Page 4 - Un Climate Summit

COP28 climate summit: Negotiators turn back to future of fossil fuels

The United Nations climate conference on Friday began its final week with negotiators expected to zoom in on the future of fossil fuels on a dangerously warming planet. Thursday was a rest day, a bit of quiet before talks at COP28 grow even more intense. Negotiators will work to finalize a key document called the Global Stocktake. It evaluates the world's climate change progress since the 2015 Paris agreement and what needs to be done now to avoid blowing past its goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) compared to preindustrial times. You start off very hopeful, euphoria, COP28 CEO Annan Amin said. Things are happening. Then the negotiations get hard and people start spreading rumours and conjecture and a little bit of depression, and then things start to come up again. And the clarity of the negotiations process becomes clearer. Then you have the political engagement, and that's where the real intensity and excitement comes from. A draft of the Global ...

Draft text at COP28 shows negotiators considering fossil fuel 'phase out'

The first option in the draft text was listed as "an orderly and just phase out of fossil fuels". The second called for "accelerating efforts towards phasing out unabated fossil fuels

COP28 and the coal question

Before India and China can commit to a future without coal, there are geopolitical and technological hurdles that need to be resolved

'Trade Day' at COP28: To deliberate on policy options for climate action

At COP26 held at Glasgow, Scotland, in 2021, most developed countries committed to achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050

UN climate talks are focusing on the contagious effect on human health

In remarks read at the Vatican by an aide, the pope called for an end of what he called "bottlenecks" caused by nationalism and "patterns of the past"

COP28 climate summit 2023: Exxon, Aramco lead emissions cut pledge

The list of national oil companies includes Brazil's Petrobras, Nigeria's NNPC and Kazakhstan's KazMunaiGaz. China's largest oil and gas companies haven't joined

COP28: Top development banks vow to up climate game, quiet on fossil fuels

The group said it would look at activities including removing "distorting" subsidies and developing pipelines of green projects

World religious leaders, scientists inaugurate 1st Faith Pavilion at COP28

World religious leaders, scientists and global political officials came together on the fourth day of the COP28 on Sunday for the inauguration of the first-ever Faith Pavilion to discuss the role of faith communities and religious institutions in addressing the climate crisis. Held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, the inauguration was attended by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, representing Pope Francis. The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Pope Francis addressed the audience virtually and highlighted the urgency for urgent action against climate change. The first-of-its-kind Faith Pavilion, which is co-hosted by the COP28 Presidency, the UAE Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence, the Holy See, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Muslim Council of Elders, and a coalition of faith partners, is dedicated to the engagement of

Hillary Clinton at COP28 climate talks calls for insurance sector reform

Clinton warned that this trend would escalate. "People in the United States, Europe, they're going to wake up and say, 'What do you mean, I can't get insurance?'"

COP28 delegates urge greater action on climate-linked health risks

Climate-related impacts "have become one of the greatest threats to human health in the 21st century", COP28 President Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber said in a statement

COP28: India refrained from signing on global renewable energy pledge

India refrained from signing the pledge to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030 as the draft text mentioned phasing out coal, which New Delhi doesn't support, according to sources in the Indian delegation. India and China both on Saturday refrained from signing the pledge at the COP28 climate summit to triple the world's renewable energy capacity by 2030 even though New Delhi already committed to it as part of its G20 presidency. During the UN's climate talks here, 118 countries committed to tripling the global renewable energy capacity by 2030 in a highly endorsed initiative. A source in the Indian delegation said that India refrained from signing the pledge as the draft text mentioned phasing out/down coal, which New Delhi doesn't support. India has been asking countries to agree to phase down all fossil fuels rather than a narrower deal to phase down coal. The source said that India has already delivered a deal on the tripling of renewable energy capacity at the G20

COP28: Activists allowed into UAE can demonstrate under strict guidelines

As participants at the United Nations' COP28 climate talks filed in on Sunday for another day of talks, they found themselves greeted by a rare sight in the United Arab Emirates a protest. From activism about the Israel-Hamas war to environmental issues, activists allowed into the UAE can demonstrate under strict guidelines in this autocratic nation. Others from organizations long banned by the country also have been let in, providing them some the opportunity for the first time in about a decade to offer criticism though many acknowledge it may see them never allowed back in the country. One of our major issues with COP28 is the fact that the UAE government is using this to burnish its image internationally and the fact that limited protests are allowed ... is a good thing, said Joey Shea, now on her first trip to the Emirates as a researcher focused on the country at Human Rights Watch. "But at the end of the day, it helps to create this very false image that the UAE does have ..

India ahead of Montreal protocol targets, leads sustainable cooling goals

India has successfully phased out ozone depleting and climate warming chemical HCFC 141b and is ahead of schedule in eliminating another such gas, HCFCs, in new equipment manufacturing, according to a government report launched here on Sunday during the global climate talks. The report, jointly brought out by the Environment ministry and UNDP, during a side-event of the annual climate talks COP28, said that surpassing the 35 per cent phase-out target for HCFCs, India has achieved an impressive 44 per cent reduction, showcasing its commitment to collaboration and innovation to meet climate targets. India's proactive measures, outlined in the HCFC Phase-out Management Plan (HPMP) Stage-II, have set a remarkable example for global climate action, the report said. The report said India has successfully phased out ozone depleting and climate warming chemical 1,1-Dichloro-1-fluoroethane (HCFC-141b) and is ahead of schedule in eliminating another such gas Hydrochlorofluorocarbons in new ..

'Max global talk, min local walk': Cong targets PM on his speech at COP28

The Congress on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of indulging in "maximum global talk, minimum local walk" on his assertion at the COP-28 that India has struck a balance between development and environment conservation. "How can anyone take what the prime minister says globally on environment seriously in light of his disastrous track record in India," Congress general secretary and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X. Prime Minister Modi during his address at the UN climate conference (COP28) in Dubai asserted that India has presented a great example to the world of striking a balance between development and environment conservation. "India is among the only few countries in the world on track to achieve its Nationally Determined Contributions or the national action plans to restrict global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the guardrail to avoid worsening of the impact of the changing climate," he said. Claiming that the Modi government has made

PM Modi proposes to host COP33 in 2028; launches Green Credit Initiative

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday proposed to host the UN climate conference in 2028 or COP33 in India and launched the Green Credit Initiative focused on creating carbon sinks through people's participation. Addressing the high-level segment for heads of states and governments during the UN climate conference in Dubai, he said India has presented a great example to the world of striking balance between development and environment conservation. India is one among only few countries in the world on track to achieve its Nationally Determined Contributions or national plans to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the guardrail to avoid worsening of climate change impacts. Modi was the only leader to join the opening plenary along with COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber and UN Climate Change President Simon Steill. The prime minister called for maintaining a balance between mitigation and adaptation and said that energy transition across the world must be "just and ...

Loss and Damage Fund, climate finance India's key focus at COP28: Env min

Loss and Damage Fund, climate finance and issues related to nationally determined contributions to reduce emissions will be the focus areas of discussions that India would be taking up during the COP28, Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav said on Thursday. He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Indian Pavilion at COP28 where he underscored the importance of everyone to come together to fight climate change. We have seen India's commitment towards its environment-friendly policies... There are many issues to discuss here...there is loss and damage, also the issues of the last COP like article 6 and the climate finance associated with developing countries, those issues will also be discussed at the COP, he said. Article 6 regulates voluntary cooperation among countries to achieve their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce emissions. It incorporates both market mechanisms and non-market approaches, including cooperation in areas such as finance, technology ...

India should not take new commitments at COP28 climate talks in Dubai: GTRI

India should not take new commitments at the ongoing United Nations COP28 climate talks in Dubai and continue its green transition without additional assurances, think tank GTRI suggested on Thursday. The climate conference is being held at the Dubai Expo City from November 30 to December 12. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that India has already made significant commitments at COP27 (Conference of Parties) and the Paris Agreement, aligning with its Long-term Low Emissions and Development Strategy. India's commitment to generating half of its electricity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 is noteworthy. "At COP28 India need not take new commitments at COP28. Instead, it may continue its green transition without additional commitments," GTRI Co-Founder Ajay Srivastava said. However, he added that the country's high methane emissions, especially from the agriculture sector, pose a challenge. "Any improvement will require .

COP28: India has walked the talk on climate change, says Indian envoy

The Indian envoy further said that India has played a leadership role under the vision of PM Modi on the issue of climate change

'Moment of truth': Fossil fuel lobby casts long shadow over COP28

In an interview with AFP on Saturday, Jaber had defended the large presence of heavy-emitting industries, including the oil and gas sector

COP28 to focus heavily on methane emissions, India likely to stand ground

The upcoming UN climate talks in the UAE are anticipated to focus heavily on methane emissions, especially in light of China's recent commitment to include this potent greenhouse gas in its 2035 climate plans. However, experts believe that this development may not significantly impact India, as the country is already implementing initiatives centered around agriculture that have climate co-benefits. The United States and the European Union have emphasised the urgency to take action on methane, accounting for about 30 per cent of global warming since pre-industrial times (1850-1900). The UAE, hosting this year's climate talks (COP28), is also expected to announce a commitment from major oil and gas companies to reduce methane leakage. The EU and the US jointly launched the "Global Methane Pledge" in 2021 to reduce worldwide methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030, compared to the 2020 levels. Around 150 countries have signed on, but China, India, and Russia are among the prominent