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Cop28 How Will Australia Navigate Domestic Climate Wins And Fossil

Leo Migdal
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cop28 how will australia navigate domestic climate wins and fossil

Director, Melbourne Climate Futures, The University of Melbourne Jacqueline Peel does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. University of Melbourne provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation AU. As the COP28 climate summit gets underway in the oil production hub of the United Arab Emirates today, Australia’s climate minister Chris Bowen will detail our progress in meeting emissions cut targets and updated... The second Annual Climate Change Statement will be tabled in parliament at noon. But we already know some of the detail.

Australia is now likely to cut its emissions 42% below 2005 levels by 2030 – very close to the legislated 43% target the government introduced last year. Australia's new stance at COP28 is unusual for a large fossil-fuel-producing country, even if it’s not translated into policies. COP28 is the first time that a United Nations (UN) decision acknowledged the need for the decline of not only coal, but also oil and gas, and called on all countries to work towards... The fact that it was struck in the Gulf region, and presided over by an oil executive, might have increased the latitude for oil and gas but also sets an important marker. The decision allows for a continued role for fossil fuels towards net zero, is vague in many ways and leaves plenty of wriggle room for any country. Nevertheless, it is important progress on an issue where huge economic interests clash.

The decision calls on countries to contribute to “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems … so as to achieve net zero by 2050”. It also calls for “phase-down” of coal without carbon capture and storage. Together this is a big part of what is needed to limit climate change. The words on the pages of COP decisions carry weight. They can become a point of reference for government decisions about policies and emission targets, and they echo in boardrooms and banks. This COP outcome makes it harder to justify investments that contradict climate change objectives.

Expectations among climate activists were never high for the United Nations climate change summit in the United Arab Emirates (COP28). But the final text — a go-slow on fossil fuel phase-out — shows that climate deniers have subverted the summit’s goals. Oil company boss and COP28 president Sultan al-Jaber even used the summit to secure fossil fuel deals. At least 2456 fossil fuel lobbyists attended the summit — nearly four times as many as last year. “The lobbyists outnumber the delegations of every country other than Brazil and the United Arab Emirates, which is hosting the summit,” Democracy Now! reported on December 5.

The draft text of a climate deal that did not include “phasing out” fossil fuels was released on December 11, the second last day of the summit. Al-Jaber had previously made the absurd claim that there is “no science” behind such a measure. For the first time in the 28-year history of COP – the Conference of Parties where close to 100,000 delegates from United Nations member states meet annually to discuss the world’s collective action on... The two week COP28 summit in Dubai ended on Wednesday with the 198 countries in attendance backing a deal that calls for “transitioning away” from fossil fuels to stave off the worst effects of... The deal says all nations agree to transition “away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero... COP28 President Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, who is also the head of Abu Dhabi’s national oil company, said it was “unprecedented” and “historic”.

“We have delivered a robust action plan to keep 1.5C in reach,” he said. “It is an enhanced, balanced, but make no mistake, a historic package to accelerate climate action. It is the UAE consensus. We have language on fossil fuel in our final agreement for the first time ever,” he said. Chris Bowen says country is ‘reaping the economic opportunities’ of clean energy as emissions projection improves The Albanese government will head to a major UN climate summit in Dubai furnishing evidence claiming that Australia is all but on track to meet its 2030 emissions target, but facing calls that it...

A snapshot of an upcoming emissions projections report released by the climate change minister, Chris Bowen, suggests Australia will likely cut its CO2 pollution to 42% below 2005 levels by 2030 – nearly in... The projections are based on an assessment of introduced and announced policies, including a revamped safeguard mechanism applied to industrial emissions, an expanded underwriting scheme to help reach 82% renewable energy and a still-in-development... A year ago the same analysis suggested the country was headed for a 40% cut. The improving position is likely to fuel arguments that the government could increase its 2030 target, and set a substantially more ambitious goal for 2035 next year.

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Director, Melbourne Climate Futures, The University Of Melbourne Jacqueline Peel

Director, Melbourne Climate Futures, The University of Melbourne Jacqueline Peel does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. University of Melbourne provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation AU. As the COP28 climate s...

Australia Is Now Likely To Cut Its Emissions 42% Below

Australia is now likely to cut its emissions 42% below 2005 levels by 2030 – very close to the legislated 43% target the government introduced last year. Australia's new stance at COP28 is unusual for a large fossil-fuel-producing country, even if it’s not translated into policies. COP28 is the first time that a United Nations (UN) decision acknowledged the need for the decline of not only coal, b...

The Decision Calls On Countries To Contribute To “transitioning Away

The decision calls on countries to contribute to “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems … so as to achieve net zero by 2050”. It also calls for “phase-down” of coal without carbon capture and storage. Together this is a big part of what is needed to limit climate change. The words on the pages of COP decisions carry weight. They can become a point of reference for government decis...

Expectations Among Climate Activists Were Never High For The United

Expectations among climate activists were never high for the United Nations climate change summit in the United Arab Emirates (COP28). But the final text — a go-slow on fossil fuel phase-out — shows that climate deniers have subverted the summit’s goals. Oil company boss and COP28 president Sultan al-Jaber even used the summit to secure fossil fuel deals. At least 2456 fossil fuel lobbyists attend...

The Draft Text Of A Climate Deal That Did Not

The draft text of a climate deal that did not include “phasing out” fossil fuels was released on December 11, the second last day of the summit. Al-Jaber had previously made the absurd claim that there is “no science” behind such a measure. For the first time in the 28-year history of COP – the Conference of Parties where close to 100,000 delegates from United Nations member states meet annually t...