My experience at COP28 compelled me to reconsider key aspects of the global climate discourse. In this reflection, I delve into three key areas that significantly impacted my viewpoint.
1. Equitable Green Transition: Civil organizations presented compelling research outlining the path to achieving an equitable green transition. The data emphasized that wealthier nations, including Canada, the USA, Australia, and Norway, should aim to reduce fossil fuel production by 80% by 2030, while developing countries should target a 10% reduction. Moreover, the estimated $100 billion required for financing energy transitions is the amount of money spent by the US in five days of fossil fuels subsidies. This data underscores the feasibility of developed countries providing financial support for green transitions in less affluent nations. Researchers claim than a realistic fossil fuels phase-out is inseparable from provision of support. COP28 saw various financial pledges covering diverse areas, from energy transition to healthcare initiatives, technology investments, and disaster relief. However, the deployment of resources and specific mechanisms remain to be seen.
2. Climate-Security Nexus and Civil Rights Advocacy: The intersection of climate change and security was salient during the conference, as civil society groups strategically applied pressure through a civil rights framework, amplifying the strength of their voices. This connection facilitated collaboration among groups with diverse pledges. Shared experiences and discourses from individuals representing Palestinians, children, climate-vulnerable regions, Indigenous Peoples, farmers, and women’s groups, were profoundly moving. These compelling stories left attendees inspired, fueling a collective desire to use climate policies to contribute to a more just world. Key messages resonated around the need to protest against colonial systems, advocacy for equal access to basic human rights, framing climate change as an equity problem rather than solely a carbon problem, and acknowledging the invaluable knowledge held by local communities.
3. Divergent Paths in Fossil Fuel Phase-Out: The phase-out of fossil fuels was, as expected, a highly debated and contentious topic throughout the negotiations, persisting until the final moments. Various options, including phase-out, phase-down, and omitting any reference to these measures, were discussed exhaustively. The text underwent changes, momentarily disappearing only to reappear in a vague manner. Post-conference, the president’s announcement signaled a stance of not reducing production unless there was a corresponding decrease in demand. In essence, the responsibility for reducing fossil fuel consumption currently rests primarily with major consumers such as the US and China. While this outcome is not surprising, it remains an important challenge that scientist and civil society should keep an eye on. In the Blog Colombia in the COP28 I will discuss more specific positions of developing countries regarding this topic.
Finally, regarding logistics during the conference, the venue was highly dispersed resulting in numerous panels with minimal attendance, and a significant portion of the side events seemed disconnected from the core negotiations. Consequently, meaningful discussions were less likely to contribute valuable insights to the negotiation process, and attendees had fewer opportunities to critically engage with the discussions led by policymakers. However, despite these challenges, there were multiple opportunities to network with various organizations, researchers, public servants from all attending countries, and even negotiators.
In conclusion, this experience provided me with insights into the intricacies of multilateral negotiations, the interplay between domestic and international considerations, the significance of advocacy across various policymaking levels, and, concerning climate change, underscored the considerable distance we still have to cover to align with the scientific recommendations for averting a climate catastrophe.
