EDITORS DESK
If you ask anyone on the street, chances are they won't even know what COP28 is. It's not surprising, as even colleagues in the media seem unaware of its significance and the impact past COPs have had. But now, it's preparation time for country-participants of COP28, scheduled in Dubai later this year.
COP, or the United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties, is a “crucial annual global summit where representatives from almost all nations gather to address climate change challenges.” Organized under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), these meetings serve as a “platform for countries to negotiate, collaborate, and set international agreements on climate action, emissions reductions, and environmental policies.”
Over the years, COP sessions have allowed governments to collectively work toward limiting global warming and protecting the planet's future while mitigating the impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities and ecosystems.
Our nation, with its islands and coastal communities, is particularly vulnerable to climate change, making COP outcomes vital to us.
As an environment writer, my role is to amplify the voices of individuals, groups, and organizations fighting for the planet. They may not be famous or “viral” online, but they bravely speak up on all available platforms and forums, putting the Philippine agenda on the world stage.
For the upcoming COP28, I reached out to The Climate Reality Project Philippines and Agam Agenda, who are part of the "RewriteCOP" campaign, inviting everyone to intervene in policy- and decision-making through storytelling and creative expression to address the climate crisis.
During the recent Bonn climate talks, delegates from over 100 countries prepared for COP28, adopting an official agenda that shapes key negotiation points. The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report underscores the urgent need for enhanced climate action.
In the spirit of public service, The Climate Reality and Agam Agenda shared with us a summary of developments from the Bonn climate talks that will influence COP28's key negotiations:
- Fossil fuel phaseout: COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber acknowledged the inevitable phasedown of fossil fuels during the Bonn climate talks. The shift in rhetoric was welcome news. However, the commitment to an equitable and just phaseout still hangs in the balance.
- Climate finance: The Bonn talks revealed a lack of trust between developed and developing countries regarding the delivery of finance needed for climate action. An "informal note" on the just transition pathways work program was produced, but agreement on the mitigation ambition and implementation work program (MWP) remains pending.
- New climate finance target: Progress was made on the post-2025 New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) mandated by the Paris Agreement. The NCQG climate finance target aims to replace the unfulfilled US$100 billion per year target to assist developing countries in emissions reduction and resilience building.
Experts underscored that the NCQG will not be able to unlock the trillions of dollars needed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement without a reform of the international financial system.
- Loss and damage: Developed and developing countries remain divided on the setup of the loss and damage fund, with developing countries seeking a standalone fund.
Developed countries showed a tepid response to the idea, emphasizing the need to avoid duplication and prioritize effective disbursement.
More meetings are scheduled this year before the committee makes recommendations for consideration and adoption by COP28. Moreover, parties could not agree on recommending a host for the Santiago Network on loss and damage secretariat.
The Santiago Network was officially established at COP25 to provide technical assistance for “averting, minimizing, and addressing loss and damage in developing countries.”
5) Global stocktake: Discussions focused on the framework for the forthcoming decision on the results of the first Global Stocktake (GST). Contentions arose regarding whether the process should emphasize the historical responsibility of developed countries in causing climate change and its impacts. The first GST will conclude at COP28, presenting opportunities and challenges for equitable action based on available science.
- Finding common ground: Climate negotiations increasingly address justice and equity, both current and historical. Developed countries' reluctance to confront their historical responsibility for the climate crisis impacts our shared future. Still, there's time to find common ground.
Amplifying the voices of communities at the forefront of the climate crisis is essential for COP28 to deliver an equitable path to a 1.5-degree Celsius future.
(Johannes L. Chua is the editor of the Environment and Sustainability section. )