As the phasing out of fossil fuels has proven difficult, Europe is shifting its focus to a global goal for renewables ahead of COP28 in Dubai. The European Union (EU) is pushing for legally binding targets for renewable energy sources, hoping to reduce resistance from countries like China and India, which have been hesitant to commit to deeper emissions cuts. EU climate chief Timmermans previously offered a grand bargain at the UN climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, but a stronger commitment to fossil fuel elimination was not agreed upon. Europe believes that concentrating on renewables can help break the deadlock in climate talks.
A global renewable energy goal in sight
Denmark’s Global Climate Policy Minister, Dan Jørgensen, suggested at a Copenhagen meeting that COP28 could be the first time in the process to conclude specific targets for the world on renewables. Ministers from 43 countries discussed the potential global target, which would require unanimous agreement among nearly 200 countries at the COP28 conference. The International Renewable Energy Agency’s head, Francesco La Camera, stated that an annual growth of 1 terawatt (1,000 gigawatts) would be necessary to achieve global climate goals.
German climate envoy, Jennifer Morgan, supported the idea of a global renewable energy target, stating, “We know how much to scale up, so let’s give ourselves a goal”. The UAE COP28 presidency, however, has not yet responded to the consideration of a global goal in the final conference deal.
European Commission President Calls for Worldwide Targets
Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President, has joined the call for countries to set a worldwide target for renewable energy and has also proposed setting a separate global target for energy efficiency. She suggested that these targets could be achieved by COP28 in Dubai. Von der Leyen spoke at the Major Economies Forum (MEF) on Energy and Climate, hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden, where ministers from 43 countries discussed the global renewables target.
International Renewable Energy Agency head, Francesco La Camera, supported the initiative, while U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres urged MEF countries, which are responsible for the majority of the world’s emissions, to accelerate their transition towards renewables. Guterres called for a coal phase-out by 2030 in OECD countries and 2040 in all other countries, as well as electricity generation net-zero by 2035 in developed countries and 2040 elsewhere. He also called for developed countries to bring their climate neutrality targets forward to 2040.
Oil industry pressure to continue with fossil fuel production
As the EU moves towards legally binding targets on renewable energy sources, the oil industry, using tactics like Shell’s carbon capture proposal, pushes to continue with fossil fuel production, thereby hindering the EU’s goals to phase out fossil fuels. The industry essentially brands the use of fossil fuels as inevitable, despite the global drive for cleaner energy. The upcoming COP28 conference, being held in a petrostate, further underscores the challenges faced by the EU and other advocates of renewable energy as they contend with oil industry pressure in the pursuit of a sustainable future.
Consequences for EU Policy and COP28
The EU has shown willingness to create a finance facility to address loss and damage caused by climate change, in response to demands from developing countries. However, this support is contingent upon stronger commitments to eliminate the use of fossil fuels. Despite the setback at COP27, where the commitment to phase out fossil fuels did not make it into the final deal, EU climate chief Timmermans insists on the necessity of stronger action against emissions. This sets the stage for a challenging battle at COP28, where the host nation, the United Arab Emirates, is a petrostate with aggressive plans to expand fossil fuel production. The COP28 president, Sultan Al Jaber, also leads Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., the world’s 12th largest oil and gas producer, highlighting the difficulties in achieving the EU’s goals for emissions reduction and renewable energy targets.
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