University of Exeter researchers have responded to the deal agreed today at the COP28 climate change conference.
The deal contains the first global agreement on “transitioning” away from fossil fuels – but this was watered down from a “phase out”.
Here is what Exeter researchers have to say:
Dr James Dyke said: “COP28 needed to deliver an unambiguous statement about the rapid phase out of fossil fuels. That would represent a rupture from previous COPs and business as usual – which is what is needed now, given record-breaking global temperature and greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, that did not happen. While the agreement’s call for the need to transition away from fossil fuels is welcome, it has numerous caveats and loopholes that risks rendering it meaningless when it comes to our efforts to limit warming to well below 2°C. That this deal has been hailed as a landmark is more a measure of previous failures than any step change when it comes to the increasingly urgent need to rapidly stop burning coal, oil and gas.”
Polar expert Professor Martin Siegert said: “The polar regions are heating much faster than the rest of the planet. Protecting these pristine environments will limit global sea level, keep the planet from accelerated further heating and maintain the precious ecosystems. The only way to do this is to stop fossil-fuel burning and limit global warming to 1.5C. COP28, by not making a clear declaration to stop fossil fuel burning in line with scientific evidence, is a tragedy for the poles, the planet and our future. While it’s good that COP28 has stated that fossil fuels need to reduce, the agreement on doing so is very weak. The COP28 agreement encourages countries to move away using fossil fuels, but not to ‘phase out’ or even ‘phase down’ their use. Clearly the wording is all that could be agreed at this stage, which is itself a disappointment. The world is heating faster and more powerfully than the COP response to deal with it.”
Dr Raphaëlle Haywood said: “The final report from COP28 is disappointing, but it does not change reality: we need to phase out fossil fuels now regardless of the words on the page. The era of fossil fuels is over.”
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Posted On: 13/12/2023