Following the adoption of the UAE Consensus at COP28 this morning, Climate Group CEO Helen Clarkson said:
“COP28 has come to a close not with fireworks but with a modest fanfare. We finally have agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, although the lack of a clear commitment to phase them out is a let-down. While we have a transition away from fossil fuels this is simply not good enough, at this stage.
“But there are some positive steps on trebling renewable energy, doubling energy efficiency and financing loss and damage. It’s also important that we’ve now got a COP text that recognises multilevel action and the role subnational governments play on climate change. We’ve been pushing for this for some time, including through our governments in the Under2 Coalition. Now we must get to work in making it a practical reality through NDCs in the run up to 2025.
“This outcome is a start but it’s just a start. Countries need to reduce emissions urgently and phase out fossil fuels - and we must have strong financing in place to support that. Without tangible targets and measurable commitments this risks being all talk and no substance. Nothing less than transformational change is needed to meet the scale of the challenge.”