EU eyes push for fossil fuel phasedown ahead of COP28 -draft

BRUSSELS — European Union nations might search help for an settlement to part down fossil fuels forward of this yr’s United Nations (UN) local weather change talks, in keeping with officers and a draft doc seen by Reuters.

Whereas final yr’s COP27 summit deal included a hard-fought fund for nations harmed by local weather change, the deal left some dissatisfied for not together with language initially proposed by India for phasing down using all fossil fuels together with oil and pure gasoline.

EU nation diplomats are negotiating conclusions to information their diplomacy on local weather change this yr. 

On the desk is an settlement to advertise a shift away from so-called unabated fossil fuels, these burned with out utilizing know-how to seize their planet-warming emissions, in keeping with a draft seen by Reuters.

“While natural gas has a role in the transition, the shift towards a climate neutral economy requires unabated fossil fuel consumption to peak already in the near term. The EU will systematically promote a global move towards energy systems free of unabated fossil fuels well ahead of 2050,” the draft says.

EU officers mentioned the intention was to make a fossil gas part down a part of the bloc’s diplomacy priorities forward of COP28, the UN local weather summit starting Nov. 30 in Dubai. Nations’ overseas affairs ministers intention to approve closing conclusions this month.

The bloc has but to succeed in an settlement, nevertheless, as some EU nations are looking for weaker wording whereas others need a stronger, extra express name to part out fossil fuels, the officers mentioned.

Nations agreed at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 to part down use of coal, essentially the most polluting fossil gas. 

India’s COP27 proposal to increase that to all fossil fuels gained help from greater than 80 governments, together with EU nations, however was opposed by Saudi Arabia and different oil- and gas-rich nations.

The ultimate COP27 deal repeated the pledge to part down coal energy, however didn’t point out oil or gasoline.

Some officers and activists have mentioned they fear the same dynamic may play out this yr at COP28, which is being hosted by the United Arab Emirates, an OPEC oil producer.

The world should considerably scale back fossil gas vitality use this decade so as to keep away from essentially the most devastating impacts of local weather change, UN scientists say.

The EU additionally plans to replace its 2030 emissions-cutting goal underneath the Paris local weather accord, and set a brand new one for 2040 to information nations towards the objective of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. — Reuters

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