Despite what did and did not end up in the final agreement at COP28 in Dubai, meaningful climate action will only continue to become more urgent than ever.
What was decided?
COP28 in Dubai saw many world leaders respond to the ever-growing demands for an end to oil, coal and gas by calling for an end to the era of fossil fuels forever, supporting the transition to renewable energies such as solar and wind to take us to a fair and just future. Civil society added their voices to these demands for climate action at a COP which this year said it was committed to making the event an inclusive and safe space for all participants.
Despite what did and did not end up in the final agreement at COP28 in Dubai, meaningful climate action will only continue to become more urgent than ever.
A hopeful start
Under the UAE COP Presidency, the conference made history from day one with the operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund, with more than $700million pledged by countries to the news fund which will eventually provide a lifeline for vulnerable communities impacted by climate disaster. We will now wait to see if the richest countries most responsible for the climate crisis take their responsibility seriously and resource the fund.
The ending of the fossil fuel era
This was the largest COP ever, with more than 100,000 people attending the two weeks of climate negotiations. Despite hopes of an early finish, the final negotiations went on late into the night again this year, with the event finishing a day later than planned. The dash to a finish line concluded with a final acknowledgment of the need to transition away from fossil fuels. But communities on the frontline of the climate catastrophe need more than this. They need to see an unwavering and resolute commitment to a rapid, equitable, and well-funded phase-out of all fossil fuels – together with a comprehensive finance package for developing countries to transition to renewables and cope with escalating climate impacts.
What’s next for climate action?
Despite the intensely focused negotiations in Dubai, meaningful climate action will only continue to become more urgent than ever. Climate justice will only be served when we end the cause of the ongoing climate crisis by phasing out all fossil fuels. Climate justice will only be served when new and additional support and finance for climate-vulnerable communities, not just distributed for loss and damage, but also for adaptation and mitigation.
Where next for COP?
We leave Dubai knowing that hope is still alive but our mission is far from over! Next year, COP29 will take place in Azerbaijan – another fossil fuel-producing country with an economy that relies on oil and gas for almost half its GDP and more than 92.5% of its export revenue.
The MENA region is particularly impacted by the adverse effects of climate change in every possible way. Children, women, indigenous communities, properties, crops and ecosystems are daily being reduced to mere figures and stories of climate change victims. They are our sisters, our brothers, our homes, our livelihood, our serenity and our culture.