The European Commission and the United Arab Emirates, who are hosting this year’s COP28 climate meeting, vowed on Wednesday to work to promote international initiatives to increase the use of renewable energy, which they claimed would assist nations in making the transition away from unrestricted fossil fuel use.
The two parties will cooperate to “mobilize the greatest backing on global 2030 objectives for the tripling of renewable energy and the doubling of energy efficiency,” according to a statement reached following a meeting of officials in Brussels.
“These goals would aid in the shift to energy systems devoid of unchecked fossil fuel use.”
Fossil fuels that do not employ technology to collect the CO2 emissions created by burning them are known as unabated fossil fuels.
According to them, the EU and the UAE, which is hosting COP28, would collaborate to create a fund to alleviate the irreversible harm that climate change is bringing to vulnerable nations. Countries agreed to establish that fund last year, but they have not yet decided on how it would operate or where the funding will come from.
Countries failed to reach an agreement at the COP27 U.N. climate summit last year to gradually reduce the use of fossil fuels, which contributes to climate change.
More than 80 states backed an Indian plan to do this, but Saudi Arabia and other oil- and gas-rich nations rejected it.
Prior to this year’s U.N. climate meeting, which starts on November 30 in Dubai, several nations, notably leaders of the European Union, aim to resuscitate the concept.
Countries have previously disagreed on phrasing, though.
Sultan al-Jaber, the chairman of the national oil firm of the United Arab Emirates and the incoming COP28 president asked nations to concentrate on “phasing out fossil fuel production” last month.
In doing so, nations could be able to continue utilizing fossil fuels while also deploying technology to absorb their emissions.
Other countries seek a firm commitment to gradually phase out the use of coal, oil, and gas.
The Netherlands, Chile, New Zealand, and island nations that are most susceptible to climate change, like the Marshall Islands, stated in a joint letter last month that “we have to bring the fossil fuel era to a halt and phase out fossil fuels.”
