Delegates attending the UN climate negotiations stayed up late into Saturday night in an effort to reach agreement on various suggestions, i...
Delegates attending the UN climate negotiations stayed up late into Saturday night in an effort to reach agreement on various suggestions, including a call from numerous countries to clearly state the reason for global warming: the combustion of oil, gas, and coal that fuels our planet.
As discussions were set to conclude on Friday, negotiators exceeded the deadline, and it remained uncertain when they would complete their work as countries entered into high-level talks in secret.
Brazil's latest draft proposal addresses four challenging topics, including financial support for the most affected nations struggling with climate change and urging countries to strengthen their national strategies aimed at cutting heat-inducing emissions.
The European Union has turned down the existing draft, and any deal still hinges on achieving agreement among the nearly 200 nations involved.
Another conflict arises concerning the development of a comprehensive plan for the global transition away from fossil fuels, which are significantly contributing to the planet's escalating severe weather conditions.
Any such strategy would build upon a single statement — "transition away" from fossil fuels — that was approved two years back during the climate negotiations in Dubai.
However, no schedule or procedure was outlined, and influential oil-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia and Russia are against it.
EU rejects draft deal
Over 80 countries have requested more decisive action, and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also advocated for it earlier this month.
The European Union turned down the proposed agreement and urged for more robust environmental pledges and conversations about fossil fuels.
Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra strongly rejected the draft and warned that EU representatives would withdraw from the discussions if their requirements for strong measures to reduce emissions were not met.
The discussions, which were expected to end on Friday, have been extended due to persistent disagreements. President André Corrêa do Lago of COP30 emphasized the importance of solidarity, stating that an agenda causing
The Brazilian submissions—also referred to as documents—emerged following a fire on Thursday that temporarily spread through the conference's buildings, known as COP30, located near the Amazon.
No one suffered serious injuries, yet the fire resulted in a significant loss of work time.
Shift to greenhouse gas emissions that cannot be reversed
Regarding the elimination of fossil fuels, the suggestion states, "recognizes that the worldwide shift toward low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resistant development is inevitable and represents the direction of things to come."
"also recognizes that the Paris Agreement is effective and commits to taking more ambitious and quicker action," referring to the 2015 climate negotiations that set the target of keeping global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to the mid-1800s.
A critical concern is that the 119 national plans aimed at reducing emissions, submitted this year, fall far short of keeping temperature rise below 1.5 degrees.
Although the text did not outline a roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels, it might ultimately conclude with a loosely phrased section detailing a plan for the coming years in a separate roadmap.
Thirty-six countries that felt the text was insufficient included affluent nations like the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, as well as smaller island states vulnerable to climate change such as Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Vanuatu.
Decisions made during these discussions are formally approved if no country raises an objection, and they usually involve multiple stages of talks.
In reality, the process may conclude with agreements being finalized and the chair closing the session following the recording of any objections.
Rather than the typical small group gatherings, the Brazilian leadership held a meeting with senior officials from various countries in secret for most of Friday.
It aims to reduce any nation's sense of being excluded from secret negotiations, yet it prevents the public from witnessing countries' concerns.
The yearly discussions this year are taking place in Belem, a Brazilian city located at the border of the Amazon rainforest.
