The world is heating up, icebergs are melting and, once again, we have another meeting to talk about it.
The Biden administration has announced a new regulation focused on reducing methane emissions, specifically targeting the U.S. oil and gas industry. This move, part of President Biden's climate change initiatives, was revealed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which says that this regulation will not only significantly cut methane and other harmful pollutants from oil and gas operations but also bring considerable health benefits.
The U.S. announcement was made by EPA Administrator Michael Regan and White House climate adviser Ali Zaidi at a COP28 U.N. climate conference in the United Arab Emirates.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the top American representative at the summit, said the U.S. and other nations must act boldly to confront the fallout from climate change.
"The urgency of this moment is clear," Harris said. "The clock is no longer just ticking. It is banging. And we must make up for lost time."
At the same time, COP28 President Sultan Al-Jaber is under criticism for his statement that there's no scientific basis for phasing out fossil fuels. This issue is central to the U.N. climate conference, where many attendees believe ending the fossil fuel era is crucial for success. Al-Jaber's comments, initially reported by The Guardian and the Centre for Climate Reporting, suggested that eliminating fossil fuels would hinder sustainable development and regress society. Made during a live event on November 21, these remarks have been labeled by scientists and advocates as outlandish and close to climate denial.
There's a growing call for U.N. chief Antonio Guterres to address this controversy. Al-Jaber's role as COP28 leader is controversial due to his concurrent position as head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, raising concerns about a potential conflict of interest. A COP28 spokesperson has dismissed the criticism of Al-Jaber's comments as an attempt to undermine the conference's agenda.
Al-Jaber's comments were challenged by former Irish President and climate activist Mary Robinson. Al-Jaber, also the CEO of ADNOC, the UAE's state oil company, was responding to Robinson's call for leadership in fossil fuel phase-out.
Guterres had previously emphasized the necessity of phasing out fossil fuels to limit global warming to 1.5 degreesC. Robinson, at the SHE Changes Climate event, stressed the harm caused by the lack of commitment to a fossil fuel phase-out. Al-Jaber argued that no scientific or practical roadmap suggests that phasing out fossil fuels alone will achieve the 1.5-degreesC target, but he did acknowledge the inevitability and necessity of phasing out fossil fuels.
The U.N. climate science panel's assessments indicate that steep emission reductions by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050 are crucial to stay within the 1.5-degreesC warming limit. A recent U.N. report also recommended significant reductions in coal, oil, and gas production and use by 2040 and 2050, respectively.
Romain Ioualalen from Oil Change International and climate scientist Bill McGuire criticized al-Jaber's comments. Tom Evans from consultancy E3G highlighted the increased pressure on al-Jaber and the UAE's role in potential COP outcomes.
U.S. climate envoy John Kerry responded to al-Jaber's remarks, emphasizing the importance of phasing out "unmitigated fossil fuel emissions" and focusing on the 1.5-degrees target.
A COP28 spokesperson defended al-Jaber, stating that his approach to reaching the 1.5-degreesC goal involves actions across multiple sectors and that the phase-down and out of fossil fuels is inevitable. They dismissed the controversy as an attempt to undermine the COP president's agenda, maintaining that his stance on these issues is neither new nor surprising.
To his credit, Al-Jaber reported that 50 oil companies, accounting for nearly half of the world's oil production, have committed to achieving near-zero methane emissions and ending routine flaring by 2030.
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