Scientists' Takes On "Historic" COP 28 Deal [View all]

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Prof Johan Rockström, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany:

“No, the Cop28 agreement will not enable the world to hold the 1.5C limit, but yes, the result is a pivotal land-mark. This agreement delivers on making it clear to all financial institutions, businesses and societies that we are now finally – eight years behind the Paris schedule – at the true ‘beginning of the end’ of the fossil-fuel driven world economy. Yet the fossil-fuel statement remains too vague, with no hard and accountable boundaries for 2030, 2040 and 2050.”

Prof Mike Berners-Lee, Lancaster University said:

“Cop28 is the fossil fuel industry’s dream outcome, because it looks like progress, but it isn’t.”

Dr Ella Gilbert, at British Antarctic Survey:

“The Cop28 agreement finally puts into words what scientists have been saying for decades – that continued fossil fuel use must be eliminated to avoid the worst consequences of climate change. [The record hot year of] 2023 has given us a taste of what is to come and demonstrates how urgently we must act. While this eleventh-hour intervention is welcome, it will not be strong enough to avoid the worst impacts, including ice loss from the polar regions and devastating extreme events.”

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Prof Daniela Schmidt, University of Bristol:

“The time for talking is over. Delaying change further is indefensible. Pretending that reducing emissions by 2050 is enough ignores the dangerous, life-threatening consequences of our anthropogenic heating of the planet. There are still trillions in subsidies given every year to fossil fuel industries who make money for their shareholders ignoring the consequences. Why is that money not redirected to help communities adapt and change the way we live?”

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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/live/2023/dec/13/cop28-live-updates-news-agreement-outcomes-draft-text-fossil-fuels