Deal on transition away from fossil fuels struck at COP28

Delegates from almost 200 nations reached a consensus at the COP28 climate summit on December 13 to start the reduction of global fossil fuel consumption. 

The deal followed two weeks of intensive negotiations in Dubai, as after the hottest year on record delegates were under heavy pressure to deliver concrete progress to avert impending climate disasters.

The agreement specifically outlines the need for a gradual shift away from fossil fuels within energy systems, with a fair, organised and equitable approach.

The goal is to attain net-zero emissions by 2050. The accord calls for a threefold increase in global renewable energy capacity by 2030, hastening the reduction of coal usage, and speeding up the adoption of technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS) to address challenges in industries that are difficult to decarbonise.

The agreement does not explicitly commit to the phasing out or reduction of fossil fuels, a stance advocated by numerous countries, civil society groups and scientists. Instead, a compromise was reached, urging nations to actively contribute to the global initiative for transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems. 

Fossil fuel phase-out “inevitable” 

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the deal came after many years during which discussion of this issue was blocked. He stressed that the era of fossil fuels must end with justice and equity.

“To those who opposed a clear reference to a phase-out of fossil fuels in the COP28 text, I want to say that a fossil fuel phase out is inevitable whether they like it or not.  Let’s hope it doesn’t come too late,” Guterres said. 

COP28 host UAE President Sultan Al Jaber described the agreement as “historic”, but said the true measure of its success will lie in its practical implementation. 

"We are defined by our actions, not merely our words. It is imperative that we take the necessary steps to translate this agreement into concrete actions,” he told the plenary session. 

Despite controversy over the UAE – a major oil producer – hosting the climate summit, numerous countries welcomed the breakthrough after decades of climate discussions.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen commented that it was “good news for the whole world that we now have a multilateral agreement to accelerate emission reductions towards net zero by 2050, with urgent action in this critical decade”.

“This includes an agreement by all parties to transition away from fossil fuels,” she added. “We have agreed on reducing global emissions by 43% by 2030, in line with the best available science, to keep 1.5 Celsius within reach. This will keep us on track with the goals of the Paris Agreement, and speed up the transition to a cleaner and healthier economy.”

US climate envoy John Kerry praised the deal as a moment of successful multilateralism, aligning individual interests with the common good.

Intense negotiations 

Discussions ran into an extra day, with the deal finally announced early on December 13, as nations were divided over how far the agreement should go. 

More than 100 countries were seeking a commitment to phasing out fossil fuels, but this was resisted by members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), who argued emissions could be reduced without ending the use of specific fuels. 

Those calling most urgently for the phase-out of fossil fuels were the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) that face an existential threat from rising sea levels. 

Anne Rasmussen, AOSIS lead negotiator, said in a statement on December 13 that the deal had been passed while ASIOS representatives had not been present. 

“We did not want to interrupt you, but we are a little confused about what just happened. It seems that you gavelled the decisions, and the small island developing states were not in the room,” Rasmussen said in comments published by AOSIS. 

“The draft text you have presented to us contains many good elements … The question we have considered as AOSIS is whether they are enough,” she added. “We have made an incremental advancement over business as usual when what we really needed is an exponential step-change in our actions and support.”

The “beginning of the end” 

UN climate change executive secretary Simon Stiell acknowledged in his closing address to COP28 that the conference “didn’t turn the page on the fossil fuel era”.

“COP28 … needed to signal a hard stop to humanity’s core climate problem – fossil fuels and their planet-burning pollution,” he said.

“Whilst we didn’t turn the page on the fossil fuel era in Dubai, this outcome is the beginning of the end.” 

He acknowledged that as climate conferences are a consensus-based process, “all parties must agree on every word, every comma, every full stop. This is not easy.” 

However, he stressed the progress made at climate conferences so far. “Without them we would be headed for close to 5 degrees of warming. An open-and-shut death sentence for our species,” he said.

“We are currently headed for just under 3 degrees. It still equates to mass human suffering, which is why COP28 needed to move the needle further.”