By Muhammad Amaan
The Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Inger Andersen, hailed the outcomes of the global climate change conference known as COP28 held in Dubai.
The 28th session of the conference of parties on climate change, which began on November 30, ended on Wednesday with agreements signalling an end to the fossil fuels era.
Andersen in a statement after the closing of the global event in Dubai, said: “Now we move beyond bargaining to action. As the Secretary-General of UN, Antonio Guteres), has said, the phase-out of fossil fuels is inevitable.”
COP28, he said, had delivered, for the first time at climate talks, a clear call on countries to transition away from fossil fuels.
He said the deal was not perfect, but one thing that is clear is that the world is no longer denying the harmful addiction to fossil fuels.
“This means real action on a rapid transition away from fossil fuels, especially for the G20, and real action on the many other positives agreed at COP28,” he said.
The UNEP chief said the framework on the Global Goal on Adaptation, operationalising the Loss and Damage Fund, and new commitments on sustainable cooling, methane reduction, tripling renewable energy targets and nature breakthroughs were some of the laudable agreements at the summit.
“The reality, as outlined in UNEP’s Emissions Gap report released ahead of the COP, is that we are not on track to deliver a resilient, low-carbon and just world.
“This reality has not changed yet. Now the hard work of decarbonisation must begin.
“To have any hope of doing this in line with what the science demands of us, we must unleash far greater finance to support countries in a just, equitable and clean transition, which is especially important for developing nations that must leap frog to low-carbon development.
“Financing and means of implementation are therefore critical, as every developing country must have the capacity to urgently end energy poverty, realise its sustainable development potential and deliver on the SDGs.
“We have the solutions; we know what needs to be done. And action can no longer wait,” said Andersen.
