Countries taking part in COP28 climate debates must stop simply taking sides, they must aim high and agree on a way to end the “fossil fuel era as we know it”, the nations climate chief has said Unite (UN), Simon Stiell. this Wednesday, as tension mounts over the future of coal, oil and gas.
Stiell spoke as the two-week conference nears the halfway point, when the initial flurry of announcements and promises has calmed and the focus has shifted to behind-the-scenes negotiations.
“All governments must give clear orders to their negotiators. We need maximum ambition, not targeted policies or the lowest common denominator,” Stiell told a news conference.
Underlining the urgency of the climate crisis, European Union scientists said November concluded the warmest autumn (in the Northern Hemisphere) on record in the world.
Negotiators from nearly 200 countries participating in the Dubai summit are expected to hand over their work to their countries’ ministers for the next stage of negotiating a global consensus on what the final COP28 agreement should look like.
“We have an initial text on the table… but it’s a set of wishes and many positions. The key now is to separate the wheat from the chaff,” Stiell said.
With the world far behind in meeting its climate goals, Stiell urged delegations to make important progress.
“There are a lot of options on the table right now that talk about phasing out fossil fuels. It’s up to the parties to undo all of that, but come out with a very clear statement that signals the terminal decline of the fossil fuel era as we know it.” .”
On Tuesday, a preliminary version of the text presented three options on fossil fuels, ranging from saying nothing to calling for the total elimination of their use.
Source: Terra
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