© Reuters. European Commissioner for Local weather Motion of the European Union Wopke Hoekstra poses for a portrait after an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the United Nations Local weather Change Convention COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, December 9, 2023. REU
By Kate Abnett and Mohammed Benmansour
DUBAI (Reuters) – The European Union’s local weather chief on Saturday closely criticised an try by OPEC to derail a COP28 deal on phasing out fossil fuels, calling the transfer by the oil producers’ membership “unhelpful” and “out of whack”.
Practically 200 international locations assembly in Dubai for the U.N.’s COP28 local weather summit are debating whether or not to agree, for the primary time, to finally finish the world’s use of fossil fuels, the primary explanation for local weather change.
In an uncommon intervention, OPEC Secretary Basic Haitham Al Ghais this week urged international locations within the OPEC+ group to reject any COP28 deal focusing on fossil fuels, in a letter seen by Reuters.
“By many, including by me, that has been seen as out of whack, as unhelpful, as not in tune with where the world stands in terms of the very dramatic situation of our climate,” EU local weather commissioner Wopke Hoekstra mentioned of the OPEC letter.
“We’re here not to basically pay attention to our narrowly defined national or financial interests … we’re here to do what is right for the future of the world,” Hoekstra instructed Reuters in an interview.
A minimum of 80 international locations together with the 27-member EU, the USA and climate-vulnerable island nations are demanding a COP28 deal to part out fossil fuels, as scientists urge bold motion to avert the worst impacts of local weather change.
“This should be the beginning of the end of fossil, and we all have to acknowledge this, whether we produce oil, consume oil, or not,” Hoekstra mentioned.
He mentioned it will be a “scandal” if COP28 failed to supply a deal that may give the world an opportunity of limiting world warming to 1.5 levels Celsius – the restrict scientists say would keep away from its most disastrous impacts.
A former Dutch international affairs minister, Hoekstra started his personal profession with a three-year stint at oil main Shell (LON:).
Observers and negotiators at COP28 mentioned international locations together with Saudi Arabia and Russia – members of OPEC and OPEC+, respectively – have been the strongest opponents of a fossil gas phase-out deal at COP28.
Coal, oil and gasoline account for greater than 75% of world greenhouse gasoline emissions, that are fuelling worsening local weather impacts together with deadly warmth, drought and rising sea ranges.
Burning fossil fuels has served because the engine of recent life, and creating international locations on the U.N. local weather talks are demanding way more monetary help to assist them put money into clear power.
Even with the expansion of renewables, fossil fuels produce round 80% of the world’s power.
Alden Meyer, a COP28 delegate with think-tank E3G, mentioned it was the primary time OPEC’s Secretariat has intervened in U.N. local weather talks with a letter just like the one it despatched this week. “It indicates a whiff of panic,” he mentioned.
