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Fossil Fuel Phase-Out Makes History at COP28 Climate Summit

Wednesday 13 December 2023 - 16:10 Journalists: Dakir Madiha

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In a groundbreaking development, nations worldwide endorsed a historic decision on Wednesday, signaling a shift away from fossil fuels as the COP28 climate summit concluded in Dubai.

The unanimously supported resolution encourages countries to "transition out of unabated fossil fuels in energy systems in an equitable, just, orderly, and efficient manner, accelerating action in this critical decade to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in alignment with science-based pathways."

Described as a "historic decision to accelerate climate action" by COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber, the ratified language represents a significant milestone as it is the first instance where fossil fuel phase-out plans have been incorporated into the final agreement of a United Nations climate conference.

During the closing plenary, Al Jaber expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "We have fossil fuel language in the final cover decision text, for the first time." He celebrated the summit's "historic success" in fostering international consensus on addressing the urgent need for transitioning away from fossil fuels.

This move reflects the growing global momentum to mitigate planet-warming emissions and shift economies away from reliance on coal, oil, and gas, particularly as the impacts of climate change escalate worldwide. With unified decarbonization efforts gaining traction, governments now face increased pressure to translate the ambitious pledges made at COP28 into concrete and urgently needed emissions reductions during this pivotal decade.