The UAE and European Commission’s presidency of this year’s COP28 Climate Summit have pledged to work towards reaching global goals of expanding renewable energy by seeking support from other nations and helping them to shift from unabated fossil fuels.
The duo has a target to “ensure maximum support on global 2030 targets for the tripling of renewable energy and doubling of energy efficiency,” revealed a statement after a meeting of officials in Brussels. “These targets would support the transition towards energy systems free of unabated fossil fuels,” noted the statement.
Unabated fossil fuels do not use technology to capture the emitted CO2 after burning them.
The EU and the COP28 host UAE will also take efforts to raise funds to address irreparable damage caused due to climate change in vulnerable countries,noted the statement. The countries agreed last year to launch the funds but have to finalise regarding the usage of funds and where the funds will come from.
It may be noted that during last year’s COP27 UN Climate Summit, countries could not reach the consensus on phasing down the fossil fuel consumption that causes climate change. Though a proposal put-forth by India had won support from more than 80 governments, Saudi Arabia and other oil- and gas-rich countries opposed it. However, this year, some countries, including members of the European Union, are hoping to revive the proposal ahead of this year’s U.N. Climate Summit to be commenced on November 30 in Dubai.
It is reported that, in a joint letter last month,the Netherlands, Chile, New Zealand and climate-vulnerable island states, including the Marshall Islands, had said, “We must bring the fossil fuel era to an end and phase out fossil fuels.”
