A historic agreement was reached this Wednesday, December 13 at COP 28 in Dubai. The 200 participating countries agreed on a final text in favor of a “transition away from fossil fuels (…) in a crucial decade, in order to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050”.
“We must be proud of this historic achievement.” These were the words of Sultan Al Jaber, president of COP 28 this Wednesday, December 13 in the morning. Nearly 200 countries have agreed on a “transition” away from fossil fuels to fight global warming. A decision rendered during a plenary session organized today at around 10 a.m. in Dubai (7 a.m. French time). As a reminder, only one country opposed to the text could call into question the adoption of this decision.
The agreement contains these precise words: the signatory countries undertake to “transition away from fossil fuels (“transitioning away”, close to “abandon” or “to move away” in French) and to accelerate their action “in this crucial decade, in order to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050.
While they continued all night without succeeding in producing a second version of the text, the day after the rejection of the first draft text, the sky finally seemed to be clearing up. A “historic” project according to the Danish Minister of Climate, Dan Jorgensen. But if each term has been negotiated, the agreement remains elusive on many points. “The text does not provide the necessary balance to strengthen global action to correct the course on climate change”, regrets for its part the alliance of small island states (Aosis), hit hard by the effects current upheavals. The agreement can be found in its entirety on the official event website.
One thing is certain, all fossil fuels will be affected by this text. And it is a first decision of a UN climate conference in this direction. Oil, gas, coal… No energy was excluded or preserved by the United Arab Emirates in the latest compromise that was proposed.
Please note, the “exit” from fossil fuels is not mentioned, it is indeed a “transition”, and this is very important in understanding this project, particularly in terms of deadlines and agenda to make the switch to a decarbonized world. It therefore remains to be seen what level of nuance will be required to justify this term “transitioning away”.
The agreement actually goes all out to give another scale to alternative energies – as if their development made it possible to “compensate” for future oil extraction: tripling renewable energy capacities, doubling the rate of improvement in efficiency energy by 2030, accelerating “zero carbon” and “low carbon” technologies are all commitments that are included in the new text. Calls particularly aimed at hydrocarbon extracting countries.
If several implementation documents are still awaited, all eyes will first be on the final text of the results of the Paris agreement, which envisaged reducing global warming by +1.5 degrees or even 2 degrees. Other texts on adoption of the consequences of climate change and on financial aid to developing countries are also expected, in particular to try to convince the South and move towards a consensus.