Louise Sallé, edited by Alexandre Dalifard / Photo credit: EUROPEAN UNION / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP
As the last day of COP28, the UN climate conference, unfolds, discussions drag on between member states. In addition, the atmosphere has been particularly gloomy since Monday, because the ambition of the text discussed has been revised downwards. The exit from fossil fuels seems compromised.
In Dubai, can a compromise be found on the last day of COP28, the UN climate conference? So far, no white smoke. The discussions drag on like at the end of every COP. But the atmosphere has been particularly gloomy since Monday, because the ambition of the text discussed has been revised downwards. There is no longer any talk of an exit from fossil energy to which all countries would commit.
A big step despite everything?
While the European Union, the United States and several Latin American countries want a strong signal on this subject, we are now debating the mention of reducing the production and consumption of these energies. Which still remains a big step for Antoine Buéno, essayist and sustainable development advisor to the Senate.
“The simple fact of mentioning a reduction in the production and consumption of fossil energy is obviously enormous progress. If your focal point, on the contrary, is the ideal (talking about exiting the whole fossil fuels), so yes, the compromise that has been found for the moment is indeed less compelling. In fact, the COPs can only lead to progress or to the status quo”, he underlines on the microphone of Europe 1. Everything now depends on the wording of this reduction in fossil energy in the text. Will it be binding? Ambitious? This final agreement must be validated unanimously by all UN member countries.