COP28: Guterres intervenes in dispute over abandonment of fossils

2023-12-10 10:37:46

“Despite promises and commitments, our climate is in collapse,” said Guterres on Sunday at the Doha Forum in the Qatari capital. “Emissions are at an all-time high and fossil fuels continue to be their main driver.”

The UN Secretary General emphasized that there are good alternatives to coal, oil and gas: “Renewable energy is cheap, clean and infinite.” Energy sources such as wind and solar could “meet the world’s growing energy needs without poisoning our environment and suffocating our planet.”

Guterres called on oil and gas companies and “their supporters” to “use their vast resources to lead the renewables revolution.” He called on the negotiators in Dubai to agree on “deep emissions reductions in line with the 1.5 degree limit”. This is “the only path not only to climate sustainability, but also to economic sustainability.”

Disagreements during negotiations

Two days before the planned end of the climate conference (COP28), negotiations have stalled. While a new draft of the central text of the resolution was initially expected for Saturday evening, negotiating circles said on Sunday that the elaboration would probably take until Monday. COP President Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber reiterated on Saturday evening that he wanted to conclude the conference on Tuesday as planned.

The central point of contention in the negotiations between almost 200 countries is a common commitment to abandoning all fossil fuels. The climate minister of the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu, Ralph Regenvanu, told the AFP news agency in an interview on Sunday that the coming hours would be crucial to convince a “small minority of countries that are hindering progress.” Regenvanu added that he hopes that the COP28 decisions “take into account that the majority of countries want a mention of fossil fuels, a phase-out of fossil fuels.” “If it is true that all countries negotiate with good will to achieve a good result, we will also get a good result,” emphasized the minister, whose small island state is particularly at risk from the consequences of global warming Countries like Saudi Arabia.

OPEC called for a decision to be blocked

On Saturday, a call from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to block any decisions against fossil fuels in Dubai caused outrage. OPEC Secretary General Haitham al-Ghais formulated the appeal in a letter to the 13 member states of his organization and the ten OPEC+ states.

Another important negotiation topic in Dubai is a common target for adapting to climate change. Regenvanu also sees “not that much movement” here. A draft resolution on adaptation published on Sunday was criticized by many as being too vague. If the necessary measures are not specified more specifically, “this framework will remain empty,” warned Ana Mulió Álvarez from the climate think tank E3G.

The 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) is officially scheduled to end on Tuesday. However, Emirati COP28 President Jaber warned on Saturday evening that negotiators from almost 200 countries were making progress, “but not quickly enough and not satisfactorily enough.”