global stocktake is considered the central outcome of COP28 – as it contains every element that was under negotiation and can now be used by countries to develop stronger climate action plans due by 2025.
