The new COP28 draft text does not mention the phase-out of fossil fuels.

Monday marked the publication of the most recent draft language of the agreement that the United Nations’ climate panel intends to achieve at the COP28 summit in Dubai. The agreement contains a variety of measures that nations might adopt to cut their emissions.

The list did not include any direct reference to eliminating fossil fuels, a significant demand made by the European Union and many developing nations that are particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change.

The relevant section of the text said that the parties acknowledge “the need for deep, fast, and sustained reductions in GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and call for parties to adopt steps that might include, among other things:

(a) By the year 2030, quadrupling the capacity of renewable energy sources throughout the world and doubling the average yearly rate of energy efficiency gains around the world;

(b) Increasing the rate at which unabated coal is phased out and imposing restrictions on the ability to approve new unabated coal power generation;

(c) Accelerating efforts throughout the world to create energy systems with net zero emissions, making use of fuels with zero and low carbon emissions long before or well before the middle of the century;

(d) Accelerating the development of zero- and low-emission technologies, such as renewable energy, nuclear power, reduction, and removal technologies, such as carbon capture, utilization, and storage, and low-carbon hydrogen production, to increase the amount of effort that is being put into the replacement of unabated fossil fuels in energy systems.

(e) Reducing both the consumption and production of fossil fuels in a way that is just, orderly, and equitable to attain net zero emissions by, before, or anywhere around the year 2050 by the scientific community;

(f) Accelerating and significantly lowering emissions of non-carbon dioxide gases, including, in particular, methane emissions, on a worldwide scale by the year 2030;

(g) Accelerating the reduction of emissions from road transport through a variety of different avenues, such as the development of infrastructure and the fast deployment of cars with zero or low emissions;

As quickly as feasible, eliminating ineffective subsidies for fossil fuels, which promote wasteful use and do not solve energy poverty or transitions, should be a priority.