Agree on deep cuts to emissions

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres yesterday urged leaders at the COP28 climate conference to agree on deep cuts to emissions and stop global warming exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Negotiators at the conference in Dubai remained far apart on the future role of fossil fuels as talks at the summit entered their final stage.

Oil producing powers clashed on Saturday with the rest of the countries over a possible agreement to phase-out fossil fuels at the summit, jeopardising attempts to deliver a first-ever commitment to eventually end the use of oil and gas in 30 years of global warming talks.

“I urge leaders at COP28 in Dubai to agree on deep cuts to emissions, in line with the 1.5-degree limit,” Guterres told the Doha Forum conference, adding that fossil fuel companies and their backers should use their enormous resources to lead the renewables revolution.

COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber called on countries to work harder, be flexible and accept compromise to reach a deal on tackling climate change, including wording for the first time on the future of fossil fuels.

A raft of new pledges announced at the climate summit – from tripling renewables to reining in methane emissions – won’t be enough on their own to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said yesterday.

So far, 130 countries have agreed to triple renewables and double the rate of energy efficiency improvements, while 50 oil and gas companies have agreed to cut out methane emissions and eliminate routine flaring by 2030 under Oil and Gas Decarbonisation Charter.

If everyone delivered on their commitments, it would lower global-energy related greenhouse gas emissions by 4 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2030, the IEA analysis said.

That is about a third of the emissions gap that needs to be closed in the next six years to limit warming to 1.5C above preindustrial levels, as agreed to in the 2015 Paris Agreement.