COP28 

• COP28, or the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), was a major international event held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 30th to December 12th, 2023.
• It brought together representatives from nearly 200 countries to discuss and negotiate ways to address climate change.
• The main purpose was to conduct a Global Stocktake, a comprehensive assessment of where the world stands in its fight against climate change and what needs to be done to meet our goals.
• It aimed to spur more ambitious climate action, especially before 2030, a crucial decade for keeping global warming under control.

• Anticipation surrounded COP28 as it was viewed as a crucial opportunity, perhaps the final one, to ensure global efforts align with the critical 1.5-degree Celsius warming threshold.
• The primary focus of COP28 was the execution of a Global Stocktake, a comprehensive evaluation determining the world's progress in the fight against climate change and outlining additional measures required to meet climate objectives.
• Mandated by the Paris Agreement, the Global Stocktake is slated to be conducted periodically, with the first one in 2023 and subsequent assessments every five years.
• The urgency of COP28 was heightened by the backdrop of escalating global warming, with 2023 already confirmed as the hottest year on record.
• Throughout the year, multiple months witnessed the establishment of new temperature records, with over 80 days surpassing temperatures at least 1.5 degrees Celsius higher than pre-industrial times.
• Despite these alarming indicators, assessments consistently indicated that global efforts were falling short, and the 1.5-degree target was slipping away.
• COP28 was therefore expected to leverage the Global Stocktake as a catalyst for more ambitious climate actions, especially in the critical timeframe leading up to 2030.

4. Disappointing Outcomes of COP28

Regrettably, COP28 fell short of expectations, particularly in terms of expediting immediate climate action. The final agreement lacked substantial provisions to accelerate efforts in the short term.

Fossil Fuel Phase-Out

• The most contentious issue at COP28 revolved around the phased reduction of fossil fuels a topic that led to a prolonged deadlock.
• The acknowledgement of the role of fossil fuels in contributing to global warming, a departure from previous COP decisions, was a significant but overdue development.
• The final agreement, after extensive deliberations, urged countries to contribute to the "transition away" from fossil fuels to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
• Notably absent were specific timelines and targets. The absence of the explicit term "fossil fuel phase-out" disappointed some nations, though its inclusion would likely yield a similar impact without defined timelines.
• While curtailing the production and consumption of fossil fuels is a crucial measure in the 2050 timeframe, the lack of immediate actions raised concerns about the effectiveness of the agreement in the near term.

Tripling of Renewable Energy

• An anticipated outcome, the COP28 agreement focused on a pivotal measure with potential emissions reductions by 2030.
• Countries were called upon to contribute to the tripling of the global installed capacity of renewable energy, coupled with doubling annual improvements in energy efficiency.
• These combined efforts could prevent the emission of approximately 7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030 surpassing the cumulative impact of all other ongoing climate actions.
• While this tripling is a global target, the specifics of how individual nations would achieve this ambitious goal remain unclear.

Phase-Down of Coal

• Despite coal's status as a fossil fuel, separate attention was given to its phase-down in the COP28 agreement, building upon the precedent set at the Glasgow conference in 2021.
• Initial proposals aimed to mandate that new coal-fired power plants include carbon capture and storage facilities, but strong resistance from countries like India, China, and South Africa led to its abandonment.
• The final agreement restated the language from Glasgow without providing details on how this phase-down would be measured or against what baseline.
• The inclusion of coal as a distinct consideration reflects the continued challenges in reaching a consensus on coal-related policies at the global level.

Methane Emission Cuts

• The COP28 agreement addresses the imperative of "accelerating and substantially reducing non-carbon-dioxide emissions globally, particularly methane emissions by 2030."
• Methane, constituting nearly 25% of all emissions and possessing about 80 times the warming potency of CO2, offers significant benefits if curtailed.
• However, strong opposition, notably from countries like India, arises due to the major agricultural and livestock sources of methane.
• The agreement, possibly in consideration of these concerns, refrains from specifying targets for methane emission cuts by 2030.
• It's noteworthy that a voluntary commitment made by approximately 100 countries in Glasgow in 2021 to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030 remains unmentioned in COP28.

Loss and Damage Fund

•  A pivotal outcome for poor and vulnerable nations, COP28 operationalized the Loss and Damage Fund, which was initially decided upon in Sharm el-Sheikh the previous year.
• Unlike its dormant status before COP28, the fund saw tangible progress on the opening day of the conference, with various countries, including the host UAE, making funding commitments.
• By the conference's conclusion, commitments totalling around US$ 800 million had been secured.
• This financial support aims to aid countries in recovering from climate-induced disasters, representing a significant step toward assisting those most affected by the adverse impacts of climate change.

• The Global Goal of Adaptation emerged as a significant stride awaited by developing nations.
• Historically, adaptation efforts have not received commensurate attention and resources compared to mitigation activities, primarily due to their localized nature and benefits. Adaptation endeavours are often confined to specific regions.
• Recognizing the need for a global framework, the Glasgow conference initiated a two-year work programme to outline the contours of a comprehensive adaptation framework.
• This effort led to the identification of common adaptation goals crucial for the entire world.
• These encompassed mitigating climate-induced water scarcity, fostering climate resilience in food and agricultural systems, enhancing resilience in supply chains and distribution, and fortifying defences against climate-induced health impacts.

5. The Way Forward

COP28 officially embraced the adaptation framework, signifying a pivotal step forward. However, challenges persist, particularly in defining indicators to measure progress for each global goal. Notably, the adaptation agreement currently lacks financial provisions, necessitating continued collaborative efforts among countries to strengthen it in the years ahead. The commitment to this framework underscores the growing recognition of the imperative to address and bolster global adaptation efforts.

Source: The Indian Express