Current and planned fossil fuel production and use are incompatible with agreed temperature limits. COP28 must deliver an agreement for a just and equitable phase out of fossil fuel production and use, as well as at least a tripling of renewable energy and a doubling of energy efficiency. The fossil fuel declines required by 2030 to limit warming to 1.5°C cannot be achieved through deployment of so-called “abatement” technologies such as carbon capture and storage (CCS). Parties should therefore refrain from adopting an outcome that casts doubt on the scale of the decline in fossil fuel production and use that is needed to limit warming to 1.5°C. This means rejecting the use of an “unabated” qualifier or an outcome that centers on “fossil fuel emissions.”
This briefing for delegates was jointly produced by Oil Change International and the Center for International Environmental Law. It is a living document that will be updated as COP28 negotiations unfold.
Published on November 23, 2023