TRANSCRIPT
Negotiations for a climate deal at the COP28 summit in Dubai have gone into overtime as nearly 200 countries seek to come to an agreement on the future role of fossil fuels.
The draft renegotiation came after Australia joined other leading nations in pressing for an urgent redrafting of the COP28 text.
Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen told COP28 president Sultan al-Jaber he and other countries of the group he chairs won't sign the document without tougher language on a full-phase out of fossil fuels.
Meanwhile, some African nations say any deal must require wealthy countries, who have long produced and used fossil fuels, to quit first.
United States Climate Envoy John Kerry says discussions are still being had in good faith.
“People have listened very carefully and there's a lot of good faith on the table right now of people trying to move to a better place. So, you know, as I've said all along, from day one of the beginning of this process, you know, the proof is going to be in the pudding. And we won't know that until we see it.”
Although delegates have been hard at work renegotiating an agreement, some climate representatives have given updates on the sidelines of the summit.
Both the United States and Brazilian representatives have suggested there's been progress on implementing stronger language on a phase-out of fossil fuels.
Canada's Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault has also indicated there have been developments.
“I was very involved in the negotiations on specifically on finance. We just came out with our colleagues from the umbrella group with a meeting with the presidency that went very well. I feel very encouraged, I would say much more encouraged in it than I was yesterday. The text that was presented to us did not go far enough when it comes to sending the world a signal that we need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. And there's all sorts of where you can phrase it and you can frame it... The text didn't go far enough when it comes to finance to help the Global South fight climate change, transition away from fossil fuels and be prepared to face the impacts of climate change.”
Although the COP presidency had hoped to end the two-week summit already, it's not uncommon for the gathering to run overtime due to disagreements.
The aim of the agreement is to help nations align their national climate plans with the Paris agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Policy advisor from climate think tank E3G, Tom Evans, says it's something which some nations have a larger say on than others.
“The Africa Group made a very interesting announcement, talking about really the need to focus on adaptation, the fact that it's not fair, that we're not paying attention to this crucially important issue for them. They are one of the most vulnerable continents to climate change, so they need help to be prepared for the impacts. So I think that's showing you maybe some of the elements that they need to resolve between themselves. What we're not hearing from groups like China, Saudi Arabia and even the US who, you know, those countries have largely kept quiet, they've given some remarks, but it's not really fully clear what they're aiming for, and I think that's causing a little discomfort because these are the big powers who will really shape whether this package can be accepted or not.”
As talks run overtime, anti-fossil fuel protesters have staged a protest into the evening - calling for an end to the world's use of oil and gas.
Samoan climate activist Longi Taulafo says the outcome of the summit will mean life or death.
“Without seeing the text in, I guess, the documents it means death, to put it bluntly, to many of us. Islands like Tuvalu, which is now one of the first nations to be digitised in the Metaverse, it's unheard of in the Pacific, but it is the reality for many of our brothers and sisters, all throughout the world. Especially within the Pacific and the notion is if the Pacific (island nations), it's dire for the world. It can only mean death for the rest of the world as well.”
