After over 2 weeks of local weather negotiations, the twenty eighth UN Local weather Summit, COP28, has wrapped up in Dubai.
As world leaders and delegates negotiated on how one can keep on observe to restrict world warming to 1.5 levels, 2023 was confirmed as the most well liked 12 months on file. And regardless of this apparent alarm bell, leaders nonetheless couldn’t agree on a definitive phaseout of fossil fuels.
Rather a lot occurred at COP28 – right here’s a rundown:
1. Launch of the Loss and Injury Fund
The great: The Loss and Injury Fund is lastly operational.
The dangerous: Pledges fall wanting what’s really wanted by climate-vulnerable international locations.
Championed by Pasifika leaders, the fund allocates cash to assist growing international locations deal with the impacts from the continued local weather disaster. Despite the fact that the fund was first introduced at COP27 final 12 months, a number of the funding preparations have been left up within the air. At COP28, rich nations answerable for local weather change pledged a complete of $700 million to the fund. Although it’s begin, it’s nonetheless a drop within the ocean of what Pacific Island communities really must cowl the prices of desperately wanted local weather adaptation and mitigation measures. Australia dedicated a pitiable $150 million to local weather funding for the Pacific – a far cry from our fair proportion of $4 billion yearly.
2. Australia indicators Glasgow Assertion
The great: Australia indicators the Glasgow Assertion.
The dangerous: It’s nonetheless unclear whether or not this can translate into much-needed motion at house.
The Glasgow Assertion is a joint settlement to finish worldwide public finance for fossil gasoline initiatives. From 2016 to 2021, Australia funnelled $828 million in taxpayers cash to abroad fossil gasoline initiatives. Signing on to the Glasgow Assertion means Australia will not finance worldwide fossil gasoline initiatives – a optimistic step that can assist shift billions of {dollars} away from a polluting fossil gasoline business to wash renewables.
However home initiatives will not be a part of the settlement. The most important fossil gasoline venture in Australia up for Federal approval – Woodside’s monstrous Burrup Hub fuel venture – would launch 6.1 billion tonnes of CO2 into the environment if it goes forward. This venture is grossly incompatible with our web zero emissions targets, and would trigger additional local weather hurt to our Pasifika household.
3. World Stocktake
The great: There’s extra consciousness and unanimity round how off observe we’re from assembly the 1.5C objective
The dangerous: We’re approach off target from reaching the 1.5C objective
The disappointing:
The World Stocktake is sort of a local weather report card for international locations, assessing how nicely they’re doing to succeed in their nationwide emissions targets and restrict world temperatures to 1.5C. COP28 made it undeniably clear simply how severely off observe we’re from reaching that objective, serving to to construct consensus across the want for much more formidable motion, with minister Bowen saying that limiting world heating to 1.5C isn’t ‘up for compromise’. However, the horrifying actuality remains to be how off target we’re from assembly the 1.5C objective, and the way shortly that window is closing.
The commitments made out of this 12 months’s COP and the actions taken after are vital, particularly in assembly the 1.5C objective. For Pacific leaders and communities already on the frontlines of the local weather disaster, 1.5C isn’t only a goal, it’s a matter of ‘life or demise’.
What’s subsequent? The place will we go from right here?
After practically 30 years of those local weather change conferences, fossil fuels have lastly been talked about within the remaining textual content, however leaders fell wanting calling for a phaseout, and the required finance required for growing nations to transition to wash vitality.
After persistently calling for sturdy local weather motion and repeatedly sharing their tales of climate-induced trauma at these conferences, our Pasifika household deserved extra.
It’s necessary to recollect the human faces of the local weather disaster, and what COP28 will imply for his or her lives – their properties, their cultures, languages, their very survival. With COP28 over, we’re armed with a brand new guidelines of commitments to carry our leaders accountable. We’ve got a accountability to maintain the strain up, and ensure they comply with by means of on these guarantees.
There’s sturdy urge for food for Australia to co-host COP31 with the Pacific. But Australia is the third largest exporter of fossil fuels – exports that trigger immeasurable local weather hurt to the Pacific. If we wish to be severe about internet hosting the UN Local weather Convention in 2026, and reset our popularity as a pacesetter in local weather motion – the Australian authorities should say no to all new fossil fuels.
Signal our petition now.