COP28 approves deal on ‘transitioning away from fossil fuels’

The 28th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP28, concluded on Wednesday with an agreement on “transitioning away from fossil fuels” in energy systems.

Soon after the summit’s last day began, host United Arab Emirates’ Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber brought to order the approval of a global stocktake that showed how far the world is off-track in its climate-fighting goals, reported the Associated Press. It also listed ways to get back on track.

The approved deal laid an eight-point plan to achieve the 2015 Paris accord’s internationally agreed-upon goal to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times, reported PTI. So far the world has warmed 1.2 degrees since the mid-1800s.

According to the plan, the goal could be achieved by “transitioning away from fossil fuels” in energy systems in a “just, orderly and equitable manner” and accelerating action in this decade to achieve net zero (balance between greenhouse gases emitted and removed from the atmosphere) by 2050.

It also urged countries to accelerate efforts toward the phase-down of unabated coal power. However, the 21-page document does not mention oil and gas or fuels that rich countries continue to use even once.

“It is a plan that is led by the science,’’ al-Jaber said after adopting the agreement. “It is an enhanced, balanced but make...

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