The United Nation’s press release on the event does not shy away from high profile declarations, as it states a “beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era. With close to 70.000 delegates from 197 countries present, COP28 was undeniably significant on a global scale. The event met with some initial scepticism given the host country’s, and the conference’s president’s close ties to the petrol industry, however, the closing speech by COP President Sultan al-Jaber was more jubilant, calling the agreement “a true victory for those who are pragmatic, results-oriented and led by the science”.
The final outcome, including the “first global stocktake“, does highlight expressing concerns related to the global community lagging behind the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement. The primary takeaway from the text is related to “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy system”. While it is the first time such a global agreement was reached on fossil fuel transition, critics highlight that the original wording was changed from “phasing out”, which negates the expected impact.
In addition to fossil fuel transition, the outcomes mention accelerating zero-emission technologies, take ocean ecosystems into account, as well as equal participation and inclusivity towards developing countries and highlight pledges for climate finance.
