COP28/ The historic agreement on reducing the consumption of fossil fuels is reached

2023-12-13 17:07:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

COP28/ The historic agreement on reducing the consumption of fossil fuels is

Representatives from nearly 200 countries agreed on Wednesday at the COP28 high-level climate meeting to reduce global consumption of fossil fuels to avoid the worst consequences of climate change, signaling the coming end of oil use.

The agreement reached in Dubai after two weeks of tough negotiations was intended to send a strong message to investors and politicians that the world is united in its commitment to weaning itself off fossil-based fuels, something scientists say is the hope of last to avoid climate catastrophe.

The president of the COP28 conference, Sultan al-Jaber, called the agreement "historic", but added that its real success will depend on its implementation.

"We must take the necessary steps for concrete actions", he said.

Many countries praised the agreement as an achievement that had not been agreed upon for decades.

"It is the first time that the world has come together around such a clear wording on the need to give up fossil fuels," said Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Espen Barth Eide.

More than 100 countries have pushed hard for strong wording in the COP28 agreement to "end" the use of oil, gas and coal, but have met with staunch opposition from the OPEC-led group of oil producers. Saudi Arabia. OPEC insisted that the world could reduce greenhouse gas emissions without banning certain fuels.

That battle extended the conference by a day, and some observers were worried that the negotiations would end in a stalemate.

Members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries control nearly 80% of the world's oil reserves as well as about a third of global oil production, and their governments rely heavily on revenues from them.

Meanwhile small island nations, the most exposed to climate change, have been among the most vocal supporters of phasing out fossil fuels and secured the support of major oil and gas producers such as the United States, Canada and Norway, as well as the European Union and dozens of other countries.

"This is a moment when multilateralism worked and where representatives put aside individual interests in favor of the common good," said US climate envoy John Kerry after the approval of the agreement./ VOA