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Sultan Al Jaber, President of the COP28 climate summit, speaks at a presentation on December 2, 2023 in Dubai. COP28 is scheduled to end on December 12, but major disagreements remain between countries.
Dubai CNN –
A new draft of the key agreement at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai mentions transitioning away from fossil fuels as an option for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but does not call for countries to “phase out” fossil fuels – a phrase that more than 100 countries have been represented in supported in some form and was included in earlier drafts.
The current version calls on countries to collectively contribute to global efforts to reduce carbon pollution in whatever way they see fit. Eight options are offered, one of which is “to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems…accelerating action in this critical decade to achieve net zero by 2050.”
Countries could instead choose other options, including contributing to a global goal of tripling renewable energy and doubling energy efficiency.
Another more controversial option is accelerating technologies, including “removal technologies such as carbon capture, utilization and storage,” which would allow the continued use of fossil fuels if their carbon pollution was removed before entering the atmosphere. This technology has not been proven effective on a large scale and is currently expensive.
The draft was released Wednesday morning, more than 12 hours after the summit deadline, as talks went into hours of extension as countries negotiated language on fossil fuels and other sticking points.
The most contentious issue in these discussions was what to do about the future of fossil fuels. Some more ambitious nations and climate advocates had expressed anger and frustration at the removal of a phase-out requirement in an earlier draft.
Annual climate talks are often contentious and dragging on, but COP28 was particularly tense and there was criticism that oil interests had derailed the process.
The fossil fuel industry was granted record access to the conference, a recent analysis has found. COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber, who is leading the talks, also heads the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, which is undergoing a major expansion of oil and gas production. He has consistently rejected criticism of a conflict of interest and committed to a transparent process.
Oil producer group OPEC's secretary general, Haitham Al Ghais, last week called on members and allies to “proactively reject” any language aimed at reducing fossil fuel consumption and urged members to support language that focuses on “emissions ” focus. instead.
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Licypriya Kangujam, a climate activist from India, holds a banner during the summit session of the COP28 climate negotiations in Dubai, December 11, 2023.
Saudi Arabia and Iraq were among the countries that did not want any reference to a fossil fuel phase-out in the text, said Catherine Abreu, founder and executive director of the nonprofit group Destination Zero, told reporters in Dubai. Kuwait's state news agency KUNA said the country's delegation to COP28 also “reiterated” its opposition to an exit.
The COP28 presidency rejected criticism that the text was too watered down. On Tuesday it said it was supporting a “historic” deal that included some language on fossil fuels and aimed at “the highest ambitions.”
“We are facing the most challenging COP agenda ever,” COP28 Director General Ambassador Majid Al Suwaidi said in a press conference.
This is a developing story and it has been updated.