Climate and clean energy advocates have urged the Philippine delegation at the COP28 climate talks to oppose a draft agreement that falls short of advocating the phase-out of fossil fuels, despite presenting options for emissions reduction.
According to a report by the Philippine Star, the recently released draft of the potential COP28 climate deal outlined emission reduction strategies but notably does not include phasing out fossil fuels which drew disappointment from climate campaigners, the United States, the European Union, and low-lying islands highly susceptible to climate impacts.
Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development Executive Director Gerry Arances stressed the urgent need for the Philippine delegation to challenge the draft text.
Arances acknowledged the Philippines’ past triumphs in advocating for limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius in the Paris Agreement, as well as in demanding amends for loss and damage and resources owed to climate-vulnerable nations.
Moreover, he criticized the failure to push for greater ambition in the global stocktake, labeling it as regression and a disservice to climate disaster victims and the pursuit of the 1.5°C goal.
Meanwhile, Ian Rivera, National Director of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, expressed concern about the lack of clarity from the country’s delegation regarding the fossil fuel phase-out.
While COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber aimed to reach a consensus among almost 200 countries, John Silk, Marshall Islands’ minister of natural resources and commerce, deemed the draft deal “unacceptable.” He said that the existential threat climate change poses to small-island states like the Marshall Islands, refusing to accept an outcome leading to devastation for vulnerable communities.
The lead convenor of Negros-based Youth for Climate Hope, Krishna Ariola, labeled the draft text a “death sentence” for vulnerable populations but also stressed the resilience of global movements.
Among the outlined in the draft agreement are measures for countries to consider and expedite the adoption of zero- and low-emission technologies, including renewables, nuclear power, and carbon capture and storage, aimed to replace fossil fuels in energy systems.