Cop28 'a historic milestone', says US President Biden

The climate conference ended with a call for a transition away from fossil fuels

'Vulnerable countries have called on major economies to take urgent action,' Mr Biden said. AFP

US President Joe Biden, leader of one of the world's worst carbon emitters, celebrated on Wednesday the historic Cop28 resolution which for the first time called for a transition away from fossil fuels.

“World leaders reached another historic milestone … While there is still substantial work ahead of us to keep the 1.5°C goal within reach, today’s outcome puts us one significant step closer,” he said.

With a celebratory gavel strike by Cop28 President Dr Sultan Al Jaber, a breakthrough agreement between about 200 countries and territories solidified a climate deal that takes aim at the greatest contributors to global warming.

The agreement outlines a transition away from fossil fuels, but there are concessions to developing countries, coal users and gas exporters that will allow the fossil fuel industry to retain footholds in the future.

The text calls for a tripling of global renewable energy capacity by 2030, scaling up efforts to cut coal use and boosting technologies such as carbon capture.

Now, it is up to each of the delegate countries to put this blueprint into action back home.

Mr Biden recognised that “vulnerable countries have called on major economies to take urgent action”.

“In every corner of the world, young people are making their voices heard, demanding action from those in power. They remind us that a better, more equitable world is within our grasp. We will not let them down,” he said.

The US delegation at Cop celebrated the critical global stocktake and climate envoy John Kerry stood alongside his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua at a joint press conference to mark Cop's close.

The best from Cop28 Dubai – in pictures

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  People from all around the world, including the small island nation of Tuvalu, descend on Cop28 in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Performance artist Marius Diaconu leads a Unity Dance on the opening day at Expo City. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  British Foreign Secretary David Cameron at the second day of the summit. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Visitors from Ecuador at the event. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  The Saudi pavilion turned heads. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Protesters held flags reading: 'No climate justice without human rights.' Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Global cultures on full display on day three. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Sadhguru, founder and head of India's Isha Foundation, on day three. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

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  Cop28 demonstrators call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Brazil's popular pavilion. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Expo City's impressive dome at night. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Commissioned artwork titled The Choice by Tristan Eaton at Expo City. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Visitors young and old at the site. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  The summit is a global affair. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Activists air their hopes at the site. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Local and international communities are working together to secure a greener future. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Visitors arrive for day six of the summit. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Young activists from Engajamundo protest about smog being created from deforestation in the Amazon. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Colours on display on day six. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Members of a Sikh human rights group in attendence. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Egyptian comic Bassem Youssef attends a talk on the sixth day. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  The Wake up experience with Sadhguru. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  The Wake up experience with Sadhguru. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  The first week of talks finished on a high, with hard negotiations planned for the second one. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

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  Protestors call for a ban on fossil fuels. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

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  Day seven's Sustainable Fashion show. Pawan Singh / The National

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  Talks resumed on day nine, after a one-day break. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Friends for Future protest to phase out fossil fuels on day nine. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Global Campaign to Demand Climate Justice also demonstrate. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  International visitors at the site on day 11. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  People protest about 'no climate justice without human rights'. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Mariam Almheiri, minister of Climate Change and Environment, speaks at the launch ceremony of the environmental identity. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Visitors watch the protests. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Day 11 at Cop28. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Day 11 at Cop28. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Indonesian dancers perform on day 12. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Day 12 at Cop28. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Negotiations remain under way on day 12. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Messages left at the Indonesian pavilion. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Protestors call for climate action to extend to food systems. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Nuclear for Climate demonstrators. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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  Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Cop28 President, arriving for the plenary session on day 14. Pawan Singh / The National

“The global stocktake underscores that we must continue to drive investments in climate action at all levels, put policies in place to incentivise change and shift finance away from the things that put our shared prosperity at risk,” Mr Kerry said.

“With 190 countries coming together around this result, it’s clear that no one country can do this alone.”

US commitments over the course of the two-week summit included a joint agreement with neighbouring Canada to “renew and accelerate” their efforts to combat the climate crisis, including efforts on reducing methane emissions and pursuing sources of clean energy.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) also announced a series of climate initiatives on the sidelines of Cop28, including Middle East climate action initiatives like strengthening water infrastructure resilience in Jordan.

But Washington faced criticism for not doing enough to offset its historic carbon emissions, including over its $17.5 million contribution to the loss and damage fund launch. The UAE offered $100 million to the fund, while the UK put in £60 million ($75 million).

One study on carbon inequalities from the University of Leeds found the US holds the “single largest climate debt” to affected countries, at $2.6 trillion per year, on average – 15 per cent of its 2018 gross domestic product.

The Biden administration has worked to prioritise climate change in its domestic agenda.

Landmark investments enacted through the Inflation Reduction Act carry the potential to accelerate the pace of the domestic energy transition and move the US closer to its target of a 50 per cent to 52 per cent emissions reduction by 2030, according to the Washington-based Atlantic Council.