UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday urged a deal at COP28 on the phaseout of fossil fuels, telling negotiators that “now is the time for maximum ambition and maximum flexibility,” as UN climate talks in Dubai head into the home stretch.
AMN / UN NEWS
As COP28 entered its final 48 hours, the UN chief delivered a clear message to government negotiators: “We must conclude the conference with an ambitious outcome that demonstrates decisive action and a credible plan to keep 1.5-degree goal alive, protecting those on the frontlines of the climate crisis.”
‘The clock is ticking’
Negotiators are engaged in intense negotiations to hammer out a deal on key agenda items including the future of the use of fossil fuels, ramping up renewable energy, building resilience to climate change and ensuring financial support for vulnerable countries.
Speaking to reporters today, Mr. Guterres warned of humanity’s race against time as our planet is “minutes to midnight” for the 1.5-degree limit, referring to one of the keystone global warming targets set by the 2015 Paris Agreement. “And the clock keeps ticking.”
And yet, with COP28 so close to the finish line, there is still a “gap that needs to be bridged, said the Secretary-General.
Against this backdrop, he noted that “now is the time for maximum ambition and maximum flexibility. Ministers and negotiators must move beyond arbitrary red lines, entrenched positions and blocking tactics,” he said.
Urging countries to go into “overdrive to negotiate in good faith and rise to the challenge”, the Secretary-General also cautioned that any “compromise for solutions”, must not come at the cost of “compromising on the science or on the need for the highest ambition.”
He underscored that in a “fractured and divided world, COP28 can show that multilateralism remains our best hope to tackle global challenges.”
‘How high is our ambition’
Speaking to reporters just ahead of the Secretary-General, UN climate chief Simon Stiell said negotiations on an outcome document have a chance to begin a new chapter that delivers for people and planet.
He underscored the importance of finance as “the bedrock to scale-up climate action on all fronts”.Mr. Stiell said negotiations in Dubai have now boiled down to two issues:
- “How high is our ambition on mitigation”; and
- “Are we willing to back this transition with the proper means of support to deliver it?”
He stressed that the highest levels of ambition are possible on both, “but if we reduce on one, we reduce our ability to get either.”
To reach a meaningful deal, the many “unnecessary tactical blockades” seen along the COP28 journey must be removed, and “incrementalism” must be rejected, according to the climate chief.
He reminded negotiators that the world is watching and “there is nowhere to hide.”
“One thing is for certain: ‘I win – you lose’ is a recipe for collective failure. Ultimately it is 8 billion people’s security that is at stake”.
‘The time to decide is now’
At the first formal meeting of the closing plenary, COP28 President Dr Sultan Al Jaber said the time for discussion on a final document was coming to an end, “We have a text, we need to agree on the text… there is no time for hesitation. The time to decide is now.”
The UAE’s top climate negotiator said the outcome of COP28 must respect science and keep the target of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees in reach.
He said the flexibility of the delegates was evident in the historic operationalization of the loss and damage fund on the first day of the climate conference, now they have an opportunity “to deliver history again” and send a signal to the world that multilateralism does actually work.
Dr Al Jaber said even more flexibility was needed as COP28 approaches the finish line, adding: “I want you to deliver the highest ambition on all items, including on fossil fuel language.”