Beginning of end of fossil fuel era: 198 countries agree to ‘transition away’ from them

DUBAI: The 28th United Nations Conference of Parties (COP28) came to a close in Dubai on Wednesday with a historical global climate deal known as the UAE Consensus. This has kept the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times within reach. The 198 countries agreed for a transition away from fossil fuels to reach net zero by 2050, a first in three decades of climate negotiations.

After overnight ‘hard’ bargains that reportedly went on till 4 am, COP28 President Sultan Al-Jaber gaveled approval of the central document — the global stocktake (GST). Delegates stood, applauded and hugged each other.

It was clear from the final text that there were certain compromises struck, especially on coal to appease countries like India and China, who were steadfast and contested singling out coal in the previous GST draft text.

Previously, a call was made for rapidly phasing down unabated coal and limitations on permitting new and unabated coal power generation. This has now been watered down to “accelerating efforts towards the phase-down of unabated coal power”.

While some negotiating groups argued that COP28 was another missed opportunity to push for phase out of all fossil fuels, there is no denial that a decisive step was taken by calling for transition away from fossil fuels. The standout clause of the outcome document is the para28(d), which calls on Parties for “…Transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science.”

Nations have recognised that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees C with no or limited overshoot requires deep, rapid and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions of 43% by 2030 and 60% by 2035 relative to the 2019 level and reaching net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.

The UAE Consensus also encourages countries to submit economy-wide Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by the end of next year, includes a new specific target to triple renewables and double energy efficiency by 2030, and builds momentum towards a new architecture for climate finance.

In his closing remarks, COP28 President Al Jaber said: “The world needed to find a new way. By following our North Star (1.5 degrees C), we have found that path. We have worked very hard to secure a better future for our people and our planet. We should be proud of our historic achievement. Everyone united, acted and delivered.”

Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary, UN Climate Change, said COP28 needed to signal a hard stop to humanity’s core climate problem – fossil fuels and their planet-burning pollution. “Whilst we didn’t turn the page on the fossil fuel era in Dubai, this outcome is the beginning of the end.”