Historic deal on a ‘transition away from fossil fuels’ adopted at COP28

Dubai, Dec 13: Nearly 200 countries on Wednesday clinched a deal that called for a “transition away from fossil fuels,” the primary reason for the planet’s climate crisis, at the UN climate summit here, a development described as “landmark” by negotiators but criticised by several activists for its lack of clarity. The words “fossil fuel” became part of the final document of the first Global Stocktake deal, being termed the UAE consensus, at the COP28 for the first time in almost three decades of such negotiations, which called for its transition in a “just and equitable” manner.
Adopted after nearly two weeks of hectic negotiations, it urges countries to accelerate efforts toward the phase-down of unabated coal power, which is a climb down after India and China strongly resisted the singling out of coal.
As COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber gavelled through the agreement, the room full of negotiators at the annual Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) burst into applause.
Addressing the closing plenary of the COP28, Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav said the collective efforts here have sent positive signals to the world in reinforcing commitment to maintaining the temperature goals set in Paris. “The way ahead must be based on equity and climate justice, let us implement the Paris Agreement in letter and spirit through the Global Stocktake process,” he said. The text of the Dubai climate talks calls for a deep, rapid, and sustained reduction in planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions in line with 1.5 degree Celsius pathways in a “nationally determined” manner, taking into account the Paris Agreement and their different national circumstances, pathways, and approaches. The historic document called on countries with an eight-point plan to achieve this. It includes a “transition away from fossil fuels” in energy systems in a “just, orderly and equitable manner,” accelerating action in this decade, to achieve net zero (balance between greenhouse gases emitted and removed from the atmosphere) by 2050. It also urged countries to accelerate efforts toward the phase down of unabated coal power, a marginal step up from the 2021 Glasgow deal. (PTI)