The Minister of the Environment, Duarte Cordeiro, believed that the agreement reached on Wednesday at the Climate Summit “concludes Portugal’s participation in COP28 with a flourish” and offers a perspective of hope.
“The fact that we have reached a declaration concludes Portugal’s participation in the COP with a flourish, but it also gives us a perspective of hope, which is very necessary in climate policy,” said Duarte Cordeiro in Dubai.
The statements, against Lusa, come after an agreement was reached to unblock climate talks in Dubai, which called for an abandonment of fossil fuels to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Duarte Cordeiro stated that this statement, “from the point of view of what the text is and its ambition”, is “much more in line” with what science says, with a language “from the end of the fossils”.
The official highlighted the fact that, regarding the end of fossil fuel subsidies, “some of the language that opened shutters to their use” had been removed from the original text, and that the text had been brought in line “with what was the mandate of the European Union”.
He acknowledged that this is not exactly what the European Union wanted, but “it is a commitment” and emphasized the declaration’s obligations regarding the oceans:
The minister stressed that it was “important” for Portugal that the declaration enshrines “aspects related to the oceans”.
“Without the international commitment to the oceans, we will not be able to migrate the impact that the oceans can have into national plans, especially when it comes to carbon capture,” he said.
The Secretary of State for Energy, Ana Fontoura Gouveia, considered herself “very happy” today.
“In fact, 30 years later, 28 COP later, we have finally started the end of fossil fuels and therefore we should be very happy that we have managed to get 197 countries together, unanimously, to decide to embark on this path of abolition to start. from fossil fuels and also provide the most vulnerable countries, those most exposed to climate change, with the means to defend themselves, protect themselves and ensure the quality of life of their citizens,” the minister said.
Zero views the reached agreement as “important progress”
The environmental association Zero considers the agreement reached on Wednesday at the Dubai Climate Summit (COP28) as an “important step forward”, but it has a “bittersweet taste” because it still leaves open many ‘false and contradictory’ options.
In a statement, Zero said the final document generally paves the way for the end of the fossil fuel era, but “does not reflect the need for the necessary financing, especially in the area of losses and damage and also not in the area of the balance between mitigation and adaptation efforts”.
Zero emphasizes that the Global Balance was welcomed with satisfaction ‘following the inclusion and strengthening of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), the strong references to science, in addition to the various elements that will form the basis to guarantee a path for the next global equilibrium”.
The document, Zero points out, also includes important references on the “ocean, where the importance of marine ecosystem restoration and marine mitigation and adaptation actions is recognized, thereby strengthening the ocean-climate nexus.”
The association believes that the text does not specifically talk about the phase-out and reduction of fossil fuels in a way that is in fact “the necessary radical change”.
Zero also highlights that the language of the final document has a “range of gaps that could be used to benefit countries not yet aligned on climate action,” highlighting that paragraph 26 of the global assessment “does not present any commitment or even an invitation for the parties to peak emissions by 2025.”
According to Zero, Portugal’s position was solid, as it had played an active role, including the availability for political coordination of topics under discussion, as well as the responsibility of physical presence at the sites through a Portuguese pavilion.
“Portugal must also not fail in sectors such as transport, whose emissions go against the grain, by investing in renewable energy sources, but in a sustainable way and not be distracted by wrong solutions such as the export of green hydrogen,” emphasizes the association.
Zero also emphasizes that the coming years must “strengthen international cooperation, local, regional and national efforts to keep 1.5ºC alive and for a complete, financed, fair, fast, feminist and always”.
Countries meeting at the climate summit today approved “by consensus” a decision calling for a “transition” to the phase-out of fossil fuels, the chairman of COP28 in Dubai announced.
It is a “historic decision to accelerate climate action,” said Sultan Al Jaber, president of the UN conference.
The document, which the negotiators of this UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) have been waiting all night for, proposes to list, for the first time in the history of these meetings, all fossil fuels, which are the main responsible for climate change in a decision to be adopted by all countries.
The text calls for “the transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a fair, orderly and just manner, accelerating action in this crucial decade, to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 in line with scientific recommendations.”
Source: DN
