Written by: Sunaina Chauhan
Image Source: Global Strategic and Defense News
Introduction
Every year, almost every country in the world, nonstate actors, and climate activists join in a multilateral decision-making forum on climate change. This is known as The Conference of Parties (COP) or the UN Climate Change Conference.
The Climate Conference is a meeting where the world comes together to discuss and agree upon ways to counter climate crisis such as limiting global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius, helping vulnerable communities that are adversely affected by climate change, and achieving net zero by 2050.
This time, around 70,000 delegates attended COP 28. The delegates included member states (or parties) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), business leaders, young people climate scientists, Indigenous people, journalists, and various other experts and stakeholders.
This time the themes of COP 28 revolved around-
● Fast-tracking the energy transition and slashing emissions before the adopted deadline of 2030
● Elevating the climate finance plan, by delivering on late promises and laying the framework for new finance deals
● Putting livelihoods, nature, and the well-being of all people at the forefront of the climate action plan
● Making COP inclusive to all
One of the most crucial discussions was brought up during the conference concerning the Paris Agreement held in 2015, which aimed toward limiting the rise of global temperature by 1.5 degrees. The world is currently set to achieve an increase of 2.7 degrees Celsius by 2100. The conference wanted to focus on a just transition of fuels and encourage a global effort toward combating climate change.
The conference took place in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It was scheduled to last from 30th November to 12th December 2023, but it overran by one day. The UAE is one of the top 10 oil-producing nations in the world. Sultan al-Jaber who was appointed as the the president of COP28, is the chief executive of the state-owned oil company.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the world leaders to attend the summit. US President Joe Biden and China’s President Xi Jinping did not go but were properly represented.
The conference resulted in many negative and positive outcomes but for the first time in the history of the Conference of Parties, a set of the global stocktake was concluded. The Global stocktake is a form of review where the world looks at its climate action and support plan, identifies the gaps, and charters a better course forward to accelerate climate action. The Global Stocktake is set to happen every five years.
Other topics discussed at the summit were the Loss and Damage Fund, Global adaptation goal, Just Transitions, Food Resources, inclusivity within the climate action plan, and providing resources to those adversely affected by climate change.
Overview
A lot of the participants claimed to have noticed lobbyists using COP28 to promote their oil businesses and to strike up new deals, including (and mostly) the host, which is not of any surprise considering the location of COP 28 and the occupation of the chosen president.
The declaration also ignorantly suggests technologies without (again) thinking about the consequences of such suggestions. These included carbon capture and storage (CCS), which is extremely cost-inefficient, and carbon credits which could ultimately lead to large-scale land grabbing. While the idea of tripling renewable energy capacity might sound like a viable step toward climate conservation, the document fails to highlight how it should be implemented and fails to consider its disadvantages, for example, deforestation to make space for new plants.
Loss and Damage Fund
The Loss and Damage fund is definitely on the positive side with Germany pledging 100 Million USD bringing the total up to 800 million USD, which still isn’t enough. Developing and underdeveloped countries require much more to meet up with the requirements of clean and sustainable energy. Moreover, coastal areas and small island nations have already begun to feel the consequences of climate change.
Just Transition
The usage of the word “transitional fuel” in the document, was introduced by Russia (2nd Largest producer of harmful emissions) and was added to the draft in the absence of the Small Island nations. The word allows for dangerous loopholes which allows countries to continue to do however they please. The Small Island nations were adamant about completely phasing out the usage of fossil fuels since the effects of climate change would hit them the hardest and the fastest. Since the major countries stand to benefit from fossil fuels industries and see no tangible consequences of climate change shortly, it makes sense for them to label the idea of completely phasing out fossil fuels as “unrealistic and inefficient.”
Global Stocktake
The first global stocktake and the finalization of the loss and damage fund are commendable efforts made by the conference, but in the end, they stand nowhere in helping the environment and countering climate change. We are still set on the path of crossing the global limit of temperature increase and have yet again been let down by our countries and their leaders. We have reached the same conclusion that arises out of every COP with no substantial action taking place and another empty promise of continuing meaningful discussions at the next one.
Conclusion
COP28 ended in disappointment rather than contentment. The demand raised by many climate-inclined organizations and scientists to phase out fossil fuels was reduced to a mere transition. COP28 was expected to counter the issue of not meeting the promise made at the Paris Agreement and they promptly failed to do so, mentioning a criticism of fossil fuel for the first time in its final draft isn’t nearly enough of a solution. The draft is riddled with loopholes and falls extremely short of what should be done to protect the climate.
“COP 28 was the fossil fuel industry's dream outcome, greenwashing and propaganda to make it like like progress is taking place.”
Sources
The opinions expressed and suggestions made in the article belong solely to the author themselves. Diplomania and O.P. Jindal Global University do not endorse the same.
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