Advanced Search
December 12, 2023
December 13, 2023—"World leaders at COP28 have put us on course for decarbonized, clean energy by mid-century, which is essential to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C (2.7°F),” said Environmental and Energy Study Institute President Daniel Bresette. “The momentum for climate action is undeniable. The United States must demonstrate leadership by rapidly and fully implementing the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, enacting new policies, and making new investments in equitable climate solutions that match the ambition to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
“In the United States, climate action at scale is contingent on the will of Congress to do what needs to be done. It was encouraging to follow the progress of the bipartisan delegations of senators and representatives and their staff as they crisscrossed Expo City in Dubai for meetings and panel discussions. At least 31 members of Congress attended COP28, headlined by Foreign Relations Committee Chair Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders Reps. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.) and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.). I hope they will convey the importance of U.S. leadership on the international stage and the severity of climate impacts being felt across the world to their colleagues back on Capitol Hill.
“Following challenging negotiations, countries made substantial progress on the global goal on adaptation, setting seven targets to work toward by 2030, including improving resilience of agriculture production and addressing the health impacts of climate change. More attention and work is needed on adaptation because climate impacts like sea level rise, drought, and extreme heat will continue for decades even as we reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions from power plants and other sources.
“The laudable compromise on ending fossil fuel consumption must be strengthened at future UNFCCC negotiations. At the same time, countries should do more on their own as they update their commitments under the Paris Agreement. In the United States and elsewhere, communities that have been harmed by pollution from fossil fuels will benefit from cleaner air and water. It is also important to remember that the transition to decarbonized, clean energy will affect communities currently reliant on jobs in the fossil fuel industry. We must ensure this transition is deliberate, just, and equitable. An overdue next step on this path for the United States would be ending wasteful fossil fuel subsidies.
“The United Arab Emirates COP28 Presidency made history when it announced on the first day of COP28 that countries had agreed to operationalize the new Loss and Damage fund, which will help the most vulnerable countries deal with the unavoidable impacts of climate change. Several countries, including the United States, announced contributions to the fund within the first few days of COP28. That is real progress, but the $700 million pledged so far is insufficient to address the actual needs of countries experiencing the worst climate change impacts.
“Looking ahead, the global stocktake, especially the technical assessment released in September, gives us a good idea of progress to date and what more needs to be done. Countries now must update their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions ahead of COP30 in 2025. This will put the ambition mechanism of the Paris Agreement, designed to make nations ratchet up their commitments, to the test for the first time. We really need to pass this test.”
COP28 refers to the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that concluded earlier today in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
EESI COP28 RESOURCES
Top-Rated Climate Nonprofit – 4-Star Charity