COP28 considers end to fossil fuels as OPEC opposes move

Deep disagreements over the future of oil and gas are being highlighted by OPEC, which is mobilising its oil-producing members to veto a draft agreement to phase out fossil fuels at the COP28 climate conference. In an effort to prevent the worst effects of climate change, scientists are urging bold action, and at least 80 countries are pushing for a COP28 agreement that would eventually call for the use of no fossil fuels. Options to do so were included in the most recent draft of the potential final COP28 agreement, which was made public on Friday. “It seems that the undue and disproportionate pressure against fossil fuels may reach a tipping point with irreversible consequences,” OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais wrote in a letter to members of the group, including COP28 host the UAE. He urged them to oppose any wording in the final summit agreement that singled out fossil fuels in the letter, which was dated December 6. Prior to the expected conclusion of the two-week summit on December 12, President Sultan al-Jaber of COP28 urged delegates from nearly 200 countries to put in a lot of effort to come to an agreement. Before the document was made public on Friday, he urged, “Let’s please get this job done.” “I need you to step up, and I need you to come out of your comfort zones.” Despite the fact that fossil fuels are the primary source of emissions that contribute to global warming, a decision to phase them out would be extraordinary and has never been discussed at length in the thirty years of U.N. climate summits. There are several alternatives in the COP28 draft agreement, ranging from committing to a “phase out of fossil fuels in line with best available science” to eliminating “unabated fossil fuels” or having no language at all on them. (With agency inputs)