COP 28 - The final agreement

Our co-founder Lucile spent two weeks in Dubai for COP 28. She wanted to share her point of view on what happened during the negotiations.

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A COP lasts two weeks but it is the culmination of a year of work. It gathers governments, other NGOs and associations from all around the world. It's amazing to meet people with whom we fight for a common cause, it's a bit like a second family.

After 15 days of debate, an agreement was reached between the different parties.

We will quickly explain the main points of this agreement.

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‍The GST (Global Stocktake) or first global assessment since the Paris agreements

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This text - called the "Global Review" - is not a COP statement like any other. COP28 provides the first global conclusion of the Paris Agreement (COP15), a process for countries and stakeholders to see how they are collectively progressing towards achieving the 2015 climate change goals.
The Paris Agreement aims to limit the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to continue efforts to limit temperature increases to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

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‍Thisis the first time that the role of fossil fuels is recognized

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After 30 years of hiding, this is the first time that the role of fossil fuels is recognized and mentioned in the final text. For the sake of diplomacy, the text carefully avoids the use of the verb "phasing out", but speaks of a simple "reduction". It therefore "calls" on countries to "transition away from fossil fuels".

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An unambitious agreement on loss and damage

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From the first day of the COP, the countries agreed to set up a fund financed by the countries of the North to compensate for the damage caused by global warming in the countries of the South. However, NGOs highlighted the unfulfilled promises of Northern countries: some $700 million were allocated, when the needs are estimated at $290 to $580 billion per year for Southern countries by 2030.

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Failure to reach an agreement on strategic adaptations

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Much awaited by the countries of the South, adaptation, which encompasses the different strategies of the States to fight against the consequences of global warming, has been neglected. The final text is content with vague objectives and a request for a report from developed countries for the next COP.