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Australia has joined a major international initiative to end international public finance for fossil fuels at an event held at the UK Government Pavilion today at COP28. Australia follows Norway, who also joined the initiative on Saturday.
“Global leaders have to deliver a full package. We will not accept weak outcomes only on coal or renewables, and without addressing the primary driver of the climate crisis, fossil fuels. We need countries to reach an agreement that includes a just and equitable phase out of all fossil fuels, with rich countries agreeing to phase out fastest, as well as a rapid phase in of renewables, a doubling of energy efficiency, and rich countries agreeing to redirect trillions in finance from fossil fuel industry handouts to support the transition in the form of grants, not loans.”
“As COP28 negotiations for a full phase out of fossil fuels progress, today’s announcements show that fossil fuel phaseout is not a pipe dream: new and existing members of the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance show it is possible and urgent to take the right steps to keep oil and gas in the ground and support a global phase out of fossil fuel production."
Today at COP28, Total CEO Patrick Pouyanné said that the international oil major would call for the release of imprisoned Ugandan StopEACOP activists.
Welcome to Finance Day. The UN Climate Talks are heating up, and not without controversy. Between COP28 President Al Jaber’s science denying statements, the US’ flawed methane plan, and more, things are off to a rocky start. Here's what the Oil Change International team will be doing today at the UN climate talks.
A global coalition of civil society groups organized a demonstration at the COP28 climate negotiations in UAE on “Finance Day” to demand that the Japanese government stop financing new fossil fuel projects and shift support to renewable energy. The action featured activists wearing inflatable Pikachu costumes and a slogan calling on Japan to say #SayonaraFossilFuels.
Leaders expressed ambition to keep Paris goals within reach, highlighted opportunities to cut emissions in every sector, and emphasized the need for a “phase down of fossil fuels in support of a transition consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C”.
Today was Finance Day at the UN climate talks in Dubai, with a mixed bag of outcomes according to Oil Change International campaigners. Multilateral development bank representatives met with the COP28 Presidency, and failed to show progress in redirecting much needed finance for a just energy transition, while export credit agencies indicate a significant drop in fossil fuel support.
Today 222 civil society groups from 55 countries sent an open letter calling on world leaders to transform international public finance to tackle climate change and deliver a just energy transition.
As the UN climate talks are well underway, fossil fuel phase out and an agreement to triple renewable energy and double energy efficiency are top of the agenda. Today, ahead of finance day, transforming public finance institutions to free up billions of dollars that are available to pay for the just transition is also entering the conversation - as 200+ civil society groups today call on world leaders to use COP28 to overhaul global monetary, trade, tax, and debt rules, as well as international financial institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
