Outrage + Optimism’s Post

How can we get more countries on board to fight #climatechange?      While the EU takes the lead in the fight against climate change, we also need non-EU countries to reduce their #emissions more. It's time we encouraged other major economies to achieve the long-term Paris Agreement targets together.      That's why the EPP Group calls for improved climate #diplomacy ahead of #COP28.     "If we're going to be successful in reaching our climate goals, we need all the countries around the world to step up", notes MEP Tomas Tobe.       #Financing climate mitigation and adaptation will also be a key issue at COP28. The EPP Group lead negotiator for Parliament's COP resolution, MEP Lídia Pereira, says: "We need money to fund the climate #transition, but we also need expertise."      "Skills, training - it's very important that the Global South develops and develops using clean #technology", highlights MEP Maria Da Graça Carvalho.      The EU leads by example, but achieving global goals requires everyone to be on board. 

Today, ENVI Committee of European Parliament adopted its demands for the #COP28 in a resolution that I co-sponsored. The EU should continue its leadership at COP 28 by setting an ambitious intermediate EU-wide target for 2040 & tackling all its emissions, including #methaneemissions from imports.

Exclusive: France, US to propose ban on private finance to coal-fired plants at COP28 By Sarita Chaganti Singh, Kate Abnett and Valerie Volcovici NEW DELHI/BRUSSELS/WASHINGTON, Nov 21 (Reuters) - France, backed by the United States, plans to seek a halt to private financing for coal-based power plants during the U.N. climate conference later this month, three sources familiar with the deliberations told Reuters in India and Europe. The plan, which was communicated to India earlier this month, will deepen divisions at the COP28 summit in Dubai running from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12, with India and China opposed to any attempt to block construction of coal-fired power stations for their energy-hungry economies.

The fifth meeting of a 24-member U.N. committee has broken the impasse on the "loss and damage fund", creating a proposal to help nations affected by climate-driven disasters. The deal proposes the World Bank as the interim fund home, urging developed countries to lead the funding and inviting others to contribute. The voluntary nature of the fund reflects a compromise, as developing nations insist on obligatory payments from developed countries responsible for most emissions. The recommendations will be presented at COP28 for approval. #lossanddamage #UN #COP28 https://lnkd.in/gYJmsWjX

On The Road to COP28 #18 Watching this space with great interest. “The EU, U.S. and UAE have been rallying support for the pledge ahead of the U.N.'s annual COP28 climate negotiations to be held Nov. 30 to Dec. 12 in Dubai, and will call for its inclusion in the final outcome of a gathering of world leaders on Dec. 2, the officials said. Some major emerging economies like Nigeria, South Africa and Vietnam, developed countries like Australia, Japan and Canada, and others including Peru, Chile, Zambia and Barbados have said they will join the pledge, the officials told Reuters. A draft of the pledge, reviewed by Reuters, would also commit those who sign it to doubling the world's annual rate of improving energy efficiency to 4% per year until 2030.” #renewableenergy #highambitionstrategies

Not really a surprise, is it? Fraud, bribery and physical threats are all part of the fossil fuel industry's normal standard operating procedures! *** COP28 president caught in oil lobbying scandal: Secretly pushes fossil fuel agenda amidst climate leadership This conflict of interest, uncovered through an investigation by the Center for Climate Reporting (CCR), raises serious questions about the integrity of the UN climate summit leadership. In a startling revelation that has sent shock waves through the climate change community, Sultan Al Jaber, the president of the upcoming COP28 climate summit, has been exposed for using his influential position to foster oil trade deals. This conflict of interest, uncovered through an investigation by the Center for Climate Reporting (CCR) in collaboration with the BBC, raises serious questions about the integrity of the UN climate summit leadership. The investigation, which involved meticulously analyzing over 150 pages of leaked internal briefings, reveals that Al Jaber, who also serves as the CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), has been engaging in discussions aimed at boosting Adnoc’s oil and gas business during meetings ostensibly focused on the climate summit. These documents provide an unprecedented look into the private discussions between Al Jaber and senior government figures, revealing a disturbing blending of climate diplomacy and business lobbying. Al Jaber’s dual role as COP28 president and head of a major oil company has been a point of contention since his appointment. The leaked documents now confirm fears that he has been leveraging his role at the summit to further commercial interests in the fossil fuel industry. According to the briefings prepared ahead of these high-level meetings, Al Jaber planned to raise commercial interests with nearly 30 countries. This revelation starkly contrasts with the expectations of impartiality and commitment to reducing global emissions that come with the leadership of such a significant international environmental event. Source: https://lnkd.in/drYfnNp9 #climate_emergency #tellthetruth #time_for_change #time_to_say_goodbyetofossilfuel #our_world_is_on_fire https://lnkd.in/edyrAp3A https://lnkd.in/edyrAp3A https://lnkd.in/eyZk9G6q

Breaking news to wake up to following an overnight flight back to London from #COP28uae: the Global Stocktake (GST) was approved this morning without objections. The aim of the GST is to provide clear directions to countries as they draw up their updated #NDCs (climate plans) in time for 2025, as well as signals for markets and industry. A few quick, sleep deprived observations below... Encouraging:  ➕ A statement of all #NDCs needing to be Paris (1.5C) aligned, recognising that global emissions need to peak soon for this to be viable - though the agreement leaves room for developing nations’ emissions to grow beyond 2025 ➕ The first time in the history of #COP where the text includes explicit reference to the future of all #fossilfuels (coal, oil and gas), offering different transition pathways as opposed to a menu of optional actions like in a prior draft (see for example the great posts by David Carlin for additional context). The need for the transition to be just, orderly and equitable is included. ➕ A new 2030 target of tripling renewables and doubling energy efficiency (and some new wording on low carbon technologies, such as #CCUS). Worrying: ➖ The phaseout of fossil fuels across all economic activities didn’t make it into the final text - instead we’re looking at transitioning away within the energy system. ➖ This leaves significant leeway for e.g. oil producers to continue (including providing feedstocks to other end uses), and makes the road to meeting the 1.5C target a rocky one. Gas is presented as a transitional fuel. ➖ #climatefinance (incl. for adaptation and the loss & damage fund) pledges still fall short -> more practical coordination is needed to mobilise funds at scale. Some of the announcements on the sidelines of the main negotiations, such as the joint #MDBs one, offer optimism. Despite being far from perfect, this UN consensus-based agreement is seen to signal the beginning of the end of fossil fuels - and it took 30 years to get here. As COP28 chief Dr. Sultan Al Jaber put it: “We are what we do, not what we say.” It’s time to double down on the implementation efforts, not least in finance!

Which Nuclear fission or Fusion? On November 10, 75 US-based companies and universities sent a letter to the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, urging an increase in fusion energy funding. Failure to consider fusion growth and the inevitable replacement of fission with fusion would seem wiser at COP28 UAE and WNE and discuss world fusion developments and deployment, As much as fission tries to greenwash its waste, it is like plastic and crude and other fossil fuels that will eventually work their way into our lives and our babies' lives of the future, it poisons the world, like smoking. Let us not increase the toxic radioactive waste that only 32 countries out of 195 of the world will ever get nuclear fission and nuclear weapons. They lie about commerciality The world should take note before committing further fission build. The only way out is to grow and deploy more rooftop renewables and domestic batteries as well as the industrial side of renewables, batteries, and hydrogen variable grid generation and develop fusion to make a complete energy package for Life. https://lnkd.in/gfXzu8sD

"In my decades of experience at COP negotiations, I've witnessed firsthand how the U.S. has repeatedly blocked efforts to curb fossil fuels, despite being the world's highest historical emitter and not committing to the Paris Agreement. This ongoing pattern of resistance is not just a policy issue—it is a profound injustice." — Harjeet Singh 🌍 Decades of Dialogue but no comprehensive global plan to phase out fossil fuels 🔹 Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty: Advocating for a treaty to complement the Paris Agreement, Singh calls for a global strategy to phase out fossil fuels justly and equitably. International cooperation and financial support are crucial. #ClimateAction #JustTransition #COPNegotiations #EnvironmentalJustice #fixthefinance #pham2024