UN climate chief Simon Stiell on Wednesday accused nations of “posturing” at the COP28 talks in Dubai, raising the temperature on negotiators sparring over the thorny issue of fossil fuels.
Pressure is mounting near the end of the first week of the UN negotiations hosted by the oil-rich UAE, with Europe’s climate monitor confirming that 2023 will be the hottest year in recorded history.
The European Union called for COP28 to “mark the beginning of the end” of planet-warming fossil fuels.
According to two people familiar with the negotiations, the latest draft of a global climate agreement is “probably” expected on Wednesday before it is finalised — in theory — on December 12, but a definitive timeline remains unclear.
The fate of oil, gas and coal — the main drivers of human-caused planet heating — has been the most significant sticking point on the agenda, and divisions around their future have dominated the conference.
“We have a starting text on the table, but it’s a grab bag of … wish lists and heavy on posturing,” Stiell said.
