🔥RIGHT NOW: Curtain-raiser press conference on fossil fuels: Press Room 2, Zone B6, Building 77 starting at 4:30
Watching virtually? Get the livestream link here and send questions to Ashwini +33 76 974 8184
COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber said during opening remarks today that he made the “bold choice” to engage “proactively” with oil and gas companies, as though he’s not the head of a national oil company. Expect plenty of criticism about the UAE’s supposed upcoming big commitments on reducing methane emissions from oil and gas, which ignore Scope 3 emissions—those from the oil and gas sold and up 80-95% of total carbon emissions from oil and gas companies. Expect plenty of criticism about the UAE’s supposed upcoming big commitments on reducing methane emissions from oil and gas, which ignore scope 3 emissions. Also, not a great sign that he also said “tripling renewables is how we transition away from unabated coal” – a frustrating but not surprisingly low level of ambition to start the COP.
Headline of the day: 2023 shatters climate records, with major impacts
The World Meteorological Organization released its provisional State of the Global Climate report, which found: 2023 set to be warmest year on record, greenhouse gas levels continue to increase; record sea surface temperatures and sea level rise; record low Antarctic sea ice, and extreme weather causes death and devastation. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said: “We have the roadmap to limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 °C and avoid the worst of climate chaos. But we need leaders to fire the starting gun at COP28 on a race to keep the 1.5 degree limit alive… committing to phase out fossil fuels, with a clear time frame aligned to the 1.5-degree limit.” Read the release.
In the meantime…
TIME CHANGE: Press conference: Full, Fast, Fair and Funded
Friday 1st December | 16:00
Press Conference Room 2, Zone B6, Building 77 (Blue Zone)
The fundamental test on fossil fuel phase-out for COP 28 and the Global North.
Speakers: David Boyd, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment (TBC); Carroll Muffett, President and CEO, Center for International Environmental Law; Jean Su, Energy Justice Program Director and Senior Attorney, Center for Biological Diversity
Press Conference: Fossil Free Zones in the MENA Region
Friday 1st December | 9:30 AM
Press Conference Room 2, Zone B6, Building 77 (Blue Zone)
The new report “Fossil Free Zones in the MENA Region” showcases 26 locations in 16 countries from the Arab world that have successfully shifted from fossil fuels. Fossil Free Zones are places that no longer use oil, gas, or coal. The report identifies the places that are leading the way to leave the fossil fuel age behind in this still very fossil fuel dependent, but also very climate-vulnerable region. Examples include fossil free mosques, schools, homes, farms etc. At COP28, with fossil fuel phase out being an important topic of discussion, this report shows how even in the MENA Region, living and working without fossil fuels is already possible today in countries including the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Lebanon, Egypt, among others. The Climate Action Network in the Arab World (CAN AW), in partnership with Leave it in the Ground Initiative (LINGO), invites you to the report launch.
Speakers: Kaid Youcef Mahdi Cherif - Secretary General, CAN Arab World; Dr. Kjell KĂĽhne - Director, Leave it in the Ground Initiative (LINGO); Nizar Haddad - Founder, NH-Architectes & LIFEHAUS, (Architect of a Fossil Free Zone in Lebanon)
Conversation: Canada on fossil fuels
Friday 1st December | 11:00
Canada Pavilion, Zone B5, Building 52 (Blue Zone)
As COP28 opens, this dialogue will center civil society’s priorities and expectations for the role Canada can play – from championing fossil fuel phase-out and climate finance, to modeling a just transition, to implementing its commitments at the national level. Caroline Brouillette, Executive Director of Climate Action Network – Réseau action climate Canada, will lead the bilingual conversation with a representative from the Canadian government.
Event: Colombian President Petro Speaking on Fossil Fuels
Saturday 2nd December | 13:30
Meeting Room 7, Zone B1
Register for details and to attend/watch online.
Hosts Tuvalu and Vanuatu will be joined by a bloc of governments including Antigua and Barbuda, Fiji, Niue, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, and Tonga plus major announcements from the latest countries to join them in spearheading the call for a new treaty to manage a just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels globally.
Speakers: Hon. Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia
Check out our website for UN Climate Talks ggon.org/COP28/ and see our toolkit for media on oil and gas issues. Additionally, a detailed list of all fossil fuel related events at COP28 can be found here.
Hope everyone is having a good first day.