The EU will advocate at COP28 for an end to the use of energy based on fossil fuels

The European Union (EU) will defend that the final agreement of the Dubai Climate Summit (COP28) includes ending the production and consumption of all fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) for energy uses, together with the objectives of triple renewables and double energy efficiency.

Addressing the beginning of the end of fossil fuels will probably be the most difficult issue to handle in the negotiations, according to sources from the Spanish presidency of the EU Council, who have considered that the Dubai summit will be the most important summit after the Agreement. . from Paris.

“without qualifiers” for energy, a language that, according to the same source, more than 80 countries support.

In this case, the linguistic nuances are important, since the final decisions of the two previous summits, held in Glasgow and Sharm el Sheikh, only included a mention of the end of coal plants without emissions capture systems (CCS). .

In energy, all fossil fuels must exit because there are already competitive technologies to replace them. The CCS should be reserved only for sectors that are difficult to decarbonize to prevent the money needed by renewables from being diverted to their development, the sources have added.

“Send a clear signal”

“We have to send a clear signal to the world that we are attacking the origin of the problem and also to investors so that they start working on renewable energies and help the Global South in their deployment,” they stated.

“We cannot leave COP28 without a strong result in mitigation,” because it is the only way to keep alive the objective of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees, which with current emissions reduction policies is at risk, according to multiple international reports. .

Although sending a clear message in relation to mitigation will be the most important battle of this summit, it will not be the only one, since for the result to be balanced it will also be necessary to advance in solidarity, especially in relation to the new Loss and Damage fund. , deposits or adaptation.

Regarding the dates being considered for the end of fossil fuels, sources from the Spanish presidency of the Council of the EU have explained to EFE that they take as reference what is argued by the IPCC and the International Energy Agency, which speak of the 2030 horizon. for electrical energy and the 2050 horizon for the entire energy sector.

Oil and gas will continue to be needed for other uses, such as the production of plastics, chemicals or asphalt, “but to meet the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees, we need to reduce demand by 75 % by 2050”. “he added.