Current:Home > NewsClimate talks end on a first-ever call for the world to move away from fossil fuels -InvestPioneer
Climate talks end on a first-ever call for the world to move away from fossil fuels
View
Date:2025-04-17 06:32:37
DUBAI - In the final weeks of the hottest year in recorded history, the international body responsible for limiting global warming and its disastrous effects called on countries for the first time to transition away from fossil fuels, the chief cause of climate change.
"It's embarrassing that it took 28 years but now we're finally there. Now it finally seems like the world has acknowledged that we need to move away from fossil [fuels]," said Dan Jørgensen, Denmark's climate minister.
The agreement comes after more than two weeks of contentious negotiations among nearly every country in the world at the United Nations climate conference in Dubai, known as COP28.
COP28 president Sultan al-Jaber opened Wednesday's plenary meeting, and within a few minutes announced that agreement had been reached on the main document. "It is a plan that is led by the science,'' al-Jaber said. "It is an enhanced, balanced, but make no mistake, a historic package to accelerate climate action."
But not all countries – particularly those at the greatest risk from the rapidly warming world – were satisfied with the decision, which ended more than 24 hours after the summit's scheduled close. Amidst the congratulations and speeches, some countries expressed their outrage at not being allowed to comment on a final text they felt did not go far enough to address the threats from global warming, especially to developing nations.
The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), which represents countries that have contributed little to global climate change but are already being overrun by sea-level rise, said it saw a "litany of loopholes," in the final text.
Members of the alliance and climate activists at COP28 had called for a clear path towards phasing out fossil fuels, which are responsible for 75% of global warming.
"It is not enough for us to reference the science and then make agreements that ignore what the science is telling us we need to do," Anne Rasmussen of Samoa told world leaders as the meeting ended. Speaking on behalf of the AOSIS coalition, she pointed out that the final deal does not require countries to stop using fossil fuels by any particular date. "This is not an approach that we should be asked to defend," she said.
The science on climate change is clear. To limit the worst effects of planetary warming – runaway sea level rise, mass extinction of plants and animals, and damaging and deadly wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, heatwaves and floods – the world needs to rapidly reduce its emissions of climate-warming fossil fuels.
In 2015, world leaders agreed to limit warming to below 2 degrees Celsius, and ideally below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), compared to pre-industrial times. Scientists say that warming above 1.5 degrees Celsius would put global food systems at risk, spell the end of most of the world's coral reefs and potentially trigger climate tipping points like the melting of permafrost, which could accelerate warming regardless of other human actions.
The world has already warmed roughly 1.2 degrees Celsius, said Jim Skea, chair of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in an interview at COP28.
Keeping 1.5 alive, the oft-quoted goal of these climate summits is "still possible – just," Skea said. But, he added, "We continue to emit. So it's becoming harder and harder to imagine that we're going to limit warming at 1.5 degrees and at some point, if we carry on as we are, we'll run out of rope."
One of the biggest breakthroughs of COP28 is that, for the first time, millions of dollars will be directed to developing countries that are already suffering damage from climate change.
For years, developing countries have argued they're paying for devastating impacts that richer nations are largely responsible for. Wealthier countries like the U.S. and those in Europe have historically contributed the biggest share of emissions from fossil fuel use that are causing the planet to heat up. As weather extremes get worse and sea levels rise, developing countries are shouldering the cost of what's known as "loss and damage."
At climate talks a year ago, nations agreed to establish a new loss and damage fund. Now, more than $700 million has been announced for it, most from European countries and $100 million coming from the United Arab Emirates.
veryGood! (974)
Related
- 'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
- US agency tasked with border security to pay $45 million over pregnancy discrimination, lawyers say
- Affordable 2025 Kia K4 Sedan Coming Soon; Hatch to Follow
- The paint is dry on Banksy’s animal-themed street art that appeared across London over 9 days
- Sonya Massey's father decries possible release of former deputy charged with her death
- People's Choice Country Awards 2024 Nominees: See the Complete List
- ‘No concrete leads’ in search for escaped inmate convicted of murder, North Carolina sheriff says
- Patrick Mahomes Shares One Change Travis Kelce Made for Taylor Swift
- Can Bill Belichick turn North Carolina into a winner? At 72, he's chasing one last high
- Presented with rise in border crossings, Harris chose a long-term approach to the problem
Ranking
- The city of Chicago is ordered to pay nearly $80M for a police chase that killed a 10
- Romania says gymnast will get disputed bronze medal Friday despite ongoing US challenge
- Brat summer is almost over. Get ready for 'demure' fall, a new viral TikTok trend.
- Deputies say man ran over and fatally shot another man outside courthouse after custody hearing
- All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
- NBC reveals Peacock broadcast team for NFL's first regular season game in Brazil
- Tropical Storm Ernesto on path to become a hurricane by early Wednesday
- Love Island U.K.'s Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury Break Up One Year After Engagement
Recommendation
The Best Stocking Stuffers Under $25
Google rolls out Pixel 9 phones earlier than usual as AI race with Apple heats up
Americans give Harris an advantage over Trump on honesty and discipline, an AP-NORC poll finds
University of Arizona’s new provost is leaving to return to his old job at the University of Florida
'Vanderpump Rules' star DJ James Kennedy arrested on domestic violence charges
Blake Lively posts domestic violence hotline amid 'It Ends With Us' backlash
Houston prosecutors find no evidence of efforts to sway 2022 elections but charge a county worker
Idaho Supreme Court dismisses lawsuit challenging a ballot initiative for ranked-choice voting