Less than 24 hours after COP28 produced a text marking the start of a “transition away from fossil fuels”, Minister Steven Guilbeault said he was “very happy, overall, with the result”.
“This is an agreement that gives us a chance to fight to maintain the 1.5 degree Celsius vision and put us on the path to a safer and more sustainable future,” said the Minister of the Environment and of Climate Change. “This is what science says is necessary to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. »
Freshly returned from the United Arab Emirates, Mr. Guilbeault highlighted the important “consensus” that countries are moving away from fossil fuels. Recalling that he had attended the United Nations conferences on climate change (COP) since the very first, in Berlin, in 1995, the minister said he was “optimistic” in light of the progress obtained in Dubai. “COP28 offers us a vision behind which we can rally to protect the climate. »
The elected official, formerly principal director of Équiterre, however recognized that international agreements were “rarely as ambitious” as he would like. However, he insisted on the “historic” nature of an agreement which, “for the first time”, includes the terms “fossil fuels” and recognizes the importance of reducing global dependence on them.
The big winner planet
Asked during a press conference whether the United Arab Emirates, host country of COP28 and a major oil state, emerged as winners from this agreement, the minister rather estimated that the world as a whole benefited from the consensus of some 200 countries. participants.
At the same time, he insisted on the importance of including countries dependent on fossil fuels, including Canada, in international discussions. “I have congratulated the UAE presidency on numerous occasions [de la COP28] for his work, but I think it’s the world that wins when, collectively, we put aside our differences […] to reach common ground. »
Mr. Guilbeault also said he was happy that the final text reinforces the importance of “mobilizing financial resources”. He also said he was imbued with the “conviction of a renewed ambition […] to meet the challenges of climate change.
Earlier in the day, on the social network [sa] consolidation”.
With The Canadian Press