Jakarta – The 2023 COP28 climate conference marked the first global stocktake, a comprehensive evaluation of worldwide efforts against the benchmarks set by the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and 2015 Paris Agreement, a researcher said.
In a recent opinion paper published in the PLOS Climate Journal, Prof. Paul G. Harris from the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) highlights the progress and challenges that emerged from COP28.
Aimed at limiting global warming to “well below” 2°C, preferably to 1.5°C, this stocktake exposed the stark reality of the international community’s shortcomings in halting the accelerating climate crisis.
The past year emerged as the hottest on record, underscored by extreme weather events, significant ice melt, and surging sea levels. Carbon dioxide levels soared past 418 parts per million in 2022, a stark increase from 1992 levels and over 50 per cent higher than pre-industrial figures, signalling an urgent need for action as the planet edges closer to irreversible environmental tipping points.
COP28’s mixed outcomes
Despite acknowledging the urgent need for drastic emissions reductions to prevent surpassing the 1.5°C warming threshold, the COP28 accord fell short of mandating concrete global actions. Instead, it left the responsibility to individual states, perpetuating the cycle of insufficient national commitments, Harris analysed.
The conference made notable strides in addressing the needs of climate-vulnerable nations through the formal operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund (LDF), although the pledged sum of USD 700 million pales compared to the estimated annual requirement of USD 600 billion by 2030. This discrepancy highlights the monumental challenge of scaling up financial support for climate-affected countries.
COP28 called for a transition from fossil fuels without explicitly advocating for their complete phase-out, sparking debates on the effectiveness and interpretation of such a stance. The limited focus on coal and the absence of specific mentions of oil and gas in the agreement underscores the ongoing reluctance to confront the primary drivers of climate change head-on.
The outcomes of COP28, while indicative of some progress, ultimately reflect the limitations of international climate diplomacy. Historical challenges in reaching a consensus on global issues, such as conflict resolution and pandemic management, parallel the struggles in climate negotiations. The entrenched interests of sovereign states often overshadow the collective need for ambitious climate action, underscoring the inherent constraints of the COP process.
Despite the incremental progress, COP28 underscores a critical juncture in the fight against climate change, signalling the “beginning of the end” for the fossil fuel era. However, this declaration comes with the recognition that the path forward requires far more than diplomatic agreements—it demands unprecedented global cooperation, transformative action, and a willingness to prioritise the planet’s future over immediate national interests.
Harris concluded that the message is evident as the world reflects on the outcomes of COP28. While diplomacy can facilitate dialogue and foster commitments, translating these pledges into tangible, impactful actions is the test. The fight against climate change is a race against time that requires all hands on deck to avert the most catastrophic impacts and secure a sustainable future for generations to come. (nsh)
