The UN climate agreement calls for countries to transition away from oil, gas and coal, marking the first time all fossil fuels have been directly mentioned at COP28.
After 13 days of intense negotiations in Dubai, on December 13, the 12th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) reached an agreement to prevent the impacts of climate change. climate.
“The world needs to find a new path. And when we follow the North Star, we have found that new path,” COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber said to applause, referring to the goal of preventing global warming to 1,5 degrees Celsius.
Transition away from fossil fuels
Accordingly, the agreement calls for “a transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a fair, orderly and equitable way, accelerating action in this crucial decade, to achieve net zero net by 0 is consistent with science.”
However, the draft does not mention the "phase out" of fossil fuels as demanded by Western nations and island nations most vulnerable to rising sea levels and tropical storms.
The agreement received consensus from nearly 200 countries meeting in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), after lengthy negotiations due to many controversies over fossil fuels, including There is opposition from the group of oil producing countries OPEC and its allies.
Although it does not use the term “phase out” of fossil fuels, the draft calls for efforts toward phasing out “unabated coal energy.” This means that coal can continue to be used with carbon capture technology to reduce emissions, which many environmentalists say cannot be proven.
The draft agreement also calls for “the phasing out of ineffective fossil fuel subsidies that do not address energy poverty.”
In addition, the draft calls for tripling renewable energy capacity globally by 2030, accelerating efforts to reduce coal and accelerating technologies such as carbon capture and storage.
Victory for the climate
“This is the first time the world has united around such a clear document on the need to transition away from fossil fuels. Finally, we have solved that problem," Reuters news agency quoted Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth Eide as saying.
Immediately after reaching an agreement, the United Nations and other countries called for action.
“The recently adopted COP28 agreement is a victory for multilateralism and climate diplomacy. Now we need to come up with a plan to eliminate fossil fuels" - said French Energy Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher.
Meanwhile, the US representative at the conference, Mr. John Kerry, assessed the agreement as an optimistic bright spot in a world full of conflicts.
“The fossil fuel era must end and it must end with fairness and equality,” UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres emphasized.
This is the first time after three decades of holding the COP climate summit that countries have agreed to coordinate a reduction in the use of oil, gas and coal, which accounts for 80% of global energy.
Scientists say fossil fuels are by far the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change.
*Source: Tuoi Tre