COP28 was the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference, which took place from November 30 to December 12, 2023 in Dubai, UAE.
The conference aimed to address the urgent challenges of climate change, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to the impacts of climate change, and mobilizing financial resources for climate action.
The conference provided a platform for countries to set targets, share best practices, and make commitments to combat climate change.
KEY OUTCOMES OF COP 28
1. Global Stocktake (GST)
The main outcome of COP28 was the completion of the first Global Stocktake (GST), a mid-term review of the progress made by countries towards the Paris Agreement goals.
The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change, adopted by 196 parties at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, France, on 12 December 2015.
The main goal of the agreement is to cut global greenhouse gas emissions in order to limit the global average temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
To achieve this goal, the agreement requires all parties to put forward their best efforts through nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and to strengthen these efforts in the years ahead.
The agreement also aims to increase the ability of countries to deal with the impacts of climate change, and to make finance flows consistent with a low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient pathway.
The GST follows a five-year cycle. The first cycle was completed in 2023, with the first Global Stocktake, a comprehensive assessment of the collective progress towards the Paris Agreement goals. The next cycle will start in 2024, with the submission of new or updated NDCs by parties.
The GST consists of three components: information collection and preparation, technical assessment, and consideration of outputs.
The Global Stocktake (GST) adopted eight steps to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, such as tripling renewablebenergy capacity by 2030, phasing down of unabated coal power, and transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems.
The GST also called for substantially reducing non-CO2 emissions, especially methane emissions, by 2030.
2. Loss and Damage (L&D) fund
A new Loss and Damage fund, hosted by the World Bank, was launched to support developing countries that are facing the adverse effects of climate change, such as extreme weather events, sea level rise, and biodiversity loss.
The fund will be voluntary and will allocate a specific percentage for the Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, which are the most vulnerable to climate change.
3. Global Cooling Pledge
The Global Cooling Pledge is an initiative launched by the United Arab Emirates as the host of the COP28 climate summit in 2023.
It is one of the nine non-negotiated declarations, pledges, and charters that constitute the key outcomes for the COP28 Presidential Action Agenda.
The Global Cooling Pledge aims to address the challenge of cooling emissions, which are a significant source of greenhouse gases and a threat to the Paris Agreement goals.
Cooling emissions refer to the emissions generated by the production, use, and disposal of cooling equipment, such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and freezers.
Cooling emissions also include the emissions from the electricity generation needed to power these devices.
Cooling emissions account for about 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions and are expected to triple by 2050, as the demand for cooling increases due to population growth, urbanization, and rising temperatures.
The Global Cooling Pledge provides an opportunity for countries to commit to sustainable cooling with concrete actions. Sustainable cooling means providing access to cooling services for human well-being, health, and productivity, while minimizing the environmental and social impacts of cooling.
Sustainable cooling can be achieved through various measures, such as passive cooling, increased efficiency, and low-global warming potential refrigerants.
The Global Cooling Pledge has three main objectives:
- To reduce cooling-related emissions across all sectors by atleast 68% globally relative to 2022 levels by 2050, consistent with limiting global average temperature rise to 1.5°C.
- To significantly increase access to sustainable cooling by 2030, especially for the most vulnerable populations, such as those living in hot and humid regions, and those lacking reliable electricity supply.
- To increase the global average efficiency of new air conditioners by 50% by 2030, compared to the 2018 baseline, and to promote the adoption of best available technologies and standards.
The pledge also supports the implementation of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which aims to phase down the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), a potent greenhouse gas used in cooling equipment.
- The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty that aims to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons.
- The treaty was signed in 1987 and entered into force in 1989. It has been ratified by 198 parties, making it one of the most successful environmental agreements in history.
- The treaty has been amended and adjusted several times to include new substances and control measures. As a result of the treaty, the ozone layer is expected to recover by the middle of this century.
- The treaty also contributes to the mitigation of climate change, as many ODS are also potent greenhouse gases.
- The Kigali Amendment is an amendment to the Montreal Protocol, an international treaty that aims to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances (ODS), such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons.
- The Kigali Amendment adds hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) to the list of controlled substances under the Montreal Protocol, as they are potent greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.
- The Kigali Amendment was adopted in 2016 and entered into force in 2019. It requires countries to cut their HFC use by more than 80% over the next 30 years, following different schedules depending on their level of development.
- The Kigali Amendment is expected to avoid up to 0.5°C of global warming by the end of the century, while also protecting the ozone layer.
The Global Cooling Pledge is open for endorsement by all countries, as well as by sub-national governments, businesses, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders.
The Global Cooling Pledge, which committed 66 countries to reduce cooling-related emissions by 68% by 2050.
4. Global Goal on Adaptation Framework
The Global Goal on Adaptation is a collective commitment under Article 7 of the Paris Agreement.
It aims to enhance adaptive capacity, strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change, with a view to contributing to sustainable development and ensuring an adequate adaptation response in the context of the temperature goal of keeping the global average temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The framework for the global goal on adaptation was adopted at COP28 in Dubai in 2023, as part of the UAE Framework for Global
Climate Resilience, which also includes a range of thematic and dimensional targets for climate adaptation and resilience.
The framework provides a platform for increased implementation of adaptation actions on the ground, and for enhancing the transparency, accountability, and comparability of adaptation efforts.
The framework also supports the alignment of adaptation actions with the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) of each country, and the mobilization of adequate and predictable adaptation finance.
5. Transitioning away from fossil fuels
The agreement reached at COP 28 in Dubai in 2023 calls for transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems by the year 2050, in order to achieve net zero emissions and limit the global average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Net zero emissions means that by 2050, the world should balance the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by human activities with the amount that can be removed from the atmosphere by natural or artificial means.
This was the first time that a COP decision explicitly mentioned fossil fuels, which are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions and the main driver of climate change.
The agreement also called for tripling the world’s renewable energy capacity and doubling its energy efficiency by 2030, phasing down of unabated coal power, phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies, and reducing methane emissions.
MAJOR ENGAGEMENTS OF INDIA IN COP- 28
India played a significant role in COP 28, the 28th United Nations Climate
Change Conference, which took place in Dubai, UAE, in 2023. India showcased its domestic and international initiatives to curb global warming and engage in future climate actions. Some of the major engagements of India in COP 28 are:
1. Co-hosting the High-level event on ‘Green Credits Programme’ with UAE, which aims to create a global market for green credits that can be traded among countries to meet their climate goals.
- Green credits are a type of incentive that are given for undertaking activities that have a positive impact on the environment, such as planting trees, conserving water, or reducing waste.
- It aiming to incentivize a diverse range of positive environmental actions beyond traditional carbon credit systems.
- The programme also creates a market platform for trading green credits, which are awarded to individuals, industries, and local bodies for their voluntary environmental actions.
2. Co-launching the Phase II of the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT 2.0) with Sweden, which focuses on inclusive and just industry transition, co-development and transfer of low-carbon technology, and financial support to emerging economies for industry transition.
3. Launching the Global River Cities Alliance (GRCA), led by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), which aims to promote sustainable urban development and river conservation among cities located along major rivers.
4. Participating in the COP 28 Presidency’s Session on “Transforming Climate Finance”, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi voiced the concerns of the Global South and reiterated the urgency of making climate finance available, accessible, and affordable to developing countries.
5. Supporting the Global Cooling Pledge, which committed 66 countries to reduce cooling-related emissions by 68% by 2050.
6. Supporting the Global Goal on Adaptation framework, which aimed to enhance the resilience and adaptive capacity of countries and communities to climate change.
7. Supporting the COP 28 Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery and Peace, which called for bolder collective action to build climate resilience in countries and regions affected by fragility or conflict.
COP28 was a significant step forward for global climate action, as it marked the end of the fossil fuel era and the beginning of a green and sustainable future. However, there are still many challenges and gaps that need to be addressed, such as meeting the climate finance goal of $100 billion per year, ensuring a just and equitable transition for workers and communities, and enhancing the ambition and implementation of the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) of each country. The next COP29, which will be held in Egypt in 2024, will be an opportunity to review and update the NDCs and to accelerate the implementation of the GST steps.