*James Woods is a former diplomat with a commendable record of service for Malawi in various European nations, including Belgium, Andorra, France, the Principality of Monaco, the Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, and the European Union.
In the contemporary era, climate change looms as an unprecedented and paramount challenge, imperiling humanity's existence on our fragile planet. Its pervasive effects manifest in various forms, from extreme weather events to flash floods, rising sea levels, persistent droughts, and a spectrum of natural catastrophes. To confront this monumental global issue, the international community converged at COP28, where I had the privilege of attending among delegates from nearly 200 nations. Held from November 30 to December 12 in the United Arab Emirates, COP28 stands as the largest and most pivotal climate gathering to date. In this op-ed, I will delve into COP28's accomplishments and shortcomings while also scrutinising its implications for African nations.
COP28 has yielded significant progress that promises to have a positive impact on the global climate agenda. Notably, a landmark agreement was reached in Dubai, signaling a decisive shift away from fossil fuels as a means to combat climate change. This historic pact, known as the 'UAE Consensus,' stands out for being the first climate agreement to directly address fossil fuels, breaking a three-decade-long trend of avoiding the subject due to the opposition of major oil-producing nations. It's worth emphasising the significance of this breakthrough, particularly because the UAE, a leading global oil producer, hosted COP28. The inclusion of fossil fuels in the agreement formally acknowledges their detrimental environmental impact and their role as a primary driver of climate change. This groundbreaking deal emerged after intensive two-week negotiations involving diverse stakeholders.
Another commendable outcome of COP28 is the initiation of the operational phase of the loss and damage fund. This vital step was endorsed on the very first day of the conference, demonstrating a collective commitment to assisting vulnerable developing nations in coping with climate-related disasters. Although the initial pledges to the fund total approximately $800 million, falling short of the actual requirements, the fund's operationalisation stands as a significant milestone in the ongoing climate justice movement. This achievement holds particular importance for African nations that have long advocated for increased financial support to address climate-related challenges. Furthermore, the conference served as a global forum, bringing together delegates from nearly 200 countries, including civil society organisations, climate activists, government officials, and various stakeholders. This diverse assembly fostered a robust global dialogue on the impacts of climate change and potential solutions to confront them.
Although,COP28 has resulted in some positive outcomes, but like previous conferences, it has failed to meet the expectations of climate activists and the demands of the most vulnerable countries affected by climate change. The main agenda at COP28 was to carry out a Global Stocktake (GST), a comprehensive assessment of where the world was in its fight against climate change and what more needed to be done to meet the climate objectives. The GST is mandated by the Paris Agreement to be a periodic exercise, the first one in 2023 and every five years thereafter. COP28 was being held at a time when global warming was breaking new records. The year 2023 is already confirmed to emerge as the hottest year ever with more than 80 days happened to be at least 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial times. At the same time, every assessment showed that the world was not doing enough and that the 1.5-degree target was rapidly slipping out of hand. COP28, therefore, was expected to use the GST to stimulate more ambitious climate actions, particularly between now and 2030. However, it failed to deliver on this front and there is little in the final agreement to accelerate climate action in the short term.
Moreover, the issue of fossil fuel was the center of discussion at the conference and for the first time, it has been officially recognised as the major cause of climate change, and the final agreement called upon countries to contribute towards "transitioning away" from fossil fuels, to achieve net zero by 2050. But there are no time schedules and no targets due to which the production and consumption of fossil fuels are unlikely to be curbed significantly in the near term. On top of it, the double standards of developed countries make matters worse. They have consistently failed to meet their commitments on emissions reduction or financial support. They continue to invest in new fossil fuel infrastructure and emit more than their fair share. For instance, the US presently is the largest producer of oil and gas, producing nearly a quarter of global natural gas and 15 percent of the world's crude oil. Similarly, the share of China is also significant. However, both these countries along with other developed countries have failed to act in compliance with their commitments and have not met their collective finance obligations of providing 100 billion dollars to developing countries.
The apathy of developed countries disproportionately affects developing economies particularly, the African countries, that are most vulnerable to climate change. A report by Carbon Brief indicates that around 15,700 lives have been lost in Africa due to extreme weather disasters in 2023 such as flash floods in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda's unyielding drought in the Sahel and the floods in Libya. In light of the prevailing circumstances, COP28 had been long anticipated by African nations, yet it yielded outcomes that were mixed in nature for the continent.
James Woods with famed philanthropist Tony Elumelu in discussion on a shared vision for Africa
On one hand, during the conference's inaugural day, the participating nations reached consensus on the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund, hosted by the World Bank. This fund signifies a critical financial mechanism designed to address the irreversible ramifications of climate change, offering essential resources to those adversely affected by climate-related disasters. The significance of this fund is particularly pronounced for African countries that have directly experienced the devastating impacts of such disasters. For instance, Malawi, situated in southeastern Africa, has endured unprecedented climate-related catastrophes resulting in the loss of vital infrastructure and countless lives. In the current year alone, Tropical Cyclone Freddy displaced over half a million residents and claimed the lives of more than 1400 individuals across the nation. In these challenging circumstances, the approval of the loss and damage fund at COP28 serves as a tool of hope for Malawi. It presents an opportunity to rebuild homes, rehabilitate forests and agricultural lands, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate-induced disasters, further underscoring the critical role of such financial mechanisms in the region.
Whereas, the inclusion of fossil fuel in the final agreement has been a source of concern for African countries, who have been advocating for a "Just Energy Transition" and demand a flexible approach to balance economic development and industrialisation objectives. African countries have advocated that they should be entitled to exploit their oil and gas resources to ensure economic development. Even if the African countries decide to completely cease the use of fossil fuel, they need funding from developed countries to adopt green technology, which has not been complied with by the developed countries.
In summary, COP28 convened representatives from across the globe with the aim of forging a consensus on future climate change frameworks. Notably, delegates collectively acknowledged the pivotal step of explicitly addressing fossil fuels as the primary driver of climate change. However, the conference fell short in establishing concrete indicators to gauge progress toward the crucial goal of limiting global temperature rise to below 1.5 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, the current adaptation agreement lacks essential financial provisions, necessitating ongoing collaborative efforts to fortify it in the years ahead.
Regarding the pledged funds at the conference, they appear to be but a drop in the vast ocean of financial needs. This shortfall in funding poses an increasingly formidable challenge, particularly for developing economies, including African nations. It is imperative that developed countries uphold their commitments and provide robust support to developing nations in their pursuit of effective climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. The time for decisive action and solidarity is now.
*James Woods is a former diplomat with a commendable record of service for Malawi in various European nations, including Belgium, Andorra, France, the Principality of Monaco, the Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, and the European Union. Complementing his practical experience, James is an MBA candidate at the University of Oxford, associated with Kellogg College, where he is deepening his knowledge in business leadership and management. He is also an Archbishop Desmond Tutu Fellow.
