COP28: Developing nations seek urgent climate action from developed nations

Leaders from developing nations are calling on their richer counterparts to share their knowledge and finance to combat climate change.

They say that their countries are disproportionately affected by climate change and that they need more support to adapt and mitigate its effects.

“The destruction of the environment is an offense against God,” said Pope Francis in a letter read on his behalf at the COP28 climate summit. “The poor are the real victims of what is happening.”

Several African leaders noted that their continent’s rainforests help to absorb carbon dioxide from the air. They emphasized that their countries emit only a tiny fraction of greenhouse gases compared to richer countries.

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, one of sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest oil producers, faulted developed nations for failing to deliver on their pledges to provide financial assistance to developing countries for climate action.

President Jose Ramos Horta of Timor-Leste criticized “shark loans” from multilateral lending institutions, saying that developing nations cannot recover from heavy debt burdens that squelch their ability to invest in climate action and economic growth.

Oil companies pledge to reduce methane emissions

In another development at COP28, 50 oil companies pledged to reach near-zero methane emissions and end routine flaring in their operations by 2030.

The pledge includes national oil companies like Saudi Arabia’s Aramco, Brazil’s Petrobras, and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., as well as multi-nationals like Shell, BP, and TotalEnergies.

The United States announced that it was rejoining the Powering Past Coal Alliance, which means the administration commits to building no new coal plants and phasing out existing plants.

It’s in line with other Biden regulatory actions and international commitments already in the works had meant no coal by 2035.

Leaders call for climate action

Overall, leaders at COP28 were united in their view that Earth is in crisis. They called for urgent action to combat climate change and avert a climate catastrophe.

“We understand the whole world will benefit from our work,” said U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. “When the United States increases renewable energy production and innovation, it lowers the costs and boosts the efficiency of renewable energy technology around the globe.”

Bolivian Vice President David Choquehuanca called for “saving Mother Earth and staving off the multiple crises which have been caused by neocolonial, capitalist, imperialist, patriarchal, Western culture.”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said science shows that the world needs to “step up the pace” to battle climate change, but took a more upbeat tone, saying: “We have what it takes to meet these challenges. We have the technologies: wind power, photovoltaics, e-mobility, green hydrogen.”

He said demand for fossil fuels has slowed and the peak is “in sight.”

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