The climate emergency needs better than this. It has taken almost 30 years of climate talks for the world to call on nations to transition “away from fossil fuels” in a “just, orderly and equitable manner”. Cop28’s final text was stating the obvious but it needed saying, and not a moment too soon. Ahead of the Dubai summit, the UN said that under current policies, global temperatures were on track to rise 2.9C above pre-industrial levels – nearly double the goal cited in the climate summit final declaration.
The measures agreed – to triple renewable capacity and double the rate of energy efficiency – could limit warming to the 1.5C threshold. But this relies on an equitable climate financing deal for developing countries. On this key issue, the Cop28 outcome had little to say. A report for the UN has stated that developing countries – excluding China – would need $2.4tn a year. This is a lot of money, but then what is the price of saving the planet? The US is the richest nation on Earth. It should take the lead as the globe’s largest oil and gas producer. Instead it will expand fossil fuel extraction – reckless and inexcusable behaviour given Washington’s historical responsibility.
