COP28 Struggles with Divisions and Incremental Progress
The COP28 climate summit is expected to go into overtime as negotiators await a new draft deal after the previous version was criticized for being too weak. The draft dropped the call to "phase out" fossil fuels, which many countries demanded. The proposed options for emissions reduction fell short of the emphasis on cutting fossil fuel use this decade, which scientists say is necessary to avoid escalating climate change. Countries like Australia, Canada, the European Union, Norway, and the United States are among those demanding a firm commitment to wean the world off coal, oil, and gas. Small island nations expressed concerns about rising sea levels, while Saudi Arabia and other OPEC members resisted attempts to include a fossil fuel phase-out in the deal. The negotiations are ongoing, and the deadline for the conference's closure is no longer feasible.
