Belgium: The EU counties’ climate ministers have approved the bloc’s negotiating position for this year’s UN COP28 climate summit to phase out CO2-emitting fossil fuels.
During the November COP28 UN climate discussions, the EU will urge to eliminate the immediate subsidies for fossil fuels which do not serve to combat energy poverty or ensure a a fair transition. However, they won’t specify a deadline, disappointing NGOs who had hoped for one.
“Council stresses that the transition to a climate-neutral economy will require a global phase-out of unabated fossil fuels and a peak in their consumption in this decade”, said a statement released after the meeting of EU environment ministers.
At the same time, the 27 European nations will emphasize the necessity of transitioning the energy sector away from fossil fuels by 2050, without using the term “unabated” this time.
During their meeting in Luxembourg, EU ministers disagreed about including a specific word in the negotiating mandate for the new EU commissioner for climate affairs, Mr. Wopke Hoekstra, who will represent the EU at COP28 in Dubai from November 30 to December 12.
Brussels aims to triple the worldwide use of renewable energy by the end of this decade and double energy efficiency to align with COP28 presidency objectives.
The EU aims to eliminate “unabated” fossil fuels—those dependent on coal, oil, and gas without carbon capture or storage mechanisms by 2050.
This matter is anticipated to be a contentious topic at the UN climate conference in Dubai, sparking tense debates among EU nations.
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