As it happened: 'Historic' climate deal agreed at Cop28 in Dubai

Our live reporting of this year's UN climate summit has now finished. Please find our full report on the 'historic' Cop28 deal here.

A group of small island nations say the agreed climate deal doesn't go nearly far enough to safeguard their homelands.

Pacific Island states vulnerable to rising sea levels and extreme weather criticised the final deal on climate change at Cop28, claiming some were excluded from crucial talks.

Delegates from low-lying nations in the South Pacific, such as the Marshall Islands, were left disappointed by Thursday’s final draft, while others said the climate pact still left them at risk.

The islands lie just two metres above sea level, with 40 per cent of buildings in the state's capital Majuro at risk of flooding if waters rise by a metre, research from the World Bank found in 2021.

John Silk, the Marshall Islands' Minister of Natural Resources and Commerce, said he attended Cop28 in the hope of solving his country’s greatest challenge.

“I came here to build a canoe together for my country,” he said.

“Instead we have built a canoe with a weak and leaky hull, full of holes. Yet, we have to put it into the water because we have no other option.

“As we have said, king tides are eating away at our shores. Our wells are filling with saltwater. Our families are at risk.”

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, shared a message of praise and hope after the final Cop28 climate plan was agreed upon.

"We welcome the final announcement of the 'UAE Consensus' at the Cop28 conference, and we value international co-operation and global consensus that contributed to the success of the conference which managed to produce a set of global announcements and commitments for the first time, gathering $85 billion to launch a new era of global climate action," he said.

"We extend our thanks to all participating countries, their leaders, delegations, and experts who worked as one global team to make the conference a success. The conference has set new standards in climate action and solidified the UAE's position as a key player in building a sustainable future for the planet.

"Our gratitude is extended to all our government, security, organisational, and political teams, led by my brother Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Sheikha Mariam bint Mohammed, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan, and Sultan Al Jaber, along with thousands of employees and volunteers who contributed to the exceptional success of this global event, befitting the UAE's stature and in line with the international responsibility the country has undertaken in hosting this global event."

Al Gore, former US vice president, who has been highly critical of the summit and process, said the Cop28 deal was the "bare minimum" for the world to keep its head above water.

"The decision at Cop28 to finally recognise that the climate crisis is, at its heart, a fossil fuel crisis is an important milestone. But it is also the bare minimum we need and is long overdue. The influence of petrostates is still evident in the half measures and loopholes included in the final agreement.

"Fossil fuel interests went all out to control the outcome, but the passionate work of millions of climate activists around the world inspired and motivated delegates from many nations to loosen the industry’s grip.

"Whether this is a turning point that truly marks the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era depends on the actions that come next and the mobilisation of finance required to achieve them."

Wopke Hoekstra, EU's climate commissioner, thanked the Cop President for “your leadership, for your vision and tremendous tenacity and the team of UN climate chief Simon Stiell”.

"Dear friends, when we are all long gone our children will be there to deal with all the things we have left for them – the good and the bad. And with them in mind it makes this a day of gratitude – and of silent determination.”

“Humanity has finally done what is long overdue. Thirty years we’ve spent to arrive at the beginning of the end of fossil fuels.”

Jennifer Morgan, Germany's climate envoy, said: "Today at Cop28 the world adopted historic decision that is strongly guided by 1.5°C limit.

"There is an unmistakable signal that future is renewables and not fossil fuels. For the first time, countries made the decision to transition away from fossil fuels."

John Dennehy reports:

The US climate envoy has said he is in awe of the progress made at Cop28, especially considering the carnage and disaster going on in other parts of the world right now.

"Everyone should be pleased. In a world of war and all other challenges the planet is floundering in, this is a moment where people have attempted to find the common good," said John Kerry.

Despite the consensus, the official said there was always going to be disagreement on the details.

"Everyone will find paragraphs where we might have said something differently. This is a cause for optimism and gratitude. I am in awe at spirit of co-operation.

"This document sends a very strong message to the world."

Denmark's climate minister, one of eight negotiators at the summit, has welcomed the Cop28 agreement.

Dan Jorgensen told The National moments after the agreement: "It’s embarrassing it’s taken 28 years to get here - but we got here."

Speaking to The National just before the deal was agreed, he said that even governments that draw much of their revenue from oil and gas had recognised the need to act.

"We're standing here in an oil country surrounded by oil countries and we make a decision saying let's move away from oil and let's do something else," he said.

"This is what we need. This is what the world needs."

John Dennehy reports:

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the Cop28 deal reaffirms the importance of limiting warning to 1.5C this decade.

Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Guterres said the outcome recognised for the first time the need to transition away from fossil fuels after “many years in which the discussion of this issue was blocked”.

“Science tells us that limiting global heating to 1.5°C degrees will be impossible without the phase-out of all fossil fuels on a timeframe consistent with this limit. This has been recognised by a growing and diverse coalition of countries,” he said.

“To those who opposed a clear reference to a phase-out of fossil fuels in the Cop28 text, I want to say that a fossil fuel phase-out is inevitable whether they like it or not. Let’s hope it doesn’t come too late.”

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the Cop28 deal reaffirms the importance of limiting warning to 1.5C this decade.

Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Guterres said the outcome recognised for the first time the need to transition away from fossil fuels after “many years in which the discussion of this issue was blocked”.

“Science tells us that limiting global heating to 1.5°C degrees will be impossible without the phase-out of all fossil fuels on a timeframe consistent with this limit. This has been recognised by a growing and diverse coalition of countries,” he said.

“To those who opposed a clear reference to a phase-out of fossil fuels in the Cop28 text, I want to say that a fossil fuel phase-out is inevitable whether they like it or not. Let’s hope it doesn’t come too late.”

Mr Guterres said Cop28 had seen commitments to triple renewables capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030 with also progress adaptation and finance.

But the UN chief said much more was needed to keep the 1.5C limit alive.

“Many vulnerable countries are drowning in debt and at risk of drowning in rising seas,” he said.

"Multilateralism remains humanity’s best hope.”

The global stocktake has been unanimously approved by 198 nations, marking a historic moment in the fight against climate change.

"Many said this could not be done," Cop28 President Dr Sultan Al Jaber told delegates at Expo City Dubai to applause.

"But when I spoke to you at the very start of this Cop, I promised a different sort of Cop. A Cop that brought everyone together, private and public sectors, civil society, NGOs and faith leaders and indigenous peoples.

"Everyone came together from day one, everyone united, everyone acted - and everyone delivered."

Dr Al Jaber, who is also Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, said that the work laid out in Dubai will deliver "solutions to climate change become the drivers of a new economic age".

He called the deal agreed today the 'UAE Consensus" and urged all countries to go forward with the same spirit of collaboration seen in recent days.

Thanking the 80,000-plus delegates who attended the summit, he said what was decided would help to "secure the future of this beautiful planet for many years to come".

Simon Stiell, the UN's climate chief, thanked the UAE for hosting the summit and for steering the process through difficult hurdles.

But he warned that the world is still heading towards being 3°C hotter than it was before the industrial age.

"We must get on with the job of putting the Paris agreement into full work," he said.

Here are five things that struck us from reading the draft stocktake - which has now been agreed by all countries in Dubai.

1) The language used may not go far enough for some parties, but it will demand much of many countries.

A commitment to make fossil fuels net zero by 2050 is far more ambitious than some have set themselves to date, including China (2060) and India (2070).

2) 'Could' has been removed from the wording around fossil fuels, and the text now 'calls on' countries to make the transition to renewables and draw down fossil fuels. Language such as 'must' is unheard of in climate talks.

3) The language on methane - a highly damaging greenhouse gas - is pretty firm. It calls on nations to accelerate and substantially reduce emissions, “including in particular methane emissions by 2030".

4) The transition allows major oil and gas producers a fair bit of flexibility on the path they need to take to cut emissions. Bloomberg reported that this was key to Saudi Arabia and other countries opposed to the deal agreeing.

5) The language on coal is weaker than expected, possibly to get China and India on board. The new proposal would have countries “accelerating efforts towards the phase down of unabated coal power”. That compares to Monday’s version that spelt out “rapidly phasing down unabated coal and limitations on permitting new and unabated coal power generation".

Dan Jorgensen, Denmark's climate minister, has commented that weaker language was used around coal two years ago and it was considered a success.

"This language on all fossils is actually stronger than the language we had on coal in Glasgow, that was celebrated widely as being a huge step forward.

"We're standing here in an oil country surrounded by oil countries and we make a decision saying let's move away from oil and let's do something else.

"This is what we need. This is what the world needs."

Eamon Ryan, Ireland's climate minister, emphasised the historic nature of identifying the root cause of climate change in the text for the first time in almost three decades.

"It can be historic in being the first time in 30 years that we actually identify and point out and call for change and address the source of the problem."

The minister reminded people of the need for more urgency, saying countries are not being told to change.

"It's not a compelling order for people to act.

"It's a kind of polite request."

Experts have given their thoughts on the new text from Cop28 which proposes a transition away from fossil fuels.

The final document will not ask 198 countries to commit to a fossil fuel 'phase-out' but the language is stronger than a draft from Sunday.

“If this text is adopted in plenary later, it will show a collective recognition that we must turn away from fossil fuels and move towards a cleaner future", Tom Evans, climate expert at think tank E3G, said.

"Champions for this vision - both small island states and major economies - have worked tirelessly overnight.

"However, it is clear that not everyone is ready to admit the truth of what’s needed. This text might help avoid disaster in Dubai but it does not avoid disaster for the planet."

Bob Ward, Grantham Institute, London School of Economics, said the switching of the wording of 'fossil fuel phase out' for 'transition' means it will "allow each country to decide for itself how much it will reduce fossil fuel production and consumption as its contribution".

"It is not clear whether developing countries believe the text is strong enough on the financial support they need for the transition to zero-emissions and climate-resilient economic development and growth," he said.

"We may have many more hours of negotiations ahead of us.”

Government officials, delegates and campaigners are reacting to what is expected to be the final stocktake text:

Espen Barth Eide, Norway's Minister for Climate and the Environment said: "It is the first time that the world unites around such a clear text on the need to transition away from fossil fuels.

"It has been the elephant in the room, at last, we address it head-on. This is the outcome of extremely many conversations and intense diplomacy."

Stephen Cornelius, WWF deputy global climate lead, said: "This draft is a sorely needed improvement from the last version, which rightly caused outrage.

"The language on fossil fuels is much improved, but still falls short of calling for the full phase-out of coal, oil and gas."

Catherine Abreu, founder of NGO Destination Zero: "This text provides a very clear signal on the end of the fossil fuel era, calling on all parties to contribute to global efforts to transition away from fossil fuels, beginning in this decade, in keeping with the science of 1.5°C."

Romain Loualalen, from Oil Change International, said: "“If we see a massive expansion of fossil gas production as a result of this, then any hope of limiting warning to 1.5C will be gone.

“It's about time that investments shifted away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy.

"And that will only happen if there is a massive shift of finance towards, towards renewable energy and away from fossil fuels.”

Shady Khalil, Greenpeace MENA, said: “The text is a clear signal that the just phaseout of fossil fuels is within reach and inevitable, but we still need a stronger commitment on financial support for developing countries and the recognition that developed countries need to move first and fastest."

A new global stocktake text will ask countries to transition away from fossil fuels to hit net zero by 2050.

The final document will not ask 198 countries to commit to a fossil fuel 'phase-out' but the language is stronger than a draft from Sunday.

The document was published as climate ministers prepare to meet around 9.30am this morning.

Countries will be asked to back a text that says they should be "transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science". 

Also of significance is wording that will ask countries to work on "accelerating efforts towards the phase-down of unabated coal power", which has faced opposition from major economies including India and China. 

Rory Reynolds reports:

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of Cop28 - on what surely must be the final day of Cop28.

We're well into overtime now and negotiators have spent the night shuttling between meetings in an attempt to get tougher language in the final stocktake document.

The key sticking point is the wording around fossil fuels - and all 198 nations present must agree to the document if there is to be an outcome from the Dubai summit.

A final draft text is expected at any time, followed by a last session with every country present this morning.

There isn't a vote as such, but the UAE-run Cop28 Presidency must ask if there are any objections in the room before the text is signed into history.

Bloomberg reported that Saudi Arabia's Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman was seen entering the presidency offices well after midnight, in a sign that a deal was still being sought in the early hours.

Saudi Arabia - which needs oil at about $91 to balance its annual budget - is one of the countries opposed to language on fossil fuels that would compel it and others to wind down fossil fuel production in the coming years.

Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Cop28 President, and negotiators will hold talks into the night, a statement said.

“Overnight and throughout today, the Cop28 President and his team have been engaging in extensive consultations with a wide representation of negotiating groups and parties," the Presidency said.

"This is to ensure everyone is heard and all views are considered. He is determined to deliver a version of the text that has the support of all parties. Consultations will continue until 3am."

Germany's delegation spokesman says he is expecting a plenary session at about 8am tomorrow.

Countries are expected to be asked to back a revised stocktake document at that time.

Tim Stickings reports:

Cop28 has a long list of agenda items to work through.

The centrepiece is the global stocktake, in which frenetic talks on fossil fuels are continuing.

But there are signs of progress on a few of the more procedural tasks that must be dealt with before negotiators can leave Dubai.

New draft texts are emerging on technical matters related to finance and loss and damage, which are ready for adoption in the plenary hall.

Some of these pass the torch to the next rounds of talks, with a new funding goal, replacing an earlier pledge of $100 billion a year for developing countries, to be drawn up at Cop29 in Azerbaijan.