(Dubai) COP28 went into overtime in Dubai, where negotiations to reach an ambitious climate agreement continued on Tuesday, the day after the publication of a draft text which attracted a deluge of criticism and emotional reactions.
“We expected this,” declared COP28 number two, its director general Majid al-Suwaidi, at around noon (3 a.m. Quebec time) in a brief press conference.
“We actually wanted the text to spark conversations, and that’s what happened,” he said, adding that the strategy helped to see where each country’s “red line” was. », particularly on the question of phasing out fossil fuels.
The comments collected until the early hours of the morning by the presidency allowed it to draft a new draft agreement, which is expected around 5 p.m. (8 a.m. Quebec time), indicated President Sultan al-Jaber’s entourage.
PHOTO AMR ALFIKY, REUTERS
Majid al-Suwaidi
“We went to each of the negotiating rooms during the night, each side was able to speak with the president, who stayed up until at least 4 a.m.,” Majid al-Suwaidi said.
Sultan al-Jaber, who made it a point of honor to conclude the conference at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, the anniversary of the Paris agreement, therefore had to resign himself to the idea of prolonging the discussions, as this is the case in virtually all United Nations climate conferences.
“We would all like to finish on time, but we all want the most ambitious outcome possible. This is our only goal,” said Majid al-Suwaidi.
It’s up to countries to get along
A torrent of criticism greeted the draft agreement published on Monday, considered weak and contradictory by many observers and rejected by different countries, which demand greater ambition.
The setting aside of a common objective of gradually abandoning the production and use of fossil fuels and the place left to measures to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been roundly criticized.
“The parties have deeply rooted and deeply divided points of view,” admitted Majid al-Suwaidi, placing the responsibility on them to agree, the role of the presidency being limited to giving the direction to follow.
“We have set the bar to where we need to get, [mais] the ambition and the result must come from the parties,” he said, calling on delegates to be open.
“I have been a negotiator before and I know how easy it is for negotiators to get hung up on a detail in the text,” Majid al-Suwaidi said.
An environmentalist strangled by emotion
Criticism continued to rain down on Tuesday towards the draft agreement published at the end of the day the day before, with various observers and environmental organizations holding press conferences in turn to share their findings.
“It’s a lot of emotion,” said Joseph Sikulu, Pacific executive director of the organization 350.org, before stopping for about 30 seconds, barely holding back tears.
PHOTO PETER DEJONG, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Joseph Sikulu
The current state of the draft agreement signals the death warrant for many island states, he said, recalling the declaration to this effect the day before by the Minister of Natural Resources of the Marshall Islands.
“Being blocked on each point, on each thing that is necessary to ensure the future of our islands, of our people” is frustrating after having actively participated in COP28, but also in all the preparatory meetings and other meetings of the convention -UN framework on climate change during the year, expressed Joseph Sikulu.
A system that allows so many fossil fuel lobbyists to speak out is broken. A system that gives so much power to issuing nations [de GES] is broken. A system that continues to block the voices of affected communities, the people who need help most, is broken.
Joseph Sikulu, Pacific Managing Director of 350.org
The draft text released Monday contains almost no statement indicating that the agreement “decides” on measures to be taken, unlike agreements reached at previous COPs.
On the other hand, it “underlines”, “recognizes”, “notes”, “insists”, “welcomes” or “expresses concerns”.
Rather, it reads that it “notes with significant concern that despite the progress made, the trajectory of global GHG emissions is still not aligned with the objective of the Paris Agreement” and that it “ recognizes that limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5°C [requiert] a rapid, significant and sustainable reduction” of these emissions.
The text also expresses “serious concern that 2023 is on track to be the hottest year on record and that the impacts of climate change are rapidly accelerating, demonstrating the need for urgent action”, which it does not yet not prescribed.