BREAKTHROUGH AT WORLD CLIMATE SUMMIT MARKS THE END OF THE FOSSIL FUEL ERA

The World Climate Summit (COP28) ends with a breakthrough towards phasing out oil, coal and gas in energy systems. The presidency of the United Arab Emirates threatened to gamble away the trust it had built up by setting up the Loss and Damage Fund at the start of the conference. In a first draft of the final document, the central demand for a phase-out of fossil fuels was no longer included. Following an international outcry, the negotiations and negotiators now call for the first time in history for “transitioning away from fossil fuels in the final outcome document and made a clear commitment to the 1.5 degree target.

Jutta Paulus, Green/EFA member of the European Parliament delegation to COP28, comments:

“We are facing the end of the fossil era. We shall not rely on commitments only. We now face the task of setting clear and binding dates for the phase out of oil, coal and gas. Commitments to the end of the fossil era need to be translated into clear climate targets. We Greens/EFA call on the European Commission to present a clear plan on how to make the EU climate neutral by 2040.

“Carbon is not the only culprit. Climate killer methane is responsible for 30% of global heating already .After tackling methane emissions from the energy sector, the Eu now needs to change its agriculture policy to reduce this strong greenhouse gas.”