The president of Sunday’s COP28 climate summit called on negotiators to do more to reach consensus on a proposed first-of-its-kind deal to phase out the use of fossil fuels around the world, as the two-week conference enters its final phase. phase.
The Dubai talks have highlighted deep international divisions over the future role of oil, gas and coal, which are complicating efforts by nearly 200 countries to reach an agreement before the December 12 summit concludes.
A coalition of more than 80 countries, including the United States, the European Union and small island nations, is pushing for an agreement at COP28 that includes language to “phase out” fossil fuels, the largest source of gas emissions greenhouse. blame global warming.
They face strong opposition led by the oil-producing group OPEC and its allies.
On Sunday, seeking a breakthrough, COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber took the unusual step of calling for a “majlis” – the Arabic term for a community meeting – where delegations could speak in a forum other than the plenary hall.
“We’re at the end of the game now,” Jaber said. “I hope you won’t disappoint me”
Speaking in circular order, the delegations reaffirmed their positions, but it was not immediately apparent that the forum had produced a change in positions.
OPEC sent a letter to its members and supporters on December 6 asking them to oppose any language targeting fossil fuels in a COP28 agreement, and observers of the negotiations told Reuters that some of those delegations appeared to have heard the appeal.
“I think there are still quite entrenched positions,” said Adam Guibourgé-Czetwertyński, Poland’s deputy climate minister and head of the country’s COP28 delegation, ahead of this Sunday’s majlis.
Saudi Arabia, the largest producer and de facto leader of OPEC, along with Russia and other countries, has argued that the focus of COP28 should be on reducing emissions, not eliminating the fuel sources that feed them. they cause.
China’s top climate envoy, Xie Zhenhua, said on Saturday that a COP28 agreement could only be considered a success if it included a deal on fossil fuels, although he did not say whether Beijing would support a “phasing-out” agreement.
“The positions on the issue are currently very contradictory and China is trying to find a solution that is acceptable to all parties and can solve the problems,” he said, describing COP28 as the most difficult climate summit of his career.
A draft text published on Sunday proposes that next year’s COP29 climate summit be hosted by Azerbaijan between November 11 and 22. The text will have to be adopted by the leadership before becoming official.
Source: Terra
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