The upcoming United Nations climate conference, COP28, in the United Arab Emirates marks a significant departure from previous annual meetings. For the first time, an official progress report on the implementation of the Paris Agreement’s goals will be presented in Dubai.
This five-yearly global stocktake, mandated by the 2015 Paris Agreement, serves as an interim evaluation. It incorporates a mechanism for increasing ambition in climate action. The idea is to assess progress towards the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement and, if necessary, agree on corrective measures.
However, the UN Environment Programme announced a month ago that we are failing to adhere to the Paris Agreement goal to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, in their “Emissions Gap Report (EGR) 2022: The Closing Window – Climate crisis calls for rapid transformation of societies”.
The Paris Agreement’s objectives are global and collective, implemented through voluntary national measures. Although countries have submitted national plans, their combined impact falls short of achieving the agreement’s goals. The progress report now compels all nations to revise their plans, with the deadline set for COP30 in Brazil in 2025.
The EU, a key player in climate negotiations, aims to derive concrete recommendations from Dubai. The discussions center around increasing the share of renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, phasing out fossil fuels, and ending subsidies for them. However, there is divergence on the importance of these goals.
In addition to assessing progress, COP28 seeks a global adaptation target for addressing climate change. Unlike mitigation, establishing a common adaptation goal poses significant challenges due to its complexity and locality.
Several critical issues are on the agenda, including whether to include a commitment to phase out fossil fuels in the final document. The establishment of a fund to compensate for climate damages, agreed upon last year in Egypt, is also under discussion. However, reaching a consensus on these matters may face hurdles.
One major point of contention is the financial aspect of climate damages, with industrialized and developing nations at odds. The EU argues that major emitters like China and India should bear more responsibility, while developing nations stress the historical responsibility of the US and EU.
Despite the challenges and the realization that goals are falling behind, there’s optimism in the growing climate cooperation between the United States and China, as evidenced by their recent joint statement. The pledge to triple the world’s renewable energy production by 2030 may inject positive momentum into the Dubai negotiations.
COP28 in Dubai presents a crucial opportunity to reassess global climate efforts. Despite existing challenges and disparities, there is a shared commitment to finding effective solutions. The world watches with anticipation as nations gather to address the urgent issue of climate change.
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Source
YK:n ilmastokokous COP28 eroaa ainakin yhdellä tavalla aiemmista – nyt tehdään välitilinpäätös [The United Nations climate conference COP28 differs in at least one way from previous ones – now, an interim evaluation is being conducted], Demokraatti, 2023-11-29
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