· 2 min read
illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Guardian or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: The COP28 agreement, celebrated by leaders of developed countries as a historic shift from fossil fuels, has been criticized by Indigenous people, frontline communities, and climate justice groups
• They label the deal as unfair, inequitable, and akin to business as usual, failing to address the differentiated responsibilities of developed nations
🔭 The context: The Global Stocktake (GST) at COP28 was focused on whether to phase out or phase down fossil fuels
• While developed countries, especially those with large oil reserves, emerged as winners, developing countries stressed the need for a "fair, funded, and fast" transition, emphasizing the historical responsibility of richer nations
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The final agreement overlooks the historic responsibility of developed countries and lacks commitments on finance and implementation for developing countries
• This raises concerns about equity and the effectiveness of the global response to climate change, particularly in vulnerable regions like small island states and countries facing severe climate impacts
⏭️ What's next: Developing countries are expected to work on national climate action plans without clear commitments from developed nations
• This situation may lead to increased reliance on controversial technologies like carbon capture and storage, potentially causing further environmental and social issues
💬 One quote: "We watched first-hand as the fossil fuel polluters and wealthy governments manipulated developing countries to undermine real action on climate change … The UN climate change conference has failed humanity and Mother Earth" (Tom Goldtooth, the director of the Indigenous Environmental Network)
Click for more news covering the latest on COP28
