EU Committed To Drive Out Fossil Fuels

AFP/APP

Abu Dhabi: Within mitigation, the EU has a “desire to drive out fossil fuels”, to peak global GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions by 2025, tripling renewable energy and doubling energy efficiency by 2030, said Europe Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra on Tuesday.

A demand for targets for the phase-out of fossil fuels in the final agreement of COP28 in Dubai is not frivolous but an urgent request backed by “crystal clear” science, added the newly appointed Commissioner, who has been under fierce scrutiny for his past experience in the oil industry.

All wealthy nations need to start contributing from the capital of the United Arab Emirates, where ministers and negotiators gathered for two days of preliminary meetings ahead of COP28 next month, further stated Hoekstra.

Of course, some of these items are less controversial; it will be easier to rally around renewable energy targets and energy efficiency targets than phasing out fossil fuels, Wopke added.

At the advanced meeting, the EU addressed “core elements” that the Dutch commissioner said would “determine the outcome and the success” of the upcoming United Nations climate talks.

The European Union has been a leader among developed nations in working to fulfil a promise to provide $100 billion in annual aid to developing countries by contributing a very substantial $26 billion towards it, Climate Commissioner added.

We are very willing and committed to help set up the new loss and damage fund for vulnerable nations. While the precise parameters of the fund remain hotly debated, he cautioned that we can only do this right once, he mentioned.

Climate Chief said that this fund is really meant for those most in need, in particular small island developing states, who are clearly on the receiving end of climate change and have no responsibility whatsoever for what is happening.

Those contributing to the funds should be broadened to everyone who has the ability to pay amongst nations. Not singling one particular country out, Europe Climate Commissioner said that by ranking countries by GDP, it is clear who has seen economic progress, and with being a sizable economic power comes a lot of responsibility.

The fund not only addresses the hazards that climate change, instigated by the most industrialised nations, has imposed on poorer nations but would also foster “that amazingly important yet intangible thing called trust” between the North and the South, Hoesktra remarked.