At the World Climate Conference in Dubai, the final declaration continues. The new draft does contain a call for a “switch” to fossil fuels. However, an exit is not explicitly mentioned.
At the World Climate Conference in Dubai (COP28) there is now a draft compromise resolution that calls for a “transition” away from fossil fuels. This means that the text presented early in the morning in Dubai was sharpened compared to the previous draft in lengthy negotiations. However, more than 100 countries, including Germany, did not push through with their demand to agree a global phase-out of coal, oil and gas.
In the draft resolution presented, the “switch” away from fossil fuels is mentioned as one of several measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The aim is to stop global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times. However, a phase out is not explicitly mentioned in the text.
Triple renewable energy capacity
The draft resolution also calls on states to triple their renewable energy capacities by 2030. Energy efficiency is expected to double in the same period. Coal is mentioned separately in the paper: it says that its shutdown should be accelerated.
The summit was extended, among other things, because of the dispute over an exit from oil, gas and coal. The conference was actually supposed to end on Tuesday. However, the draft resolution presented by the Emirati COP presidency on Monday was rejected by a large majority, including the EU. He only envisaged a “reduction” in the extraction and use of fossils.
Quick vote planned
If the new text is adopted by the conference plenum, it would be the first decision at a UN climate conference that affects the future of all fossil energies – in addition to coal, also oil and natural gas. Oil states such as Saudi Arabia in particular vehemently resisted a decision to completely abandon oil and gas worldwide.
The Emirati COP28 President Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber now wants to quickly vote on the revised draft resolution. He convened the conference plenary session for 9:30 a.m. local time (6:30 a.m. CET). At the UN climate conferences, decisions must be made by consensus. However, there will be no formal vote.
WWF: “Sorely needed improvement”
WWF’s Stephen Cornelius said the new key draft decision was a “much-needed improvement” on the previous text. The wording on fossil energies has been “significantly improved”, but is not sufficient. “For a planet worth living in, we need a complete phase-out of all fossil fuels,” he warned.
If the text were to be approved, it would be an “important moment” in his view. After years of evasion, a world climate conference would name fossil fuels as the driver of the climate crisis for the first time.
Werner Eckert, SWR, currently Dubai, tagesschau, December 13th, 2023 6:47 a.m