EU’s von der Leyen hails COP28 as ‘beginning of post-fossil era’

EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen hailed on Wednesday (13 December) the deal struck at the COP28 climate summit as the dawn of a new world with no need for coal or oil.

The final text, agreed on Wednesday morning (13 December), calls on UNFCCC parties to triple renewable energy capacity globally and double the annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030.

“Today’s agreement marks the beginning of the post-fossil era,” the president of the European Commission said in a social media post.

It also calls on countries to “Transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems” by 2050 in accordance with the science.

“A crucial part of this historic deal is truly made in Europe,” von der Leyen rejoiced. “The whole world endorsed our 2030 targets: to triple renewable energy and to double energy efficiency, both by 2030.”

EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra also spoke of a historic decision, saying it will set in motion an “irreversible” transition away from fossil fuels.

“With that, we have achieved what we set out to do: keep 1.5 within reach and mark the beginning of the end of fossil fuels,” he said on social media platform X.

Peter Liese, the head of the European Parliament delegation at COP28 was also upbeat, even though he regretted that the final text does not mention a “phase-out” of fossil fuels like the EU had been calling for.

“This is really historic, the COP decided the transition away from fossil fuels to renewables and energy efficiency. Also nuclear has its place,” he said. “It doesn’t mention the word ‘phase-out’ but it is a phase-out of fossil fuels. I expect the stocks of renewables, energy efficiency and nuclear to go up.”

The alliance of small island states was less upbeat about the wording on fossil fuels. “The language is certainly a step forward, it speaks to transitioning away from fossil fuels in a way the process has not done before,” the group said in a statement.

However, it does not speak specifically about a fossil fuel phase-out, it added, saying this falls short of the step change that is needed to keep global warming below 1.5°C.

“It is incremental and not transformational,” the alliance said.

Yet, most reactions were positive, with the World Resources Institute echoing EU politicians by calling the text “historic”.

“Fossil fuels finally faced a reckoning at the UN climate negotiations after three decades of dodging the spotlight. This historic outcome marks the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era,” said Ani Dasgupta, President and CEO of WRI.

Linda Kalcher, executive director of Strategic Perspectives, a think tank, said:

“For the first time, the UN climate talks have addressed the need to stop burning fossil fuels. COP28 marks the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era. This outcome must be harnessed by governments and markets, but clearly signals the beginning of the end for coal, oil and gas in the global economy and the massive growth of renewables.”

Arguably the biggest failure at COP28 relates to the creation of an international carbon market, with negotiators failing to clinch a deal on how to operationalise Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

Carbon Market Watch, an environmental NGO, said no deal on Article 6 was better than a bad deal. “The lack of a breakthrough leaves the nascent UN carbon markets in a continued state of uncertainty and shakiness​, but avoids the adoption of inadequate rules that would have chained down climate ambition, enabled questionable trading and facilitated greenwashing,” CMW said.

[With reporting from AFP]

[Edited by Alice Taylor]

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