2023-12-13 11:42:31
Historic decision in Dubai. The states participating in COP28 managed to agree on an agreement this Wednesday, more than a day after the official end of this 28th UN conference on climate change. Countries around the world have endorsed a call for a “transition” away from fossil fuels, for the first time in the history of UN climate conferences.
At the opening of the closing plenary session, delegates adopted the decision prepared by the United Arab Emirates, triggering a standing ovation and prolonged applause. It is a “historic decision to accelerate climate action,” said Sultan Al Jaber, president of the UN conference. The United Arab Emirates are “proud” of the decision adopted this Wednesday in Dubai.
“We have wording on fossil fuels in the final agreement, for the first time,” he added, sparking further applause. “We should be proud of this historic success, and the UAE, my country, is proud of its role in achieving this. We leave Dubai with our heads held high. »
The document prepared by the Emirati president of the conference proposes for the first time in the history of United Nations climate conferences to mention all fossil fuels, largely responsible for climate change, in a decision to be adopted by all countries.
No exit “
France hailed “a victory for multilateralism and climate diplomacy”, through its Minister of Energy Transition, Agnès Pannier-Runacher, present in Dubai. “The text calls for the first time for the gradual exit from fossil fuels, in line with the objective of 1.5°C”, the level of global warming enshrined in the Paris agreement in 2015, said the minister. “This is the first time that all countries have converged on this point. » Emmanuel Macron spoke a little later on
The Dubai agreement is an important step.
It commits the world to a transition without fossil fuels, by tripling renewables and recognizing the key role of nuclear power. This is a first and a step forward for respecting the Paris agreement.
Let’s speed up! https://t.co/rM8y4c3YIr
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) December 13, 2023
The text, every word of which was negotiated by Emiratis, calls for “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a fair, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this crucial decade, in order to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050 in accordance with scientific recommendations. The call to accelerate action this decade was a demand from the European Union and many other countries.
By choosing the term “transitioning away”, the text no longer speaks of “phase-out” of the oil, gas and coal, a term that has for months become the banner behind which more than a hundred countries and thousands of NGOs have lined up.
“A significant moment”
“This is not the historic promise” of “phase-out” but “transition out”, it still sends an important signal. And if it is adopted, it would still be the first time that we have such words, which cover not only coal, but also oil and gas,” reacted Caroline Brouillette, director of the Réseau NGO network. Climate Action Canada, shortly before the plenary session.
“It’s ending very well, better than expected, it’s almost historic, we are designing a largely carbon-free future,” François Gemenne, member of the IPCC, said this morning on France Inter. The NGO WWF described the new draft agreement as an “improvement” regarding fossil fuels, compared to the previous version, while noting the absence of a call for a “complete exit” from fossils. But “if this text is adopted, it would represent a significant moment,” said Stephen Cornelius of WWF.
A source close to the Emirati presidency believes that the text was finely “calibrated” to try to reconcile opposing points of view, and in particular to avoid a blockage by Saudi Arabia. While deliberately leaving a little ambiguity in the wording so that everyone can find what they need…
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