Was the COP28 climate summit a milestone or a mirage?
The 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) – an annual convening of countries signatory to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – happened in Dubai this year, with high expectations that countries would take concrete steps to address the climate crisis.
The negotiations encompassed mitigation efforts, adaptation strategies, financing mechanisms, and the role of developed versus developing nations in climate action. The summit ended with progress on certain fronts but lingering challenges on others.
COP28 and India: Phased phase-out or no phase-out?
Most high-income countries, particularly the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom, have opposed the removal of ‘fossil fuel phase-out’ from the COP28 Global Stocktake (GST) text. In reality, these countries are opposing a ‘just and equitable phase-out’, wherein they would be required to lead the way in phasing out fossil fuels. These countries still rely on fossil fuels to meet most of their primary energy demands and continue to expand their oil and gas production.