COP28 - Climate summit struggles to end oil and gas
Alarming facts at the halfway point of the World Climate Conference: according to the EU climate change service Copernicus, 2023 was the hottest year globally since records began. It is practically impossible for December to change this, Copernicus announced on Wednesday. At the UN meeting in Dubai (COP28), which began last week, Climate Secretary Jennifer Morgan said that Germany was continuing to fight for an "ambitious overall package". This also includes the gradual phase-out of coal, gas and oil, which is still highly controversial among the almost 200 countries.
According to Copernicus, global average temperatures were 1.46 degrees above the pre-industrial reference period from 1850 to 1900. 2023 has so far been 0.13 degrees warmer than the first eleven months of the previous record year 2016. Morgan said that in order to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees in the long term, as agreed in Paris in 2015, global greenhouse gas emissions must fall rapidly - by 43 percent by 2030.
Regarding the state of negotiations, Morgan said there was a "mixed picture" and that all ambitious options were still on the table. The sticking points, such as phasing out fossil fuels, would also be addressed at ministerial level after a break on Friday. "A good result is possible, but it won't be easy." According to information from environmental associations, the oil state of Saudi Arabia and India, which relies heavily on coal, are among those opposing a commitment to phase out all fossil fuels.
2400 lobbyists for coal, oil and gas
Commenting on the number of over 2,400 lobbyists for coal, oil and gas at COP28, Morgan said this showed how "close" the world was to a decision to seal the end of fossil fuels.
Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate said that no one should be distracted by glittering announcements at the conference with around 97,000 participants. In order to limit damage and losses, especially in poor countries, all new projects for the production of coal, gas and oil must be stopped. The success of COP28 is shown in this, not in speeches on big stages. Climate activist Luisa Neubauer from Fridays for Future also reiterated her call for the conference to formally decide to phase out coal, gas and oil.
The UN meeting is due to end on Tuesday. In recent years, however, climate conferences have always gone into extra time.
It had previously been assumed that the year 2023 would set a record for average temperatures. In mid-November, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said there was a more than 99% chance that the year would be the warmest since 1850. However, none of the relevant institutions had fully committed themselves.
Further rise in temperatures
And the planet continues to heat up. The Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), Carlo Buontempo, said: "The temperature will continue to rise - and with it the effects of heatwaves and droughts."
Only on Tuesday, the report on the global carbon budget showed that global CO2 emissions from fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are continuing to rise. They are expected to reach a record level of 36.8 billion tons per year in 2023. This is 1.1 percent more than in 2022 and 1.4 percent more than in the pre-corona year 2019.
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- The UN climate summit in Dubai (COP28) is facing challenges in ending oil and gas use, as nearly 200 countries, including Germany, are still divided on the issue.
- Jennifer Morgan, Climate Secretary, stated that the United Arab Emirates, host of COP28, is also participating in the discussions, and bold decisions must be made to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees as agreed in the Paris climate summit of 2015.
- The European Union (EU) and countries like Germany are pushing for the gradual phase-out of coal, gas, and oil, but the oil-rich state of Saudi Arabia and heavy coal-reliant India are among those opposing a complete phase-out of fossil fuels.
- At COP28, there are over 2,400 lobbyists representing coal, oil, and gas industries, and Morgan saw this as a sign of the world's proximity to a decision to end fossil fuels permanently.
- Luisa Neubauer, a climate activist from Fridays for Future, echoed Morgan's call and urged the conference to formally commit to ending coal, gas, and oil production to minimize damage in developing countries.
Source: www.stern.de
