Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Turkey Oppose Phasing Out Fossil Fuels at Cop28
Saudi Arabia is taking a strong stance against the decision to phase out fossil fuels at Cop28, causing tensions to rise during the first week of negotiations. In an interview with Bloomberg, Saudi energy minister Abdulaziz bin Salman firmly stated “absolutely no” to a fossil fuel phase-out. This position has been consistently expressed by Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Turkey throughout the negotiations.
The Energy Package and Opposition from China and India
The main topic of discussion at Cop28 is the global stocktake of climate policies, which includes an “energy package” of goals to phase out fossil fuels, increase renewable energy, and improve energy efficiency. While China and India do not specifically oppose the phase-out language, they are against targets grouped by sector. Both countries have shown reluctance to fully commit to phasing out fossil fuels, despite agreeing to triple renewable energy capacity in a G20 declaration earlier this year.
Negotiations and the Need for Agreement
As the first week of climate talks comes to a close, negotiators will hand over the task of reaching agreements to ministers. The draft still includes nearly 90 options to choose from, making it crucial for agreements to be reached in the second week. UN climate change secretary Simon Stiell described the current text as a “grab bag of wish lists” and emphasized the need to prioritize and make meaningful decisions.
The Impact of Cop28 on Climate Policy
The final deal from Cop28 will have a significant influence on climate policy for the next decade. The upcoming round of national climate plans in 2025 will be guided by this text, making it crucial to establish effective and ambitious goals during the negotiations.
Positive Developments and Challenges
US climate envoy John Kerry expressed optimism about the progress made during the first week of Cop28, highlighting the approval of the loss and damage fund and several informal pledges on renewables and health. However, Kerry acknowledged the challenges ahead in reaching agreements on phasing out fossil fuels, emphasizing the importance of adult behavior and getting the job done. Meanwhile, over 100 European, African, and island states signed a joint statement calling for a phase-out of unabated fossil fuels and a peak in consumption within this decade. This issue has become a rallying point for civil society at Cop28.
Options on Phasing Out Fossil Fuels
A draft of the global stocktake published during the first week of negotiations included three options on phasing out fossil fuels: a short and ambitious text, a longer text with more qualifiers, and no text at all. The middle ground includes language on accelerating efforts to phase out unabated fossil fuels and their use, without explicitly mentioning production.
Adaptation Falling Behind
While fossil fuels have dominated the discussions at Cop28, developing countries raised concerns about the slow progress in adaptation talks. Resolving talks on a global goal for adaptation and increasing finance for adaptation are crucial tasks that need to be addressed. African nations, small islands, Latin American states, least developed countries, and the Arab group all expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of negotiations on adaptation finance. It is essential for all parties to work together in the second week of Cop28 to ensure ambitious outcomes in adaptation agenda items and achieve an inclusive global goal on adaptation. Bolivia’s chief negotiator, Diego Pacheco, emphasized the need to balance efforts between mitigation and adaptation, finance, and just transition response measures.
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