ALBAWABA – Countries participating in the COP28 in Dubai clashed on Saturday over a proposed pledge to phase out fossil fuel, including Saudi Arabia, Russia and the United States (US).
According to Reuters, this divide jeopardises efforts to deliver a first-ever commitment to eventually end the use of oil and gas in 30 years of global warming talks.
Saudi Arabia and Russia were among several countries insisting that the summit in Dubai should focus only on reducing climate pollution – and not on targeting fossil fuels, Reuters reported.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) joined the Saudi-Russian position and called on members to block any such pledge at COP28 in Dubai.
The pledge entails a declaration that would seek to wind down extraction of the oil, coal and gas which are reportedly fuelling the climate crisis.
Nonetheless, both the president of the COP28 summit, Sultan Al Jaber, and top oil importer China said they saw headway as talks go into a marathon phase before the scheduled close on Tuesday.
COP28 in Dubai divided on fossil fuel phase-out - Shutterstock
"The window is closing to close the gaps. We are making progress, but not fast enough and not satisfying enough," Jaber said.
Jaber has drawn scepticism from environmentalists as he presides over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) national oil company. Yet, he has taken a more moderate stance than Saudi Arabia by saying cuts in fossil fuels are "inevitable".
At least 80 countries including the US, the European Union and many poor, climate-vulnerable nations are demanding that a COP28 deal call clearly for an eventual end to fossil fuel use.
However, by insisting on focusing on emissions rather than fossil fuels, the Saudi Arabia and Russia appeared to be leaning on the promise of carbon capture technology. Even though the United Nations (UN) climate science panel says carbon capture cannot replace reducing fossil fuel use worldwide.
Other countries including India and China have not explicitly endorsed a fossil fuel phase-out at COP28 in Dubai, but have backed a popular call for boosting renewable energy.
Next year's climate talks are likely to be held in another major fossil fuels-producing country as Azerbaijan announced it had secured a consensus to host COP29.
