The presidency of the UN climate conference in Dubai has presented a draft agreement in which it discards the proposal for a “phasing out of fossil fuels”, as requested by a hundred countries. On the contrary, alternatively, it proposes “reducing the production and consumption” of these fossil energies to achieve a net balance of zero emissions by 2050 or sooner, following the indications of science.
This is stated in the draft Global Balance (key document of the summit) in which the proposal to end fossil fuels is only mentioned in the case of coal without mitigation systems (CO2 capture and storage). For this fossil fuel, its rapid reduction is urged and the granting of authorizations for new coal-based electricity generation plants be limited.
The document proposes that countries reduce their consumption and production of fossil fuels to reach a level close to net zero by mid-century. The proposal will not serve to iron out the differences between developed countries and ‘petrostates’ with less than 24 hours until the end of the summit. Saudi Arabia has so far fiercely resisted any measures to end the use of energy sources.
If adopted, the 21-page agreement would be the first to specifically call for reducing the use of all fossil fuels, including oil and gas, marking a historic change to the UN treaty governing the global fight. against climate change.
But for many countries it does not go far enough; does not address its complete elimination; it offers nations loopholes and voluntary options, and does not provide a clear message for the energy sector to be forced to synchronize with the emissions reductions needed to avoid warming above 1.5ºC.
A source close to developing countries in the talks said the text is a compromise that could serve as a meeting point. Although the term “phasing out” is avoided, the text directly addresses the production of fossil fuels, rather than focusing action on fossil fuel emissions, as Saudi Arabia claims.
“This is the first COP where the words ‘fossil fuels’ are actually included in the draft decision,” said Mohamed Adow, director of Power Shift Africa. “This is the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era.”
However, the European Union sees the text as “totally unacceptable” and disappointing because it does not refer to the end of fossil fuels.
With the options on the table for now, “I find it difficult to reach an agreement tomorrow at 11 in the morning” as the COP28 presidency wants, stated Spanish Minister Teresa Ribera, who, however, clarified that there are hours left. and even days, to try to close a pact,
“We believe that this text is insufficient and there are elements that are unacceptable. Although it has positive points, it has a major flaw in the management of energy messages in this critical decade,” said the minister, who acts on behalf of the Council of Europe, now under the tutelage of the Spanish presidency.
In this sense, Ribera explained that he is missing concepts that define a clear path on what the energy sector should do in the face of a rapid decline in emissions and what the role of fossil fuels is both in the medium term (2030) and medium term (2050).
The objective should be to agree on how to guarantee “the progressive reduction of fossil fuels until their elimination” and that access to new energy is compatible with what “science demands” to guarantee climate security, which happens because the temperature “do not grow above 1.5ºC.”
The US State Department stated that “the latest draft of the COP28 agreement needs to be strengthened, including on the issue of fossil fuels.”
“We appreciate the effort of many to produce the text, which seeks to balance a variety of interests. At the same time, the mitigation section, including the issue of fossil fuels, needs to be substantially strengthened, and the finance section contains inaccuracies that must be corrected “said his spokesperson.
The draft Global Stocktake includes a series of actions that countries could take to reduce emissions. And phasing out fossil fuels is not directly included in that list of options.
The energy section recognizes the need for “deep, rapid and sustained reductions” in emissions (greenhouse gases) and calls for countries to take action, which could include:
“a) Triple global renewable energy capacity and double the global average annual rate of improvement in energy efficiency by 2030;
b) Rapidly reduce the use of coal without mitigation measures (unabated: that is, lacking CO2 capture and storage systems) and limit permits for new energy generation without coal mitigation measures;
c) Accelerate global efforts towards net-zero energy systems, using zero- or low-carbon fuels well before or around mid-century;
d) Accelerate zero- and low-carbon technologies, including, but not limited to, renewable energy; the nuclear energy; emissions reduction and elimination technologies, including carbon capture, utilization and storage; as well as the production of hydrogen with low carbon emissions, in order to intensify efforts aimed at replacing fossil fuels without reducing emissions in the energy system.
e) Reduce both consumption and production of fossil fuels, in a fair, orderly and equitable manner, to reach net zero by or around 2050, in accordance with science;
f) Accelerate and substantially reduce non-CO2 emissions, including, in particular, methane emissions globally by 2030;
g) Accelerate the reduction of road transport emissions through a number of avenues, including infrastructure development and the rapid deployment of zero and low emission vehicles.
h) Phase out, as soon as possible, inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption and fail to address energy poverty and just transitions.”
