A COP28 Retrospective: What Went Down and Where We Are Now

The sun is almost ready to rise over another global Conference of Parties, the world's most pivotal climate conference. In November 2024, the world's leaders will descend on Baku, Azerbaijan, ready to deliberate the future of the planet.
Though the dust has long settled over COP28, it's important to revisit last year's conference to assess the world's progress in the pursuit of sustainability.
What lessons did we learn in Dubai last year? What achievements were made? Which parties emerged as the pivotal players? We cast our minds back and try to untangle the threads from one of the world's most seminal and controversial climate conferences yet.
A series of historic agreements on fossil fuels
The most significant outcome of COP28 was undoubtedly the agreement to "transition away from fossil fuels". This marked the first time in the history of UN climate negotiations that fossil fuels have been explicitly mentioned in a final agreement. However, the language fell short of the "phase-out" that many countries and campaigners had called for, instead being tabled as a "phase-down".
Simon Stiell, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, described the outcome as "the beginning of the end" of the fossil fuel era, yet critics argued that the compromise language left too much room for interpretation and delay.
Historic developments in the food industry
COP28 saw significant commitments from governments and major food industry players to address sustainability in food and agriculture, an industry which uses 70% of Earth's freshwater resources and contributes to 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Key developments included the launch of the First Movers Coalition for Food, aimed at increasing demand for sustainable agricultural products. Then there was the COP28 Action Agenda on Regenerative Landscapes, with companies like Danone, PepsiCo, and Nestle pledging to scale regenerative agriculture practices.
Elsewhere, the formation of the Dairy Methane Action Alliance to reduce methane emissions in dairy supply chains was established, whilst the COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture was formed and endorsed by 134 world leaders, mobilising over US$2.5bn for agriculture-based climate solutions.
What were the controversies surrounding COP28?
COP28 was marked by several significant controversies.
The selection of the United Arab Emirates, a major oil producer, as the host country raised questions about its credibility to deliver on the COP agenda.
Similarly, the appointment of Dr. Sultan al-Jaber, Head of the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), as COP28 President was particularly controversial, sparking some concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
Another point of contention was the proposal to focus on phasing out only "unabated" fossil fuels, which health experts warned would still be detrimental to human health as it doesn't address other pollutants produced by fossil fuel combustion.
These controversies underscored the complex challenges of balancing the interests of countries around the world - all of which differ slightly - with the urgent need for a unified, global approach to climate action.
What were some of the new initiatives to emerge from COP28?
The adoption of the first ever Global Stocktake was a significant development for this conference. This comprehensive assessment of global progress towards the Paris Agreement goals resulted in new specific targets, including tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency improvements by 2030.
COP29 will be the first time we get to compare stocktakes against one another, so keep an eye out for progress updates on these targets.
Elsewhere, a Loss and Damage Fund was operationalised on the first day of the conference, which was widely received as a positive move. This fund, aimed at supporting vulnerable countries affected by climate change, received commitments totalling over US$707m. While this represented a step forward, experts note that the amount falls far short of what will be needed to address climate-related losses in developing countries. COP29 may see some parties double down on their support for the Loss and Damage Fund.
COP28 saw a boost to climate finance, with the Green Climate Fund receiving pledges reaching US$12.9bn. Additionally, the conference launched the implementation roadmap of 2030 Climate Solutions, aiming to accelerate practical actions to combat climate change.
COP28 in quotes: What did world leaders have to say?
António Guterres, UN Secretary-General: “We are living through climate collapse in real time – and the impact is devastating."
Simon Stiell, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary: “We need highest ambition, not point-scoring or lowest common denominator politics. Good intentions won’t halve emissions this decade or save lives right now."
Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “A successful COP28 is not about a single individual or nation, but the collective will and concerted efforts of all countries in these negotiations. The science compels: phase out fossil fuels rapidly, accelerate renewable energy adoption, and radically scale up finance.”
Cedric Schuster of Samoa, Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States: “We will not sign our death certificate. We cannot sign on to a text that does not have strong commitments on phasing out fossil fuels."
Samuel Silk, Marshall Islands Chief Delegate and Natural Resources Minister: “We will not go silently to our watery graves.”
An open letter, undersigned by 29 businesses from across Europe: "There will be no business without a planet, which is why we urge all parties at COP28 to support language that will set the world economy on a clear path to a tripling of renewable energies by 2030, doubling energy efficiency and a fossil fuel phase out."
Looking ahead to COP29
As the eyes of the world turn to COP29, the global community faces some significant challenges. Implementing the fossil fuel transition agreement, scaling up climate finance and accelerating the shift to renewable energy are among the key issues that will need to be addressed.
The success of COP29 will largely depend on how effectively countries can translate the commitments made in Dubai into concrete actions. With the next round of nationally determined contributions due in 2025, there is mounting pressure for countries to submit more ambitious climate action plans.
While COP28 made historic strides in acknowledging the need to move away from fossil fuels and unsustainable industry practices, but the real test lies in the implementation of these agreements.
As the world grapples with the increasingly severe effects of climate change, the need for decisive and urgent action has never been greater.
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