New COP26 draft declaration waters down calls to end fossil fuel use

The text released by the COP26 president on Wednesday called upon countries to "accelerate the phasing out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuel," but the wording has now been changed to specify that the call refers only to "unabated coal power" and "inefficient" subsidies.

"Calls upon Parties to accelerate the development, deployment and dissemination of technologies, and the adoption of policies, to transition towards low-emission energy systems, including by rapidly scaling up clean power generation and accelerating the phase-out of unabated coal power and of inefficient subsidies for fossil fuels," reads the new the draft position proposed by COP26 President Alok Sharma.

In the case of coal-fired power plants, the term "unabated" refers to facilities that do not use carbon capture and storage technology to reduce carbon emission.

The COP26, which is due to conclude on Friday, is seen as the world's last chance to reach meaningful commitments to fulfil the goals set out by the 2015 Paris Agreement on greenhouse emission reduction, carbon neutrality, global warming and climate finance.