A recent climate summit in New York saw leaders expressing disappointment over the lack of progress made in shifting away from fossil fuels, despite commitments made less than a year ago. Former US officials such as Al Gore and John Kerry criticized major greenhouse gas emitters like China and the US for failing to follow through on a UN pact made in Dubai to transition away from oil, coal, and gas. Kerry admitted that the US, in particular, needed to do more to address the surge in gas exports and scale back fossil fuel consumption.
The summit, coinciding with the UN General Assembly, highlighted the urgent need for action as global emissions remain high and record-breaking temperatures persist. Wealthy countries continue handing out oil and gas exploration leases at record levels, contradicting the agreement made at the Cop28 talks in Dubai. The small island states most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change expressed frustration over the lack of concrete action and unmet promises, particularly on climate finance and adaptation measures.
Philip Davis, Prime Minister of the Bahamas, highlighted the urgent need for real action amid ongoing climate crises like Hurricane Dorian that devastated the country. Despite some hopeful signs like increased investment in renewable energy, the pace of the transition away from fossil fuels must accelerate significantly to avoid catastrophic climate impacts. The upcoming Cop29 in Azerbaijan presents an opportunity for countries to commit to more ambitious climate action and deliver on their promises.
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