168-594: The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC , more commonly known as COP28 , was the 28th United Nations Climate Change conference , held from 30 November to 13 December at Expo City , Dubai , United Arab Emirates . The COP conference has been held annually (except for the year 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) since the first UN climate agreement in 1992 . The event
336-519: A phase-out of fossil fuels , including coal , oil and natural gas , and reiterated Germany's commitment to be climate neutral by 2045, saying: "The technologies are there: wind power , photovoltaics , electric motors , green hydrogen ." On 3 December 2023, The Guardian revealed that COP28 President Sultan Al-Jaber had dismissed demands for a fossil fuel phase-out two weeks previously, denying its basis in science and claiming it would prevent economic development. The following day, Al-Jaber held
504-658: A sustainable manner. The UNFCCC's work currently focuses on implementing the Paris Agreement . This agreement entered into force in 2016. It aims to limit the rise in global temperature to well below 2 °C (3.6 °F) above levels before the Industrial Revolution , and even aiming to hold it at 1.5 °C (2.7 °F). The Paris Agreement superseded the UNFCCC's Kyoto Protocol which had been signed in 1997 and ran from 2005 to 2020. By 2022,
672-623: A "ratcheting up" of ambition in emissions cuts. Because analysts agreed in 2014 that the NDCs would not limit rising temperatures below 2 °C, the global stocktake reconvenes parties to assess how their new NDCs must evolve so that they continually reflect a country's "highest possible ambition". While ratcheting up the ambition of NDCs is a major aim of the global stocktake, it assesses efforts beyond mitigation. The five-year reviews will also evaluate adaptation, climate finance provisions, and technology development and transfer. On November 30, 2023,
840-626: A bottom-up structure, as its core pledge and review mechanism allows nations to set their own nationally determined contributions (NDCs), rather than having targets imposed top down. Unlike its predecessor, the Kyoto Protocol, which sets commitment targets that have legal force, the Paris Agreement, with its emphasis on consensus building , allows for voluntary and nationally determined targets. The specific climate goals are thus politically encouraged, rather than legally bound. Only
1008-680: A building on the UN Campus known as Langer Eugen . The secretariat is established under Article 8 of the Convention and headed by the Executive Secretary. The secretariat, augmented through the parallel efforts of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), aims to gain consensus through meetings and the discussion of various strategies. Since the signing of the UNFCCC treaty, Conferences of
1176-549: A climate agreement between China and the United States ahead of the conference, similar to the agreement of 2014 that paved the way for the Paris Agreement . China published a plan to reduce methane emissions ahead of the conference, but there was expected contention on coal use in China . China characterises coal as essential for its energy security , although others say energy security could be improved through upgrades to
1344-500: A confrontational exchange with Mary Robinson, chair of the Elders group, at a live online event on 21 November. The Times noted widespread condemnation of Al Jaber's statements at COP28, where numerous countries, including the UK and EU members, advocated for the phased reduction of unabated fossil fuels. In contrast, former U.S. vice president Al Gore emphasised the historical significance of
1512-483: A country wants to use more cost-effective cooperative approaches to achieve their NDCs, they will have to monitor carbon units for their economies. So far, as the only country who wants to buy ITMOs, Switzerland has signed deals regarding ITMO tradings with Peru, Ghana, Senegal, Georgia, Dominica, Vanuatu, Thailand and Ukraine. Paragraphs 6.4 –6.7 establish a mechanism "to contribute to the mitigation of greenhouse gases and support sustainable development". Though there
1680-579: A crime at the International Criminal Court . On 3 December 2023, COP28 participants launched a declaration to triple nuclear energy capacity from 2020 to 2050. The declaration was unveiled by U.S. climate envoy John Kerry , and signed by 25 countries. The signing countries pledged to implement policies to extend their nuclear capacities, stating that nuclear power played a key role in cutting carbon emissions to net zero. On 2 December 2023, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for
1848-451: A cut in methane emissions . The term unabated is generally understood to mean the use of carbon capture and storage , however the agreement left the term undefined. China and India did not sign the pledge to triple their output of renewable energy, and committed to coal power instead. For the first time in the history of COP summits, the global pact explicitly mentioned the necessity to shift away from all kinds of fossil fuels; however,
SECTION 10
#17327733472002016-586: A deal with China to "jointly evaluate international LNG opportunities" in Mozambique, Canada and Australia. The report stated that fossil fuel talks between ADNOC and 15 countries were planned, in addition to talks between Masdar and 20 countries including the United Kingdom, France, Germany and others ahead of the summit. Al Jaber denied reports that the UAE wanted to seek oil deals at the summit, calling
2184-456: A gain of emission units for one party and a reduction of emission units for the other, a so called "corresponding adjustment". Because the NDCs, and domestic carbon trading schemes, are heterogeneous, the ITMOs will provide a format for global linkage under the auspices of the UNFCCC. The provision thus also creates a pressure for countries to adopt emissions management systems – if
2352-519: A just, orderly and equitable manner" to mitigate the worst effects of climate change, and reach net zero by the year 2050. The global pact, referred to as the UAE Consensus , was the first in the history of COP summits to explicitly mention the need to shift away from every type of fossil fuels, but it still received widespread criticism due to the lack of a clear commitment to either fossil fuel phase-out or phase-down. China and India did not sign
2520-471: A leading oil producer and an authoritarian state without freedom of speech . The Emirati organisers warned speakers not to criticise Islam or the Emirati government, corporations or individuals. Human Rights Watch urged governments to use the opportunity to push the UAE to ease the "grip on civic space and uphold rights" and end the persecution of human rights activists like Ahmed Mansoor . On 1 August 2023,
2688-508: A low-emission development strategy is central to sustainable development, and that the share of global emissions originating in developing countries will grow to meet their social and development needs. The UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13) includes a target about the UNFCCC and explains how the Green Climate Fund is meant to be used: One of the five targets under SDG 13, meant to be achieved by 2030, states: "Implement
2856-593: A mandate to be informed by the Fifth Assessment Report of the IPCC and the work of the subsidiary bodies of the UNFCCC. The resulting agreement was to be adopted in 2015. Negotiations in Paris took place over a two-week span, and continued throughout the three final nights. Various drafts and proposals had been debated and streamlined in the preceding year. According to one commentator two ways in which
3024-635: A measurable, reportable and verifiable manner." 42 developed countries have submitted mitigation targets to the UNFCCC secretariat, as have 57 developing countries and the African Group (a group of countries within the UN). As part of the 2009 Copenhagen negotiations, a number of countries produced the Copenhagen Accord. The Accord states that global warming should be limited to below 2.0 °C (3.6 °F). The Accord does not specify what
3192-534: A midday ban. COP28 denied the allegations and claimed that no evidence of the midday ban's breach was found. A worksite supervisor said most of the work is done at night, but some has to be done whenever possible. A COP28 spokesperson said contractors were required to have worker heat safety plans and weather stations that monitor the thermal work limit , as well as taking into account heat and humidity metrics including wet and dry bulb temperature and wind speed. Ahead of COP28, Amnesty International raised concerns that
3360-477: A potential COP28 agreement to phase out fossil fuels, considering it one of the most crucial events in human history. Simultaneously, BBC News reported a substantial increase in the United Arab Emirates' oil production, with ADNOC, the state oil firm, projected to drill 42% more by 2030. Despite this, ADNOC claims it aims to enhance climate-friendliness, including venturing into renewable energy, amid
3528-429: A press conference in which he walked back his comments, stating that he stated he "respects science" and thinks a phaseout of fossil fuel use is inevitable. On 11 December, the day before the summit was scheduled to end, an initial draft of the final agreement was released. It was widely rejected by most Western countries because it avoided calling for a fossil fuel phaseout; The Alliance of Small Island States described
SECTION 20
#17327733472003696-477: A record level of 7.1 trillion dollars in the year 2022, due to high fuel prices and inflation. There are propositions for a creation of a global carbon market managed by the United Nations in the conference. Some steps are already done. On 6 December 2023, Haitham al-Ghais , the current OPEC Secretary-General, urged member nations to focus negotiations on reducing carbon emissions, rather than prohibiting
3864-456: A renowned scholar of climate change issues, "There was no compelling reason to believe that the 2023 UN climate gathering would be any different than its predecessor and that significant progress would be made. As November approached, the prospects for the annual UN climate conference were hardly promising. In thirty years of global climate diplomacy, never had the lead-up to a UN environmental gathering been mired in such political controversy: COP28
4032-613: A report on global warming of 1.5 °C. The IPCC subsequently released the Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C (SR15) in 2018. The report showed that it was possible to keep warming below 1.5 °C during the 21st century. But this would mean deep cuts in emissions. It would also mean rapid, far-reaching changes in all aspects of society. The report showed warming of 2 °C would have much more severe impacts than 1.5 °C. In other words: every bit of warming matters. SR15 had an unprecedented impact for an IPCC report in
4200-553: A report released in 2022 the IPCC promotes the need for innovation and technological changes in combination with consumption and production behavioral changes to meet Paris Agreement objectives. To stay below 1.5 °C of global warming, emissions need to be cut by roughly 50% by 2030. This is an aggregate of each country's nationally determined contributions . By mid-century, CO 2 emissions would need to be cut to zero, and total greenhouse gases would need to be net zero just after mid-century. There are barriers to implementing
4368-467: A specific date, nor to meet their targets. There will be only a name and shame system or as János Pásztor , the former U.N. assistant secretary-general on climate change, stated, a "name and encourage" plan. Under the Paris Agreement, countries must increase their ambition every five years. To facilitate this, the agreement established the Global Stocktake , which assesses progress, with
4536-469: A specific division between developed and developing nations. Countries determine themselves what contributions they should make to achieve the aims of the treaty. As such, these plans are called nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Article 3 requires NDCs to be "ambitious efforts" towards "achieving the purpose of this Agreement" and to "represent a progression over time". The contributions should be set every five years and are to be registered by
4704-624: Is a binding agreement, but many of its articles do not imply obligations or are there to facilitate international collaboration. It covers most greenhouse gas emissions, but does not apply to international aviation and shipping , which fall under the responsibility of the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Maritime Organization , respectively. The Paris Agreement has been described as having
4872-466: Is guided by specific objectives that, together, are seen as crucial for effectively implementing climate adaptation and mitigation actions, and for achieving the ultimate objective of the UNFCCC. The Kyoto Protocol ( Japanese : 京都議定書 , Hepburn : Kyōto Giteisho ) was an international treaty which extended the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that commits state parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions , based on
5040-522: Is implemented via national policy. It would involve improvements to energy efficiency to decrease the energy intensity of the global economy. Implementation also requires fossil fuel burning to be cut back and the share of sustainable energy to grow rapidly. Emissions are being reduced rapidly in the electricity sector, but not in the building, transport and heating sector. Some industries are difficult to decarbonize, and for those carbon dioxide removal may be necessary to achieve net zero emissions . In
5208-520: Is intended for governments to agree on policies to limit global temperature rises and adapt to impacts associated with climate change . The conference was originally scheduled to end on 12 December, but had to be extended following Saudi objections on the final agreement. On 13 December, the conference president, Sultan Al Jaber announced that a final compromise agreement between the countries involved had been reached. The deal commits all signatory countries to move away from carbon energy sources "in
2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference - Misplaced Pages Continue
5376-806: Is intended that the Green Climate Fund be the centrepiece of efforts to raise climate finance under the UNFCCC. There are four other, smaller multilateral climate funds for paying out money in climate finance which are coordinated by the UNFCCC. These include the Adaptation Fund (AF), the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The GCF
5544-744: Is no official name for the mechanism as yet, it has been referred to as the Sustainable Development Mechanism or SDM. The SDM is considered to be the successor to the Clean Development Mechanism , a mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol by which parties could collaboratively pursue emissions reductions. The SDM is set to largely resemble the Clean Development Mechanism, with the dual goal of contributing to global GHG emissions reductions and supporting sustainable development. Though
5712-473: Is not strict enough. There is debate about the effectiveness of the agreement. While pledges under the Paris Agreement are insufficient for reaching the set temperature goals, there is a mechanism of increased ambition . The Paris Agreement has been successfully used in climate litigation forcing countries and an oil company to strengthen climate action. The aim of the agreement, as described in Article 2,
5880-520: Is not threatened and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner". Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) is a term adopted by the UNFCCC in 2015 to have a better name for this topic than "Article 6". It refers to Article 6 of the convention's original text (1992), focusing on six priority areas: education, training, public awareness, public participation, public access to information, and international cooperation on these issues. The implementation of all six areas has been identified as
6048-464: Is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, due to its very hot and humid climate. Its average air temperature has risen by 1.27 °C (34.29 °F) between 1990 and 2022. The Red Sea and Persian Gulf have exceeded safe wet-bulb temperature thresholds several times. Other impacts felt in the region are more frequent dust storms , sea level rise and drought . The UAE has committed to reducing carbon emissions to net zero by 2050;
6216-515: Is possible that the SDM will see difficulties. Climate change adaptation received more focus in Paris negotiations than in previous climate treaties. Collective, long-term adaptation goals are included in the agreement, and countries must report on their adaptation actions, making it a parallel component with mitigation. The adaptation goals focus on enhancing adaptive capacity , increasing resilience , and limiting vulnerability. The Paris Agreement
6384-409: Is problematic that key signatory states are not adhering to their individual commitments. For this reason, the UNFCCC has been criticized as being unsuccessful in reducing greenhouse gas emission since its adoption. Parties to the convention have not agreed on a process allowing for majority voting. All decisions are taken by consensus, giving individual parties or countries a veto. The effectiveness of
6552-690: Is put towards climate action . The Fund's former director Héla Cheikhrouhou has complained in 2016 that the Fund is backing too many "business-as-usual types of investment proposals". This view is echoed by a number of civil society organizations. "UNFCCC" is also the name of the Secretariat charged with supporting the operation of the convention, with offices on the UN Campus in Bonn, Germany . Offices were formerly located in Haus Carstanjen and in
6720-525: Is the "Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $ 100 billion commitment through to 2025". The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a fund for climate finance that was established within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Considered the world's largest fund of its kind, GCF's objective
6888-545: Is the UN process for negotiating an agreement to limit dangerous climate change. It is an international treaty among countries to combat "dangerous human interference with the climate system ". The main way to do this is limiting the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It was signed in 1992 by 154 states at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), informally known as
2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference - Misplaced Pages Continue
7056-519: Is the first COP where food systems were discussed. During the event, the UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action was adopted by 159 countries. Two-thirds of the estimated 250,000 meals served at the event were plant-based. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization issued a roadmap report at the event outlining how to reduce agricultural emissions from methane. Food journalist Avery Yale Kamila said
7224-564: Is the lack of international cooperation ." The climate envoy from Bangladesh described the lack of global solidarity as the main obstacle to stopping climate change, emphasising the need to create a loss and damage fund. Governments expressed concern that similar to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the 2023 Israel–Hamas war may adversely impact negotiations at COP28. Before the conference, Pope Francis issued an apostolic exhortation called Laudate Deum , calling for brisk action against
7392-593: Is the largest of these five funds. As of Dec 2023, the GCF had a portfolio of 13.5 billion USD (51.9 billion USD including co-financing). The process of designing the GCF has raised several issues. These include ongoing questions on how funds will be raised, the role of the private sector, the level of "country ownership" of resources, and the transparency of the Board itself. Also, this additional international climate institution might further fragment taxpayer's money that
7560-561: Is to assist developing countries with climate change adaptation and mitigation activities. The GCF is an operating entity of the financial mechanism of the UNFCCC. It is based in Songdo , Incheon , South Korea. It is governed by a Board of 24 members and supported by a Secretariat. Mafalda Duarte , a Portuguese development economist, is the Fund's Executive Director. The Green Climate Fund supports projects and other activities in developing countries using thematic funding windows . It
7728-479: Is to be administered by the World Bank . The host country, the United Arab Emirates, and Germany each pledged $ 100 million to the fund. Smaller pledges by the United Kingdom ($ 75 million), United States ($ 24.5 million) and Japan ($ 10 million) brought the total to $ 430 million on the first day. On 1 December 2023, activists protested outside the venue, calling for ecocide —mass environmental destruction—to be made
7896-435: Is to have a stronger response to the danger of climate change; it seeks to enhance the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change through: (a) Holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce
8064-535: The 1994 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change . It is held annually, with the host countries rotating among its members. In early 2021, the United Arab Emirates offered to host the 2023 event. Dubai was chosen as the host city in November of the same year. It was the third time it was hosted by a member of OPEC after Qatar in 2012 and Indonesia in 2007. The United Arab Emirates
8232-679: The Cook Islands , and the supranational union European Union . Parties to the UNFCCC are classified as: There are 43 Annex I Parties including the European Union. These countries are classified as industrialized countries and economies in transition. Of these, 24 are also Annex II Parties, including the European Union, and 14 are Economies in Transition. Annex I countries (24 of these are also Annex II Parties) : Paris Agreement The Paris Agreement (also called
8400-693: The Earth Summit , held in Rio de Janeiro . The treaty entered into force on 21 March 1994. "UNFCCC" is also the name of the Secretariat charged with supporting the operation of the convention, with offices on the UN Campus in Bonn , Germany. The convention's main objective is explained in Article 2. It is the "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic [i.e., human-caused] interference with
8568-631: The Montreal Protocol ) at 1990 levels, by 2000. The ultimate objective of the Framework Convention is specified in Article 2: "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic [i.e., human-caused] interference with the climate system". Article 2 of the convention says this "should be achieved within a time-frame sufficient to allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production
SECTION 50
#17327733472008736-685: The Nationally Determined Contributions , and may bring down temperatures by a further 0.5°C. With initial pledges by countries inadequate, faster and more expensive future mitigation would be needed to still reach the targets. Furthermore, there is a gap between pledges by countries in their NDCs and implementation of these pledges; one third of the emission gap between the lowest-costs and actual reductions in emissions would be closed by implementing existing pledges. A pair of studies in Nature found that as of 2017 none of
8904-598: The Paris Accords or Paris Climate Accords ) is an international treaty on climate change that was signed in 2016. The treaty covers climate change mitigation , adaptation , and finance . The Paris Agreement was negotiated by 196 parties at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference near Paris , France. As of February 2023, 195 members of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are parties to
9072-523: The UNFCCC Secretariat . Each further ambition should be more ambitious than the previous one, known as the principle of progression . Countries can cooperate and pool their nationally determined contributions. The Intended Nationally Determined Contributions pledged during the 2015 Climate Change Conference are converted to NDCs when a country ratifies the Paris Agreement, unless they submit an update. The Paris Agreement does not prescribe
9240-487: The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro (known by its popular title, the Earth Summit ). On 12 June 1992, 154 nations signed the UNFCCC, which upon ratification committed signatories' governments to reduce atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases with the goal of "preventing dangerous anthropogenic interference with Earth's climate system". This commitment would require substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (see
9408-481: The climate crisis and condemning climate change denial . The Pope planned to attend the conference, which would have marked the first papal visit to a United UN Climate Change conference, but had to pull out due to ill health. United States president Joe Biden did not attend, with the Israel–Hamas war and internal U.S. government spending difficulties being cited as possible causes. According to Professor Alon Tal,
9576-411: The climate system ". The treaty calls for continuing scientific research into the climate. This research supports meetings and negotiations to lead to agreements. The aim is to allow ecosystems to adapt to climate change . At the same time it aims to ensure there are no threats to food production from climate change or measures to address it. And it aims to enable economic development to proceed in
9744-440: The international transfer of mitigation outcomes (ITMOs). The agreement recognizes the rights of parties to use emissions reductions outside of their own borders toward their NDC, in a system of carbon accounting and trading. This provision requires the "linkage" of carbon emissions trading systems – because measured emissions reductions must avoid "double counting", transferred mitigation outcomes must be recorded as
9912-521: The scientific consensus that global warming is occurring and that human-made CO 2 emissions are driving it. The Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto , Japan, on 11 December 1997 and entered into force on 16 February 2005. There were 192 parties ( Canada withdrew from the protocol, effective December 2012) to the Protocol in 2020. The Kyoto Protocol implemented the objective of the UNFCCC to reduce
10080-479: The 1992 Earth Summit is one of the first international treaties on the topic. It stipulates that parties should meet regularly to address climate change, at the Conference of Parties or COP. It forms the foundation to future climate agreements. The Kyoto Protocol , adopted in 1997, regulated greenhouse gas reductions for a limited set of countries from 2008 to 2012. The protocol was extended until 2020 with
10248-497: The 2°C upper target of the Paris Agreement, that the probabilities of major emitters meeting their NDCs without such an increase is very low. It estimated that with current trends the probability of staying below 2 °C of warming is 5% – and 26% if NDCs were met and continued post-2030 by all signatories. As of 2020 , there is little scientific literature on the topics of the effectiveness of the Paris Agreement on capacity building and adaptation, even though they feature prominently in
SECTION 60
#173277334720010416-509: The Arab nation. The major concerns were all about human rights. One of the participants, Sconaid McGeachin said COPs have become a platform for activism, and reportedly said: "We need to preserve the reputation of the UAE ... and try to minimise those attacks as much as possible". A spokesperson for COP28, called the leaked recording "unverified", but stated that COP28 would "engage all stakeholders". The UAE has been adapting its conference facility,
10584-585: The COP 21, Laurent Fabius , argued that the implementation of the Paris Agreement could be bolstered by the adoption of a Global Pact for the Environment . The latter would define the environmental rights and duties of states, individuals and businesses. The effectiveness of the Paris Agreement to reach its climate goals is under debate, with most experts saying it is insufficient for its more ambitious goal of keeping global temperature rise under 1.5°C. Many of
10752-458: The COP, Majid al-Suwaidi, insisted the conference would fulfill the commitment to create a loss and damage fund, as was agreed at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference . The UAE had initially invited the president of Syria , Bashar al-Assad , to COP28, resulting in widespread condemnation. Assad ultimately did not come, sending his prime minister Hussein Arnous instead. Ahead of
10920-699: The COP28 climate summit, with expenses covered by the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group , in which Dubai is the part of Sterling Committee. This raised concerns about potential violations of the state’s code of conduct. In February 2024, Councilors Daniel Fontaine and Paul Minhas filed a complaint against Johnstone, alleging that he violated state laws by accepting gifts to attend the COP28 summit. This lead to an investigation by ethics commissioner Jennifer Devins. In her September 2024 report, Devins concluded that while Johnstone's attendance
11088-626: The Conference of the Parties (COP22) in Marrakesh focused on these Nationally Determined Contributions and their implementation, after the Paris Agreement entered into force on 4 November 2016. As of 2022, the UNFCCC has 198 parties including all United Nations member states , United Nations General Assembly observers the State of Palestine and the Holy See , UN non-member states Niue and
11256-427: The Conference of the Parties. Subsidiary bodies include: A "National Communication" is a type of report submitted by the countries that have ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Developed countries are required to submit National Communications every four years and developing countries should do so. Some Least Developed Countries have not submitted National Communications in
11424-636: The Conferences also served as the Meetings of Parties of the Kyoto Protocol (CMP) and since 2016 the Conferences also serve as Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA). The first conference (COP1) was held in 1995 in Berlin. The 3rd conference (COP3) was held in Kyoto and resulted in the Kyoto protocol, which was amended during the 2012 Doha Conference (COP18, CMP 8). The COP21 (CMP11) conference
11592-422: The Convention related to financial resources and transfer of technology and will take fully into account that economic and social development and poverty eradication are the first and overriding priorities of the developing country Parties. The Convention specifies the aim of Annex I Parties was stabilizing their greenhouse gas emissions ( carbon dioxide and other anthropogenic greenhouse gases not regulated under
11760-522: The Doha Amendment in 2012. The United States decided not to ratify the Protocol, mainly because of its legally-binding nature. This, and distributional conflict, led to failures of subsequent international climate negotiations. The 2009 negotiations were intended to produce a successor treaty of Kyoto, but the negotiations collapsed and the resulting Copenhagen Accord was not legally binding and did not get adopted universally. The Accord did lay
11928-514: The EU might delay the Paris pact. However, the EU deposited its instruments of ratification on 5 October 2016, along with seven EU member states. The EU and 194 states, totalling over 98% of greenhouse gas emissions , have ratified or acceded to the agreement. The only countries which have not ratified are some greenhouse gas emitters in the Middle East : Iran with 2% of the world total being
12096-500: The EU and its member states are individually responsible for ratifying the Paris Agreement. A strong preference was reported that the EU and its 28 member states ratify at the same time to ensure that they do not engage themselves to fulfilling obligations that strictly belong to the other, and there were fears by observers that disagreement over each member state's share of the EU-wide reduction target, as well as Britain's vote to leave
12264-604: The French increased the likelihood of success were: firstly to ensure that Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) were completed before the start of the negotiations, and secondly to invite leaders just for the beginning of the conference. The negotiations almost failed because of a single word when the US legal team realized at the last minute that "shall" had been approved, rather than "should", meaning that developed countries would have been legally obliged to cut emissions:
12432-464: The French solved the problem by changing it as a "typographical error". At the conclusion of COP21 (the 21st meeting of the Conference of the Parties), on 12 December 2015, the final wording of the Paris Agreement was adopted by consensus by the 195 UNFCCC participating member states and the European Union. Nicaragua indicated they had wanted to object to the adoption as they denounced the weakness of
12600-688: The Gulf state as a COP28 host. The agreement followed the negative criticism of the UAE's decision to assign Sultan Al Jaber as the COP28 president. On 4 August 2023, the company registered under the United States Foreign Agents Registration Act to represent Masdar . According to the filings, the PR firm was supposed to seek to "reinforce attitudes among decision-makers in Washington, D.C., and across Europe regarding
12768-607: The Paris Agreement and the Kyoto Protocol is their scope. The Kyoto Protocol differentiated between Annex-I , richer countries with a historical responsibility for climate change, and non-Annex-I countries, but this division is blurred in the Paris Agreement as all parties are required to submit emissions reduction plans. The Paris Agreement still emphasizes the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibility and Respective Capabilities – the acknowledgement that different nations have different capacities and duties to climate action – but it does not provide
12936-468: The Paris Agreement as a framework for a global carbon market. Article 6 is the only important part of the agreement yet to be resolved; negotiations in 2019 did not produce a result. The topic was settled during the 2021 COP26 in Glasgow . A mechanism, the "corresponding adjustment", was established to avoid double counting for emission offsets. Paragraphs 6.2 and 6.3 establish a framework to govern
13104-430: The Paris Agreement pledges, the average temperature would rise by 2.4°C, and with every zero emission target reached, the average temperature would rise by 2.0°C. The Production Gap 2021 report states that world governments still plan to produce 110% more fossil fuels in 2030 (including 240% more coal, 57% more oil and 71% more gas) than the 1.5 degree limit. In September 2023 the first global stocktake report about
13272-408: The Paris Agreement that are yet to be set. Most NDCs have a conditional component. While the NDCs themselves are not binding, the procedures surrounding them are. These procedures include the obligation to prepare, communicate and maintain successive NDCs, set a new one every five years, and provide information about the implementation. There is no mechanism to force a country to set a NDC target by
13440-475: The Paris Agreement to reach its climate goals is also under debate, especially with regards to its more ambitious goal of keeping the global temperature rise to under 1.5 °C. The IPCC 's First Assessment Report appeared in 1990. The report gave a broad overview of climate change science and the scientific consensus to date . It discussed uncertainties and provided evidence of warming. The authors said they are certain that greenhouse gases are increasing in
13608-423: The Paris Agreement. The literature available is mostly mixed in its conclusions about loss and damage, and adaptation. According to the stocktake report, the agreement has a significant effect: while in 2010 the expected temperature rise by 2100 was 3.7–4.8 °C, at COP 27 it was 2.4–2.6°C and if all countries will fulfill their long-term pledges even 1.7–2.1 °C. Despite it, the world is still very far from reaching
13776-401: The Parties (COPs) have discussed how to achieve the treaty's aims. From 2010 to 2016 the head of the secretariat was Christiana Figueres , following by Patricia Espinosa who was appointed Executive Secretary on 18 May 2016 by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and took office on 18 July 2016. Espinosa retired on 16 July 2022. UN Under Secretary General Ibrahim Thiaw served as
13944-965: The Parties. These include the Bali Action Plan (2007), the Copenhagen Accord (2009), the Cancún agreements (2010), and the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action (2012). As part of the Bali Action Plan, adopted in 2007, all developed country Parties have agreed to "quantified emission limitation and reduction objectives, while ensuring the comparability of efforts among them, taking into account differences in their national circumstances". Developing country Parties agreed to "[nationally] appropriate mitigation actions context of sustainable development , supported and enabled by technology, financing and capacity-building, in
14112-439: The U.S. ( John Kerry ), China ( Xie Zhenhua ) and the EU ( Frans Timmermans ) met regularly to discuss priorities and planning. On 15 November, the U.S. and China announced an agreement to triple global renewable energy use by 2030. The agreement included a commitment to addressing greenhouse gases, but was criticised for not including a commitment from China to phase out coal-fired power plants. Insiders cautiously expressed hope for
14280-458: The UAE allowed environmental activists to "assemble peacefully" at the summit and vowed to provide them a space to "make their voices heard", despite laws that prohibit unauthorised protests. The UAE's appointment of Sultan Al Jaber president of COP28 caused further controversy, as he is also the CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC). In February 2023, one month after Al Jaber's selection,
14448-449: The UAE might continue to use digital surveillance to spy on human rights defenders and civil society members in the UAE, including the COP28 participants. According to Amnesty International's Disrupting Surveillance Team, the UAE had a record of using digital surveillance to "crush dissents and stifle freedom of expression". Amnesty's view of the UAE's promise to offer a "platform for activists' voices" would be unachievable without respect for
14616-400: The UAE planned to use the conference to strike new fossil fuel deals with other nations. Al Jaber claimed that his comments on the phase-out of fossil fuels were "misinterpreted" and denied the latter allegation, asserting that the UAE does not need the COP presidency to establish business deals. The United Nations Climate Change Conference is an annual meeting of all countries that have signed
14784-404: The UAE's heavy restrictions on protests, which Human Rights Watch called "shocking". Protests at the summit were largely confined to the "blue zone", an area under UN control where local laws do not apply. In the blue zone, local activists used COP28 as a platform for human rights demonstrations that are rare and generally not permitted in the UAE. New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone attended
14952-600: The UN Headquarters in New York. Signing of the agreement is the first step towards ratification , but it is possible to accede to the agreement without signing. It binds parties to not act in contravention of the goal of the treaty. On 1 April 2016, the United States and China, which represent almost 40% of global emissions confirmed they would sign the Paris Climate Agreement. The agreement
15120-940: The UNFCCC had 198 parties. Its supreme decision-making body, the Conference of the Parties (COP) , meets every year. Other meetings at the regional and technical level take place throughout the year. The Paris Agreement mandates a review or " global stocktake " of progress towards meetings its goals every five years. The first of these took place at COP28 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2023. The treaty sets out responsibilities for three categories of states. These are developed countries , developed countries with special financial responsibilities, and developing countries . The developed countries are called Annex I countries. At first there were 38 of them. Annex I countries should adopt national policies and take corresponding measures to limit their emissions of greenhouse gases . They should also report on steps for returning individually or jointly to their 1990 greenhouse gas emission levels. It
15288-439: The UNFCCC. These plans were compiled with those made as part of the Bali Action Plan. At the 2021 annual meeting UNFCCC launched the 'UN Race-to-Zero Emissions Breakthroughs'. The aim of the campaign is to transform 20 sectors of the economy in order to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions. At least 20% of each sector should take specific measures, and 10 sectors should be transformed before COP 26 in Glasgow. According to
15456-502: The US would "earn its way back" into legitimacy in the Paris process. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the return of the United States as restoring the "missing link that weakened the whole". The Paris Agreement is a short agreement with 16 introductory paragraphs and 29 articles. It contains procedural articles (covering, for example, the criteria for its entry into force) and operational articles (covering, for example, mitigation, adaptation and finance). It
15624-557: The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) commenced in Dubai with renewed calls for amplified efforts towards climate action. Article 6 has been flagged as containing some of the key provisions of the Paris Agreement. Broadly, it outlines the cooperative approaches that parties can take in achieving their nationally determined carbon emissions reductions. In doing so, it helps establish
15792-457: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are parties to the agreement. Of the three UNFCCC member states which have not ratified the agreement, the only major emitter is Iran . The United States withdrew from the agreement in 2020, but rejoined in 2021. In addition to the Kyoto Protocol (and its amendment) and the Paris Agreement, parties to the Convention have agreed to further commitments during UNFCCC Conferences of
15960-416: The acting Executive Secretary in the interim. On 15 August 2022, Secretary-General António Guterres appointed former Grenadian climate minister Simon Stiell as Executive Secretary, replacing Espinosa. Current and former executive secretaries are: The reports published by IPCC play a key role in the annual climate negotiations held by the UNFCCC. For example, the UNFCCC invited the IPCC to prepare
16128-417: The agreement, but were not given a chance. In the agreement the members promised to reduce their carbon output "as soon as possible" and to do their best to keep global warming " to well below 2 degrees C " (3.6 °F). The Paris Agreement was open for signature by states and regional economic integration organizations that are parties to the UNFCCC (the convention) from 22 April 2016 to 21 April 2017 at
16296-417: The agreement, each country must determine, plan, and regularly report on its contributions. No mechanism forces a country to set specific emissions targets , but each target should go beyond previous targets. In contrast to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol , the distinction between developed and developing countries is blurred, so that the latter also have to submit plans for emission reductions. The Paris Agreement
16464-425: The agreement. Of the three UNFCCC member states which have not ratified the agreement, the only major emitter is Iran . The United States withdrew from the agreement in 2020, but rejoined in 2021. The Paris Agreement has a long-term temperature goal which is to keep the rise in global surface temperature to well below 2 °C (3.6 °F) above pre-industrial levels. The treaty also states that preferably
16632-408: The agreement. Some countries struggle to attract the finance necessary for investments in decarbonization. Climate finance is fragmented, further complicating investments. Another issue is the lack of capabilities in government and other institutions to implement policy. Clean technology and knowledge is often not transferred to countries or places that need it. In December 2020, the former chair of
16800-479: The aim of the agreement: limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. For doing this, emissions must peak by 2025. In September 2021, the Climate Action Tracker estimated that, with current policies, global emissions will double above the 2030 target level. The gap is 20-23 Gt CO2e. Countries such as Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Thailand have been criticised of not doing enough to meet
16968-419: The allegations an attempt to undermine his work. An analysis found that at least 2,456 COP28 attendees were fossil fuel lobbyists, receiving more passes than the ten countries most vulnerable to climate change. Analysis by Oxfam found that 34 billionaires—together worth roughly $ 495 billion—attended COP28 as delegates; a quarter of them had made their money in "highly polluting industries". Sultan Al Jaber ,
17136-494: The atmosphere because of human activity. This is resulting in more warming of the Earth 's surface. The report led to the establishment of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The text of the Convention was produced during the meeting of an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee in New York from 30 April to 9 May 1992. The Convention was adopted on 9 May 1992 and opened for signature on 4 June 1992 at
17304-568: The baseline is for these temperature targets (e.g., relative to pre-industrial or 1990 temperatures). According to the UNFCCC, these targets are relative to pre-industrial temperatures. 114 countries agreed to the Accord. The UNFCCC secretariat notes that "Some Parties ... stated in their communications to the secretariat specific understandings on the nature of the Accord and related matters, based on which they have agreed to [the Accord]." The Accord
17472-662: The basis of the Paris Agreement are shorter and less detailed but also follow a standardized structure and are subject to technical review by experts. At the 19th session of the Conference of the Parties in Warsaw in 2013, the UNFCCC created a mechanism for Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to be submitted in the run up to the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties in Paris (COP21) in 2015. Countries were given freedom and flexibility to ensure that these climate change mitigation and adaptation plans were nationally appropriate. This flexibility, especially regarding
17640-432: The claim that the UAE and Al Jaber had been "really committed to transitioning away from fossil fuels". In August 2023, The Guardian revealed that the UAE failed to report its methane emissions to the UN for nearly a decade. Meanwhile, Sultan Al Jaber's ADNOC set a much higher methane leak target than the level it claimed to have already reached. Cutting methane emissions is believed to be a fast and low-cost method to slow
17808-403: The commitment to mobilize $ 100 billion a year in climate finance by 2020, and agreed to continue mobilising finance at this level until 2025. The money is for supporting mitigation and adaptation in developing countries. It includes finance for the Green Climate Fund , which is a part of the UNFCCC, but also for a variety of other public and private pledges. The Paris Agreement states that
17976-471: The commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $ 100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible." This target only has one indicator: Indicator 13.a
18144-490: The company announced plans to expand drilling for fossil fuels. More than 100 members of the European Parliament, U.S. senators and U.S. representatives signed a joint open letter calling on the UAE to withdraw Al Jaber's appointment. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry acknowledged Al Jaber's selection as COP president was "risky," but nonetheless supported it, arguing it was important to have fossil fuel producers at
18312-480: The country's climate record and human rights violations , such as the war in Yemen and human trafficking . For instance, one talking point instructed officials to deflect from ADNOC's refusal to disclose its emissions by responding, "ADNOC is currently conducting necessary studies". Campaigning journalist Amy Westervelt argued that a newly added requirement to for industry lobbyists to identify themselves at COP28
18480-515: The current levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The Paris Agreement (also called the Paris Accords or Paris Climate Accords) is an international treaty on climate change that was signed in 2016. The treaty covers climate change mitigation , adaptation , and finance . The Paris Agreement was negotiated by 196 parties at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference near Paris , France. As of February 2023, 195 members of
18648-424: The deal was widely criticized for not including a clear commitment to "phase out" or "phase down" fossil fuels—as requested by many participating countries, civil society groups and scientists—as well as a clear financial plan to help developing countries reach the goal of transitioning away from fossil fuels. Moreover, the choice to include carbon capture and storage in the list of "zero- and low-emission technologies"
18816-509: The depositary is notified. On 4 August 2017, the Trump administration delivered an official notice to the United Nations that the United States, the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China, intended to withdraw from the Paris Agreement as soon as it was eligible to do so. The notice of withdrawal could not be submitted until the agreement was in force for three years for the US, on 4 November 2019. The U.S. government deposited
18984-399: The draft as a "death certificate" for small island nations. Several African countries countered that wealthy countries had an obligation to take the lead on phasing out fossil fuels before expecting poorer countries to do so. OPEC , a cartel of oil-producing countries, also urged participants to reject any mention of phasing out fossil fuels. After two days of intense negotiations, a compromise
19152-480: The energy grid and domestic energy market. Talks between Janet Yellen and He Lifeng yielded a decision to enhance cooperation between the countries on climate related issues and much was expected from the meeting between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping later in the month at the 2023 APEC summit. At the end of November 2023, a pre-COP meeting of ministers was held. One hundred delegations and 70 ministers attended, more than any prior pre-COP meeting. The general director of
19320-409: The exact nature of the NDCs. At a minimum, they should contain mitigation provisions, but they may also contain pledges on adaptation, finance, technology transfer , capacity building and transparency. Some of the pledges in the NDCs are unconditional, but others are conditional on outside factors such as getting finance and technical support, the ambition from other parties or the details of rules of
19488-400: The exact provisions of the Paris Agreement have yet to be straightened out, so that it may be too early to judge effectiveness. According to the 2020 United Nations Environment Programme ( UNEP ), with the current climate commitments of the Paris Agreement, global mean temperatures will likely rise by more than 3°C by the end of the 21st century. Newer net zero commitments were not included in
19656-556: The extraction and sale of fossil fuels. As a reaction, Greenpeace published a press release calling for Arab countries to phase out fossil fuels by 2050, ensuring a just transition . Greenpeace said that "The latest research from Christian Aid and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Vienna shows that both the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia face a GDP growth reduction of −72% by 2100 if
19824-401: The first Middle Eastern government to make such a pledge. It was also the first country in the region to sign the Paris Agreement on 21 September 2016. The country has invested $ 50 billion into clean energy internationally and promised an additional $ 50 billion by 2030. The choice of the UAE as host country was criticized by climate scientists and human rights advocates, as the country is both
19992-411: The first evaluation in 2023. The outcome is to be used as input for new nationally determined contributions of parties. The Talanoa Dialogue in 2018 was seen as an example for the global stocktake. After a year of discussion, a report was published and there was a call for action, but countries did not increase ambition afterwards. The stocktake works as part of the Paris Agreement's effort to create
20160-517: The first two-year assessment of global progress in slowing down climate change, called the " global stocktake ". This type of overview was established during the 2021 COP26 in Glasgow and is scheduled to be repeated every five years. The report concluded that a phase-out of fossil fuels is needed, something that the United Nations had previously avoided saying. Among the 17 key findings of
20328-399: The framework for bottom-up approach of the Paris Agreement. Under the leadership of UNFCCC executive secretary Christiana Figueres , negotiation regained momentum after Copenhagen's failure. During the 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference , the Durban Platform was established to negotiate a legal instrument governing climate change mitigation measures from 2020. The platform had
20496-462: The global call for fossil fuel reduction. On 11 December 2023, Licypriya Kangujam , a climate activist from India, walked onto the main stage of the conference, held up a sign, "End fossil fuels. Save our planet and our future.", and gave a brief speech. She was given a round of applause by the audience and removed from the session by security personnel. According to Kangujam, she was banned from further participation in COP28. Other activists criticised
20664-744: The global temperature rise is allowed to reach 3 °C." The study called Mercury Rising: the economic impact of climate change on the Arabian Peninsula predicts a 69% drop in GDP growth for countries at the Persian Gulf in average, with the highest impact on Saudi Arabia, Kuwait , Qatar and the UAE if temperatures will reach this level. If temperature rise will be limited to 1.5 degrees, the reduction in economic growth will be limited to 8.2% by 2050 and 36% by 2100. UNFCCC The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC )
20832-508: The goals of the Paris Agreement ; an "energy transition narrative" recommends oil use to be reduced by only 50% by 2050, and that trillions of dollars should continue to be invested in high-emission assets each year to at least 2050. On 27 November 2023, the Centre for Climate Reporting and BBC News reported that based on leaked documents, the UAE intended to use COP28 as a platform to discuss fossil fuel deals with fifteen countries, including
21000-483: The human rights of privacy and the right of peaceful assembly. Amnesty opposed the "unlawful electronic surveillance of conference participants [and of] Emirati nationals and residents". It said that the COP28 attendees should be allowed to download "privacy-respecting international communications applications" in the UAE that would ensure safe and encrypted means of communication. On 7 November 2023, an AFP investigation revealed in multiple leaked documents that McKinsey
21168-558: The implementation of the agreement was released. According to the report contrarily to expectations, the agreement has a significant effect: while in 2010 the expected temperature rise by 2100 was 3.7–4.8 °C, at COP 27 it was 2.4–2.6°C and if all countries will fulfill their long-term pledges 1.7–2.1 °C. However, the world remains very far from limiting warming to 1.5 degrees. To meet this benchmark, global emissions must peak by 2025, and although emissions have peaked in some countries, global emissions have not. Developed countries reaffirmed
21336-412: The largest. Libya and Yemen have also not ratified the agreement . Eritrea is the latest country to ratify the agreement, on 7 February 2023. Article 28 enables parties to withdraw from the agreement after sending a withdrawal notification to the depositary . Notice can be given no earlier than three years after the agreement goes into force for the country. Withdrawal is effective one year after
21504-512: The later section, "Stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations" ). Parties to the Convention have met annually from 1995 in Conferences of the Parties (COPs) to assess progress in dealing with climate change . Article 3(1) of the Convention states that Parties should act to protect the climate system on the basis of "common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities", and that developed country Parties should "take
21672-463: The lead" in addressing climate change. Under Article 4, all Parties make general commitments to address climate change through, for example, climate change mitigation and adapting to the eventual impacts of climate change. Article 4(7) states: The extent to which developing country Parties will effectively implement their commitments under the Convention will depend on the effective implementation by developed country Parties of their commitments under
21840-420: The legal inability to criticise Emirati corporations in the UAE; alleged covert access to conference emails by ADNOC; and the invitation of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad have all raised concerns regarding the integrity of the conference. Al Jaber stated before the beginning of the conference that there was "no science" behind fossil fuel phase-out in achieving 1.5 °C ; and leaked documents appeared to show
22008-623: The limit of the increase should only be 1.5 °C (2.7 °F). The lower the temperature increase, the smaller the effects of climate change can be expected. To achieve this temperature goal, greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced as soon as, and by as much as, possible. They should even reach net zero by the middle of the 21st century. To stay below 1.5 °C of global warming, emissions need to be cut by roughly 50% by 2030. This figure takes into account each country's documented pledges . The treaty aims to help countries adapt to climate change effects, and mobilize enough finance. Under
22176-418: The major industrialized nations were implementing the policies they had pledged, and none met their pledged emission reduction targets, and even if they had, the sum of all member pledges (as of 2016) would not keep global temperature rise "well below 2°C". In 2021, a study using a probabilistic model concluded that the rates of emissions reductions would have to increase by 80% beyond NDCs to likely meet
22344-596: The media and with the public. It put the 1.5 °C target at the center of climate activism . The United Nations Climate Change Conference are yearly conferences held in the framework of the UNFCCC. They serve as the formal meeting of the UNFCCC Parties ( Conferences of the Parties ) (COP) to assess progress in dealing with climate change, and beginning in the mid-1990s, to negotiate the Kyoto Protocol to establish legally binding obligations for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Since 2005
22512-522: The notification with the Secretary General of the United Nations and officially withdrew one year later on 4 November 2020. President Joe Biden signed an executive order on his first day in office, 20 January 2021, to re-admit the United States into the Paris Agreement. Following the 30-day period set by Article 21.3, the U.S. was readmitted to the agreement. United States Climate Envoy John Kerry took part in virtual events, saying that
22680-545: The onset of global warming by reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere to "a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system" (Article 2). The Kyoto Protocol applied to the seven greenhouse gases listed in Annex A: carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) , methane (CH 4 ) , nitrous oxide (N 2 O) , hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) , nitrogen trifluoride (NF 3 ) . Nitrogen trifluoride
22848-465: The organizers, 20% is a tipping point, after which the whole sector begins to irreversibly change. At Berlin, Cancún, and Durban, the development needs of developing country parties were reiterated. For example, the Durban Platform reaffirms that: [...] social and economic development and poverty eradication are the first and overriding priorities of developing country Parties, and that
23016-479: The past 5–15 years, largely due to capacity constraints. National Communication reports are often several hundred pages long and cover a country's measures to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions as well as a description of its vulnerabilities and impacts from climate change. National Communications are prepared according to guidelines that have been agreed by the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC. The (Intended) Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that form
23184-549: The pivotal factor for everyone to understand and participate in solving the challenges presented by climate change. ACE calls on governments to develop and implement educational and public awareness programmes, train scientific, technical and managerial personnel, foster access to information, and promote public participation in addressing climate change and its effects. It also urges countries to cooperate in this process, by exchanging good practices and lessons learned, and strengthening national institutions. This wide scope of activities
23352-594: The pledge to triple their output of renewable energy and committed to coal power instead. The conference was widely criticised for its controversial president Sultan Al Jaber , as well as its host country, the UAE, which is known for its opaque environmental record and role as a major producer of fossil fuels . Al Jaber is the CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), leading to concerns over conflict of interest. Claims of greenwashing of Al Jaber on Misplaced Pages , Twitter and Medium ;
23520-465: The president of COP28, has drawn criticism for asserting there is no scientific basis for phasing out fossil fuels to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, a claim revealed by The Guardian and the Centre for Climate Reporting. Described as "incredibly concerning" and bordering on climate denial, his comments contradict the stance of UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The remarks were made during
23688-526: The prior site for Expo 2020 , to host the COP28 climate conference. FairSquare, a UK-based human rights group, released a report based on testimonies and photographs, stating that the migrant workers were being exposed to dangerously hot weather and humidity to prepare for the climate summit. According to the rights group, in September 2023, a dozen migrant workers from Asia and Africa were working outdoors in temperatures hitting 42 °C (108 °F) despite
23856-580: The processes governing the reporting and review of these goals are mandated under international law . This structure is especially notable for the United States—because there are no legal mitigation or finance targets, the agreement is considered an "executive agreement rather than a treaty". Because the UNFCCC treaty of 1992 received the consent of the US Senate, this new agreement does not require further legislation. Another key difference between
24024-564: The report are: Fatih Birol , head of the International Energy Agency , expressed hope for significant achievements at the summit but noted: "[the] geopolitical situation, with many nations at loggerheads over the war in Ukraine , and still frosty relations between the U.S. and China, would make for a difficult summit [...] The most important challenge [to limiting temperature rises to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels]
24192-460: The requirements of the agreement, and are on track to achieve a 4°C warming of the planet if current policies are implemented more widely. Of the world's countries, only the Gambia's emissions are at the level required by the Paris Agreement. Models predicted that if the necessary measures were not implemented by autumn 2021, the global average temperature would rise by 2.9°C. With the implementation of
24360-549: The risks and impacts of climate change; (b) Increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and foster climate resilience and low greenhouse gas emissions development, in a manner that does not threaten food production; (c) Making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development. Countries furthermore aim to reach "global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible." The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), adopted at
24528-671: The roadmap "would require Americans to cut food waste and to move to flexitarian diets with far fewer animal products." Prior to the conference, the UAE hired public relations and lobbying agencies, including Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld , Gulstan Advisory and FleishmanHillard , to improve its poor reputation on climate change. Allegations surfaced regarding attempts to manipulate public perception, including that Al Jaber's team had edited Misplaced Pages to portray him more favorably. ADNOC and Masdar also paid Misplaced Pages editors to lobby for changes to their respective pages, although
24696-404: The strategic value of the UAE in the global fight to address climate change". The UAE was to pay First International Resources a monthly retainer fee of $ 100,000. Fossil Free Media founder and director Jamie Henn said such an amount is not paid to a PR firm "when you're confident about your public image". He said that much is spent "when you want to spin the public to believe the impossible", such as
24864-598: The structure and processes governing the SDM are not yet determined, certain similarities and differences from the Clean Development Mechanisms have become clear. A key difference is that the SDM will be available to all parties as opposed to only Annex-I parties , making it much wider in scope. The Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol was criticized for failing to produce either meaningful emissions reductions or sustainable development benefits in most instances. and for its complexity. It
25032-796: The summit, the Muslim Council of Elders, in partnership with the COP28 Presidency, the UN Environment Programme and the Catholic Church , and under the patronage of the UAE 's president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan , organised a Global Faith Leaders Summit convening 28 faith leaders to address climate change. In September 2023, in advance of the opening of COP28, the United Nations published
25200-508: The surrounding "green zone," a conference space for activists and businesses. The number of attendees and the use of private jets by many of them was the subject of some criticism. The meeting was estimated to have the largest carbon footprint of any climate summit to date. Charles III , king of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth , gave the opening speech at the summit. He expressed alarm at rising levels of pollution, saying that
25368-407: The table. In June 2023, a report by The Guardian revealed that ADNOC shared an email server with COP28 and was able to read emails to and from the climate summit office. The COP28 office switch to a different server following The Guardian ' s inquiry. In the months leading up to the summit, joint preparations were held by the United States, China and the European Union. The climate envoys of
25536-480: The temperature rise because methane causes almost a quarter of global heating. In November of the same year, the Centre for Research on Energy reported that the UAE regularly flared methane gas, breaking its own regulations. Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan commissioned a survey of over 20,000 from 20 countries, which was used by the officials to discuss the public attitude towards
25704-405: The treaty. Alternative ways to join the treaty are acceptance, approval or accession. The first two are typically used when a head of state is not necessary to bind a country to a treaty, whereas the latter typically happens when a country joins a treaty already in force. After ratification by the European Union, the agreement obtained enough parties to enter into effect on 4 November 2016. Both
25872-400: The types of actions to be undertaken, allowed for developing countries to tailor their plans to their specific adaptation and mitigation needs, as well as towards other needs. In the aftermath of COP21, these INDCs became Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as each country ratified the Paris Agreement, unless a new NDC was submitted to the UNFCCC at the same time. The 22nd session of
26040-437: The users followed Misplaced Pages's conflict-of-interest rules . Reports also emerged of the proliferation of fake social media accounts on Twitter and Medium , aimed at promoting COP28 and defending the UAE's presidency. A report by The Guardian based on leaked documents revealed that the UAE had prepared an extensive list of talking points for organizers to use when addressing "touchy and sensitive issues", particularly around
26208-474: The world was "dreadfully far off track" its climate targets and warning that "we are carrying out a vast, frightening experiment of changing every ecological condition, all at once, at a pace that far outstrips nature's ability to cope". On the first day of the summit on 30 November 2023, a " loss and damage " fund to compensate poor states for the effects of climate change was agreed upon. The fund aims to distribute funds to poor states harmed by climate change and
26376-574: Was a particular focus of discussion. Air pollution 's increase of respiratory conditions and increases the risk of cancer and heart disease . In a letter addressed to Sultan Al Jaber, "organisations representing more than 46 million health professionals" said a complete phase-out of fossil fuels was the only decisive way to deliver health for all. Previously, experts such as Edmond Fernandes had urged UNFCCC to make public health an essential part of all climate meetings and policies, calling human health integral to sustainable climate futures. COP28
26544-489: Was added for the second compliance period during the Doha Round. The Protocol was based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities: it acknowledged that individual countries have different capabilities in combating climate change, owing to economic development , and therefore placed the obligation to reduce current emissions on developed countries on the basis that they are historically responsible for
26712-484: Was convened in Dubai, a symbol of the world's oil economy." COP28 was the largest-ever climate summit, with over 80,000 people accredited participants, up from 49,000 the previous year. Twenty-three thousand five hundred of the participants were from government teams. A further 27,000 were policy experts, academics and representatives of fossil fuel producers, although this group was not given access to official negotiations. An additional 400,000 people were granted access to
26880-464: Was held in Paris in 2015 and resulted in adoption of the Paris Agreement . COP28 took place in the United Arab Emirates in 2023 and included the first global stocktake under the Paris Agreement. The UAE nominated Sultan al-Jaber , who is also head of Abu Dhabi's national oil company ADNOC , to preside over COP28. Azerbaijan will host COP29 in 2024. A subsidiary body is a committee that assists
27048-493: Was inadequate to control their influence. During the previous decade, the UAE had spent more than $ 1 million on direct climate-focused advocacy and paid millions more to public relations firms and think tanks to polish its green credentials. No other host nation has invested as much time and money to shape its image ahead of the annual climate negotiations. The UAE hired a US-based PR firm, First International Resources, to "counteract all negative press and media reports" around
27216-494: Was not formally adopted by the Conference of the Parties. Instead, the COP "took note of the Copenhagen Accord." As part of the Accord, 17 developed country Parties and the EU-27 submitted mitigation targets, as did 45 developing country Parties. Some developing country Parties noted the need for international support in their plans. As part of the Cancún agreements, developed and developing countries submitted mitigation plans to
27384-628: Was opened for signature on 22 April 2016 ( Earth Day ) at a ceremony inside the UN Headquarters in New York . After the European Union ratified the agreement, sufficient countries had ratified the agreement responsible for enough of the world's greenhouse gases for the agreement to enter into force on 4 November 2016. World leaders have lauded the agreement. However, some environmentalists and analysts have criticized it, saying it
27552-437: Was questioned due to its relative expensiveness and lack of effectiveness in comparison to other methods. The participants of the conference pledged 85 billion dollars to different climate issues and made ten pledges: Numerous sessions at COP28 were devoted to the impact of climate change on public health; it was the first COP to address the topic. "Lethal humidity," or 100% humidity at temperatures of 35 °C (95 °F),
27720-419: Was reached under which the final text called for countries to "end their dependence" on fossil fuels "in a just, orderly and equitable manner", while stopping short of calling for a full phase-out. The agreement also called for a tripling of global renewable energy capacity by 2030, the development of numerous "zero- and low-emission technologies", further efforts "towards the phase-down of unabated coal power" and
27888-542: Was relevant to his mayoral duties, accepting gifts like travel and accommodation was not aligned with his official responsibilities. The head of the International Monetary Fund , Kristalina Georgieva , expressed satisfaction from the beginning of the conference because the loss and damage fund was created, but said that for further decarbonisation carbon pricing should be advanced and fossil fuel subsidies eliminated. Fossil fuel subsidies reached
28056-475: Was signed by 175 parties (174 states and the European Union) on the first day it was opened for signature. As of March 2021, 194 states and the European Union have signed the agreement. The agreement would enter into force (and thus become fully effective) if 55 countries that produce at least 55% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions (according to a list produced in 2015) ratify or otherwise join
28224-425: Was using its position as the primary advisor to COP28 hosts, the United Arab Emirates , to push the interest of its oil and gas clients ( ExxonMobil and Aramco ). McKinsey has been accused of putting its own interests ahead of the climate by sources involved in preparatory meetings for COP28. McKinsey's energy scenario for the COP28 presidency would allow for continued investment in fossil fuels, which would undermine
#199800