By Obiabin Onukwugha
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COP28 Council Adopts European Union’s Climate Goals for Upcoming UN Climate Conference”
On Monday, the COP28 Council approved the conclusions that will form the European Union’s official negotiating position for the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), scheduled to take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 30 to December 12, 2023.
During the meeting, the Council highlighted the numerous opportunities presented by ambitious climate action for the planet, the global economy, and its people. It emphasized the importance of ensuring a just transition toward sustainable, climate-resilient, and climate-neutral economies and societies, with a particular focus on leaving no one behind.
Member states underscored the urgency of significantly ramping up global climate ambition to stay on track with the 1.5°C objective outlined in the Paris Agreement. The COP28 Council observed that the current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and their updates are insufficient to achieve this goal, stressing the need for Parties to revisit and strengthen their NDCs or update their long-term low Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission development strategies (LTS) ahead of COP28.
In a statement following the meeting, the Council specifically called for major economies to enhance the ambition of their NDCs and update their LTS to include a net-zero emissions target to be reached by 2050 at the latest.
The Council welcomed the submission of an updated EU NDC to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), reflecting the key elements of the ‘Fit for 55’ package. This updated NDC commits to reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels and achieving climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest.
The Council stressed that transitioning to a climate-neutral economy will necessitate a global phase-out of unabated fossil fuels and a peak in their consumption during this decade. It also emphasized the need for the energy sector to be predominantly free of fossil fuels well before 2050 and called for a fully or predominantly decarbonized global power system by the 2030s, with no room for new coal power.
Additionally, the Council called for the phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies that do not address energy poverty or just transition as soon as possible.
The statement also highlighted the importance of scaling up renewable energy capacity and improving energy efficiency while respecting each country’s national energy mix. It stressed the need for cooperation with developing nations to address climate challenges and ensure a smooth transition.
The Council reiterated the importance of conducting the first Global Stocktake at COP28, which is a core element of the Paris Agreement. Ministers also welcomed the launch of the mitigation work program (MWP) and the just transition work program and emphasized the importance of integrating climate change adaptation and resilience into existing policies and programs.
Furthermore, the Council called on all countries to increase their efforts to mobilize financing from various sources to support climate action. It expressed anticipation for discussions on climate finance at the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) meeting in October 2023.
The EU expressed its commitment to collaborate with all parties to enhance transparency, improve the efficiency of the UNFCCC process, advance the implementation of the Glasgow work program on action for climate empowerment, address gender considerations in climate policies, and engage in discussions related to climate action in agriculture and food security under the Sharm El-Sheikh Joint Work program.
