Diplomats at UN summit agree to transition away from fossil fuels

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From left, Norwegian Foreign Minister Barth Eide, COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber, and environmental minister for Singapore Grace Fu pose at the end of the summit. Associated Press/Peter Dejong

Diplomats at UN summit agree to transition away from fossil fuels

Representatives from nearly 200 countries, including the United States, approved an international pact on Wednesday to prioritize renewable energy and move away from fossil fuels. The diplomats signed the agreement at the end of COP28, the United Nations’ annual climate change summit. Each country that signed the deal agreed to submit a detailed proposal for cutting greenhouse gas emissions through 2035.

What is included in the agreement? The deal called on signatories to transition away from fossil fuels to reach “greenhouse gas neutrality” or net zero emissions by 2050 but stopped short of calling for a complete phase-out. It also called on countries to triple the number of renewable energy systems installed worldwide over the next decade. Meanwhile, the COP28 host country, the United Arab Emirates, has planned to ramp up its oil production, the BBC reported.

Dig deeper: Listen to Cal Thomas’ report on The WORLD and Everything in It podcast about the claims made about climate change.

Lauren Canterberry

Lauren Canterberry is a reporter for WORLD. She graduated from the World Journalism Institute and the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, both in 2017. She worked as a local reporter in Texas and now lives in Georgia with her husband.