COP28: 'Dog's dinner' climate talks to continue as countries remain opposed over fossil fuels
COP28 is at risk of finishing today without a deal as anger grows over a 'weak and watered down' draft agreement that one charity described as a 'dog's dinner', ITV News Science Correspondent Martin Stew reports from Dubai
COP28 was supposed to wrap up at 7am UK time on Tuesday, but the word in Dubai is talks could continue late into the night.
The watering down of plans to agree to a complete "phasing out" of fossil fuels on Monday has divided the climate conference and left consensus a long way off.
The UK is amongst a host of countries that say they will not sign the text as it is.
Representatives of the Pacific islands say that recommending what states "could" (rather than must) do would kill the 1.5C target and sign their death warrant.
So what are the problems with the wording as it is? Here are four:
Use of “could” in the energy paragraph, with none of the options amounting to a full phasedown or out
No timelines for action beyond vague assertions of mid-century targets
Few, if any, finance commitments supporting developing countries’ energy transitions
*No clear steer on a way forward for adaptation finance (how to make the world habitable in the face of climate change)
The UAE has staked its International Reputation (and a lot of money) on getting an "ambitious" agreement.
Critics argue the oil-rich nation has a vested interest and that the COP process is being greenwashed by fossil fuel money.
On the other side, if anybody is going to persuade Saudi Arabia and other OPEC nations to change their stance, COP28’s President Dr Sultan Al Jaber is arguably the man best-placed to do so.
What is going on at COP28?
A draft agreement has been pushed at the climate conference that does not include phasing out fossil fuels, going against the wishes of more than 100 nations.
It prompted government representatives to frantically tweak the new deal in the final hours of the conference in Dubai, although the negotiations are now expected to run beyond the official end time.
Small island nations, which are most at risk of rising temperatures and seas, were frustrated by the latest deal. All final decisions at COP events have to have consensus across attending countries.
Activists were concerned that big oil and gas-producing countries, such as Saudi Arabia, raised objections to a stronger version of the deal that included harsher rules against fossil fuels, leading to the current, watered-down edition.
The draft highlighted that some $4.3 trillion (£3.4 trillion) needs to be invested annually through 2030 in order to reach targets of net-zero emissions of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere by mid-century.
'Staggering' the UK has no ministers attending final days of COP28
Number 10 confirmed that climate change minister Graham Stuart has returned to London from the Cop28 summit for the second reading of the Safety of Rwanda Bill later.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Mr Stuart had returned to attend Parliament, but would then be going back to the global summit in Dubai.
Asked about the carbon emissions from the flights, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “This Government is not anti-flying. We don’t lecture the public to that regard. The most important thing is the outcomes of Cop, which Minister Stuart is obviously leading for the UK on.
“Ministers have a number of roles, the negotiations continue and he will return to Cop.”
Downing Street said that the second reading would be taking place as planned on the Rwanda legislation.
Speaking to ITV News, Francesca Rhodes, Senior Climate and Gender Policy Adviser for CARE International UK, said: “If the reports are accurate, it is staggering that the UK Government has no Ministers attending the final critical days of COP28.
"These negotiations will decide the fate of millions of people facing floods, fires and famine due to the climate crisis.
"The UK has played a productive role in the talks so far but leaving early is simply shameful. Time and again, wealthy countries have let down low-income countries.
"The latest text was deeply disappointing and does not keep 1.5 alive. When the UK should be standing up for marginalised communities, including women and girls, Rishi Sunak’s Government has gone AWOL.”
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