The world’s nations remained at odds over any agreement for an end to new oil and gas projects ahead of the upcoming UN climate summit, with France, Spain, Ireland, Kenya and 11 other countries calling for the phasing out of fossil fuel production at preliminary talks this week.
After discussions over the past two days in Abu Dhabi in preparation for the COP28 summit that kicks off in the United Arab Emirates on November 30, the group of 15 nations known as the High Ambition Coalition joined a cohort of countries pushing for a global accord to dump oil and gas.
“Fossil fuels are at the root of this crisis. We must work together to develop a comprehensive global clean energy access approach to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels,” said a statement signed by 15 ministers, including some from poorer countries such as Ethiopia, Vanuatu and Samoa.