Xiye Bastida

This conclusion is historic and insufficient. Historic because we finally have a global agreement naming fossil fuels as the problem and the source of the climate crisis and despite the oil lobby we held onto science based targets. Insufficient? You can read what the #cop28 text says. Let me tell you what it doesn’t say and why. It doesn’t say phasing out fossil fuels because these negotiations have been held in a stranglehold by the power of the fossil fuel producers for decades. That’s also what we see “energy systems” and the reference to “production” and emissions decline is gone. Those who stand to benefit from continuing to expand production of the products we know are killing us and we now have alternatives for have been effective in making sure there is no reference to absolute production decline for decades. Well congratulations OPEC you manage to squeak out another win but your team is weakening and you know it or you wouldn’t have sent that leaked letter to the Presidency. It also doesn’t say equity because a very small number of people in the developed world are still making billions everyday off the backs of the developing world and our children’s future and they know equity opens the door to a transition that is fair and financed. In order to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and unite together to stand up to the oil industry and make a real plan to equitably phase out fossil fuels 12 courageous governments are now starting to design the plan for how to phase out fossil fuels under the @fossiltreaty. More will join in the coming months. This COP kicked open the door to ending the fossil fuel era and we are not walking through it. We are marching through it with heads held high, behind the Pacific Island Nations who are leading the way and now with Colombia, Timor Leste and other fossil fuel producing nations who know that our health, our economies, our communities and a stable climate depend on more honesty, leadership and imagination than we saw in Dubai this week.