Dubai, Dec 13 (EFE).- A new draft climate agreement proposed by the COP28 president on Wednesday urges countries to work towards rapid reduction in emissions and move towards abandoning fossil fuels in energy systems.
The draft, which needs support from nearly 200 participating countries to move forward, committed “to accelerate action in this critical decade based on the best available science” and stressed transitioning to sustainable lifestyles to address climate change.
The document said that limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius requires “deep, rapid and sustained” reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, with a reduction of 43 percent by 2030 and 60 percent by 2035 compared to 2019 and a net zero emission by 2050.
The text released by COP president Sultan Al Jaber urged the countries to contribute to tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030 and accelerate efforts to reduce coal-based energy systems.
The draft called for “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner” to achieve net zero by 2050.
It pushed “accelerating zero- and low-emission technologies” including renewables, nuclear, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.
It also called for phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that do not address energy poverty as soon as possible.
The text recognized the role of transitional fuels in facilitating the energy transition while ensuring energy security.
After negotiations went into overtime Tuesday, the first draft was rejected by the European Union, the United States, and also the countries most threatened by global warming. EFE
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