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Good morning to you – COP28 got here to an in depth final week. After our staff and delegation traveled and rested, we spent a while analyzing the ultimate outcomes of the convention. We’re diving into the outcomes for our last digest as we speak. Thanks for spending your time with us these previous two weeks!
Simply in the future past the scheduled finish of COP28, negotiators attended the closing plenaries to agree on the official consequence doc: the UAE Consensus. Let’s dive into the highest three outcomes, each from the doc and the convention itself. Contemplate these your local weather speaking factors over the winter and vacation season.
The doc requires the “transitioning away” from fossil fuels.
Sure, it is a hard-fought, 30-years-in-the-making second. In the event you bear in mind final yr’s consequence, the ultimate doc solely known as for the section down of coal and dangerous subsidies of fossil fuels. Some are calling this language, this second, the start of the tip of fossil fuels. Whereas that could be true on some stage, the doc can also be disappointing, imperfect, and never sufficient. In a time when phasing out fossil fuels is paramount to mitigation emissions and working in step with local weather science, the “transitioning away” language falls flat. There’s no naming of oil and fuel, or onerous deadlines for section out.
This language was included and agreed on within the face of large opposition from fossil gasoline pursuits — the biggest variety of lobbyists ever to attend a COP, in reality. And nonetheless, international locations on the entrance strains of the local weather disaster are rightly naming the doc as stuffed with loopholes.
The doc, in a great world, could possibly be a catalyst for the renewable vitality transition. It requires the tripling of renewable vitality by 2030 and doubling vitality effectivity. In its essence although, it’s fragile. The phrases depend on critical, pressing, and well-funded motion from the precise leaders that agreed on the phrases. Within the coming months forward of COP29, the world will probably be awaiting precise motion. Not simply phrases.
The necessity for justice is the writing on the wall.
The inclusion of “transitioning away” from fossil fuels language wouldn’t have been potential with out the strain from Indigenous leaders, island nations, activists, civil society, and international locations on the frontlines of local weather change impacts; the folks and communities who should not have time for posturing, as a result of their lives are at stake. Many have known as this COP “enterprise as ordinary” because of the lack of actual ambition in its outcomes.
Whereas the Loss and Harm Fund was realized, COP28 completed with roughly $770 million {dollars} pledged — roughly 0.2% of what frontline international locations really need yearly to adapt to excessive climate, drought, lack of life, lack of infrastructure, and different impacts. Since there isn’t any obligation to pay into the fund, the extent of belief is low; to not point out the truth that a number of the funds pledged have been repeats of current pledges.
An absence of funding total stepping into the fingers of communities on the frontlines is limiting justice-based options, leaving poorer international locations with small capability to pay for clear vitality, adaptation, and mitigation measures. And these communities shouldn’t have needed to wait 30 years for the mere point out of fossil fuels to return into play. If the worldwide neighborhood had taken incremental motion on the scale wanted 30 years in the past, lives would have been saved.
Carbon conversations are on the rise — removing, storage, and seize.
The mechanics for carbon removing, and seize and storage, are central to Article 6 of the Paris Settlement, nevertheless not a lot progress was made at COP28 to instill belief, requirements, or laws for this course of.
Starting from nature-based carbon sinks like mangroves to local weather tech like direct air seize, carbon removing is a part of the dialog. Sure, the IPCC states we have to take away carbon from the ambiance to align with the 1.5 purpose. The principle concern? The applied sciences aren’t viable but to make any large affect — and carbon removing is commonly seen as an excuse to proceed emitting, moderately than a wanted tactic in tandem with phasing out fossil fuels. If there may be any method ahead with the voluntary carbon markets, it have to be developed whereas phasing out fossil fuels and listening to the communities which can be typically those managing the idea of the carbon credit (i.e. preserving forests on Indigenous lands, and many others.)
Science tells us we’d like each mitigation and carbon removing, however the present iteration of carbon markets, carbon offsets, and methods is mistrusted, riddled with loopholes, and doesn’t comprise clear reporting throughout the worldwide neighborhood. We count on these conversations to grow to be extra charged, relating to the injustices they contribute to, throughout COP29.
For extra particular pledges, actions, and commitments made throughout COP28 crossing points from agriculture to methane mitigation, see this checklist from Carbon Temporary.
Whereas worldwide agreements are vital for funding motion, creating diplomacy, and offering areas for civil society to carry leaders accountable, the precise settlement textual content isn’t what makes motion occur. It’s the folks. The folks in management positions, in communities, on the bottom, pushing for native options like preventing air pollution, stronger requirements, public transportation, youth empowerment, schooling, justice, well being, and a lot extra.
Be part of us in thanking our COP28 delegates for his or her late nights, views, content material gathering, emotional processing, and collaboration as they have been our eyes and ears on the bottom in Dubai.
Due to all of you for studying and experiencing this COP with us.
We’re trying ahead to seeing you within the work forward!
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