Fossil fuel phase-out holds up negotiations at COP28 and may have to be diluted.....Hard negotiations continue behind closed doors as the summit nears its end

Cop28: Fossil fuel phase-out holds up talks

The issue at the heart of COP28 in Dubai is...whether or not a worldwide agreement to phase out fossil fuels will be reached at this year's UN Climate summit. Approximately 80% of the world's energy still comes from fossil fuels, which are the primary climate change driver. Take a look at this report to understand which countries are in favor of that agreement and those that are not.

COP28: Fossil fuel debate divides members at COP28 summit | World Business Watch

David Cameron has threatened to sever ties with Scottish ministers following Humza Yousaf's meeting with the president of Turkey at COP28 in the absence of a UK delegate.

David Cameron: Will consider scottish government offices in the UK

In a seismic moment at the turn of the millennium, Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen introduced the term "Anthropocene" to characterise a new geological era shaped by human activities. Fast forward to 2023, and the Anthropocene is no longer a theoretical concept but an urgent reality as global leaders grapple with the ramifications of industrialisation on a planetary scale.

Crutzen's initial proposition in 2000 outlined planetary symptoms such as deforestation, rampant dam construction, overfishing, and disruptions to the nitrogen cycle.

Climate change, while acknowledged, was seen as a distant concern. However, the trajectory has taken a dramatic turn, with nine consecutive years marking record-breaking temperatures by 2022 and 38 instances where global temperatures exceeded the UN's safe warming limit of 1.5°C by September 2023.

Research shows that the sudden disruption to our climate will last for at least 50,000 years, maybe even longer.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/azerbaijan-all-set-to-host-cop29-climate-summit-next-year-after-receiving-regional-backing-668019">Also read |&nbsp;Azerbaijan all set to host COP29 climate summit next year after receiving regional backing</a>

<h2>Drivers behind the surge</h2>

The surge in temperatures is intricately linked to the relentless rise in greenhouse gas levels, particularly carbon dioxide, reaching around 420 ppm from the 370 ppm reported at the start of Crutzen's discourse.

Notably, cleaner skies resulting from regulatory measures have unintended consequences, allowing more sunlight to penetrate the atmosphere and intensify global warming. Diminishing sea ice further amplifies this effect, posing unprecedented challenges.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cop28-india-china-abstain-from-renewable-power-pledge-118-nations-sign-665671">Also read |&nbsp;COP28: India, China abstain from renewable power pledge, 118 nations sign up</a>

<h2>Antarctica's warning and rising Seas</h2>

Recent studies focusing on Antarctica's vulnerable ice sheets send a clear warning to policymakers. Even under optimistic scenarios of emission reduction, the potential for several meters of sea-level rise over the coming centuries demands strategic preparedness.

The impact on polar ice-sheets has far-reaching consequences.

Examining the Anthropocene through a geological prism reveals a stark reality: the delicate balance maintained over millions of years through Earth's spin and orbit has been abruptly disrupted.

The injection of a trillion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere within a century has irrevocably altered the planet, drawing parallels to significant climate events in deep Earth history.

&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;COP28 Summit: Could the world agree to ditch fossil fuels at COP28?

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<h2>COP28: A pivotal moment</h2>

As leaders convene for COP28, the urgency of addressing fossil fuel emissions and striving for "net-zero" status is apparent.

Yet, the enduring impact of the Anthropocene necessitates more than mere reduction; negative emissions are imperative to restore a climate conducive to humanity's future and the sustainability of life on Earth.

The outcomes of COP28 hold the key to shaping a responsible and sustainable trajectory for generations to come.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a seismic moment at the turn of the millennium, Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen introduced the term "Anthropocene" to characterise a new geological era shaped by human activities.

In a seismic moment at the turn of the millennium, Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen introduced the term "Anthropocene" to characterise a new geological era shaped by human activities. Fast forward to 2023, and the Anthropocene is no longer a theoretical concept but an urgent reality as global leaders grapple with the ramifications of industrialisation on a planetary scale. Crutzen's initial proposition in 2000 outlined planetary symptoms such as deforestation, rampant dam construction, overfishing, and disruptions to the nitrogen cycle. Climate change, while acknowledged, was seen as a distant concern. However, the trajectory has taken a dramatic turn, with nine consecutive years marking record-breaking temperatures by 2022 and 38 instances where global temperatures exceeded the UN's safe warming limit of 1.5°C by September 2023. Research shows that the sudden disruption to our climate will last for at least 50,000 years, maybe even longer. Also read | Azerbaijan all set to host COP29 climate summit next year after receiving regional backing Drivers behind the surge The surge in temperatures is intricately linked to the relentless rise in greenhouse gas levels, particularly carbon dioxide, reaching around 420 ppm from the 370 ppm reported at the start of Crutzen's discourse. Notably, cleaner skies resulting from regulatory measures have unintended consequences, allowing more sunlight to penetrate the atmosphere and intensify global warming. Diminishing sea ice further amplifies this effect, posing unprecedented challenges. Also read | COP28: India, China abstain from renewable power pledge, 118 nations sign up Antarctica's warning and rising Seas Recent studies focusing on Antarctica's vulnerable ice sheets send a clear warning to policymakers. Even under optimistic scenarios of emission reduction, the potential for several meters of sea-level rise over the coming centuries demands strategic preparedness. The impact on polar ice-sheets has far-reaching consequences. Examining the Anthropocene through a geological prism reveals a stark reality: the delicate balance maintained over millions of years through Earth's spin and orbit has been abruptly disrupted. The injection of a trillion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere within a century has irrevocably altered the planet, drawing parallels to significant climate events in deep Earth history. Also watch | COP28 Summit: Could the world agree to ditch fossil fuels at COP28? COP28: A pivotal moment As leaders convene for COP28, the urgency of addressing fossil fuel emissions and striving for "net-zero" status is apparent. Yet, the enduring impact of the Anthropocene necessitates more than mere reduction; negative emissions are imperative to restore a climate conducive to humanity's future and the sustainability of life on Earth. The outcomes of COP28 hold the key to shaping a responsible and sustainable trajectory for generations to come. (With inputs from agencies)

Climate change we instigated is here to stay for at least 50,000 years: Study

The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Sunday (Dec 10) released its first detailed assessment of the ongoing COP28 climate talks in Dubai, and it couldn’t be more concerning.

The experts concluded that despite the commitments made during the summit by more than 100 nations, the world was still off track to cap global warming to the crucial 1.5-degree threshold.

The analysis showed that fresh pledges would lead to reduced gas emissions by four gigatons; however, it was just one-third of what was required.

The pledges “would not be nearly enough” to keep global heating to 1.5 degrees, said an IEA statement.

The IEA’s Executive Director Fatih Birol was quoted as saying by CNN that enough countries had not joined pledges to wean themselves off fossil fuels.

“The IEA’s very latest assessment of these pledges shows that if they are fully implemented by their signatories to date, they would bridge only 30% of the gap to reaching international climate goals,” Birol told CNN.&nbsp;

"There is a need for more countries and companies to join the pledges — and for agreement on an orderly and just decline of global fossil fuel use if we want to keep the 1.5 °C goal in reach," he added.

<h2>Key pledges</h2>

Over 120 countries, including the United States, have agreed to triple global renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency measures.&nbsp;

Fifty major oil and gas companies, such as Exxon and Saudi Aramco, have committed to reducing methane emissions by 80 to 90 per cent.&nbsp;

Similarly, companies have also pledged to abandon the practice of flaring by 2030. Flaring is the deliberate burning of natural gas during oil extraction.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/climate-financing-progress-made-at-cop28-but-is-it-enough-667272">Also read:&nbsp;Climate financing: Progress made at COP28, but is it enough?</a>

Companies sometimes flare natural gas to depressurise systems during oil drilling, though, at other times, flaring occurs when an operator doesn’t need or want to collect all the gas available, often because it’s cheaper to burn it than collect it.

<h2>Contention</h2>

However, negotiations on language related to all fossil fuels, including oil and gas, are proving contentious.&nbsp;

While over 100 countries support a fossil fuel phase-out, some oil-producing nations resist any reference to reducing oil and gas.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;COP28 summit in Dubai: India offers to host climate talks in 2028

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These discussions come amidst the backdrop of 2023 being officially recognised as the hottest year on record, marked by severe climate-related events worldwide.

(With inputs from agencies)

The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Sunday (Dec 10) released its first detailed assessment of the ongoing COP28 climate talks in Dubai, and it couldn’t be more concerning.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Sunday (Dec 10) released its first detailed assessment of the ongoing COP28 climate talks in Dubai, and it couldn’t be more concerning. The experts concluded that despite the commitments made during the summit by more than 100 nations, the world was still off track to cap global warming to the crucial 1.5-degree threshold. The analysis showed that fresh pledges would lead to reduced gas emissions by four gigatons; however, it was just one-third of what was required. The pledges “would not be nearly enough” to keep global heating to 1.5 degrees, said an IEA statement. The IEA’s Executive Director Fatih Birol was quoted as saying by CNN that enough countries had not joined pledges to wean themselves off fossil fuels. “The IEA’s very latest assessment of these pledges shows that if they are fully implemented by their signatories to date, they would bridge only 30% of the gap to reaching international climate goals,” Birol told CNN. "There is a need for more countries and companies to join the pledges — and for agreement on an orderly and just decline of global fossil fuel use if we want to keep the 1.5 °C goal in reach," he added. Key pledges Over 120 countries, including the United States, have agreed to triple global renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency measures. Fifty major oil and gas companies, such as Exxon and Saudi Aramco, have committed to reducing methane emissions by 80 to 90 per cent. Similarly, companies have also pledged to abandon the practice of flaring by 2030. Flaring is the deliberate burning of natural gas during oil extraction. Also read: Climate financing: Progress made at COP28, but is it enough? Companies sometimes flare natural gas to depressurise systems during oil drilling, though, at other times, flaring occurs when an operator doesn’t need or want to collect all the gas available, often because it’s cheaper to burn it than collect it. Contention However, negotiations on language related to all fossil fuels, including oil and gas, are proving contentious. While over 100 countries support a fossil fuel phase-out, some oil-producing nations resist any reference to reducing oil and gas. Watch: COP28 summit in Dubai: India offers to host climate talks in 2028 × These discussions come amidst the backdrop of 2023 being officially recognised as the hottest year on record, marked by severe climate-related events worldwide. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Not enough,’ International Energy Agency issues grim assessment of COP28 pledges

In Pics: Climate activists dye Venice's Grand Canal green in COP28 protest

Activists protested over the presence of the oil, gas, and coal industry at the COP28 U.N. summit in Dubai on Tuesday while demanding an end to the use of fossil fuels, which are the major source cause of climate change.

COP28: Indigenous activists dance to deliver message in Dubai

A top OPEC official has urged member countries to oppose any deal that targets fossil fuels at COP28. Secretary-general Haitham Al Ghais said that producers should (quote unquote) "Proactively reject any text or formula that targets energy".

Top OPEC official opposes any deal targeting fossil fuels

China on Saturday (Dec 9) went all guns blazing over calls to include Taiwan in the United Nations-backed Conference of the Parties (COP28) Summit being held in Dubai.

A member of the Chinese delegation reasserted on the platform that Taiwan “was an inalienable part of China.”

"China has noted that during the meeting a handful of countries ignore the fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and make noises about the participation by the Taiwan authorities in the COP," the member said via a translator.

"This is unacceptable," the delegate said, asking for their statement to be entered into the official record.

<h2>Allies call for Taiwan’s inclusion</h2>

Earlier this week, the leaders of four of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, namely Saint Lucia and Saint Kitts and Nevis, Tuvalu, and Eswatini, called on the UN to include Taiwan in the climate conference.

In his address, Saint Lucian Prime Minister Philip Pierre said that "the time is now for world leaders to transform to a safer place for our children."

"And in this battle Taiwan must not be left behind," he underlined.

Watch:&nbsp;Japan worries of an influx of refugees amid China-Taiwan tensions

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Prime Minister Terrance Drew of Saint Kitts and Nevis named Taiwan as a "reliable global partner in the climate crisis."

"Saint Kitts and Nevis firmly believes that Taiwan, as an island nation, should be allowed to play meaningful role in the existential policy drives of the United Nations," he said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/taiwans-financial-ties-with-china-unravel-as-etf-market-nears-collapse-667106">Also read:&nbsp;Taiwan`s financial ties with China unravel as ETF market nears collapse</a>

In his address, Russell Mmiso Dlamini, prime minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini, said all countries should be part of the agreements and commitments on climate action.

"If countries like Taiwan have voluntarily committed for the sake of the planet and people without being a party to the negotiations, then the rest of us can," he said, adding that Eswatini calls for Taiwan's formal inclusion in future COP meetings.

<h2>Taiwan’s status at the UN</h2>

Taiwan, a proud democratic country in East Asia, was kicked out of the UN in 1971. Over the last few years, Beijing has exerted pressure on nations still having active diplomatic relations with the island nation.&nbsp;

But Beijing’s pressure has not stopped Taiwan from contributing to the global good amid increasing climate change concerns. It has already submitted an action plan in line with the 2015 accord. In Dubai too, it took out advertisements in public places to highlight its activities.

(With inputs from agencies)

China on Saturday (Dec 9) went all guns blazing over calls to include Taiwan in the United Nations-backed Conference of the Parties (COP28) Summit being held in Dubai.

China on Saturday (Dec 9) went all guns blazing over calls to include Taiwan in the United Nations-backed Conference of the Parties (COP28) Summit being held in Dubai. A member of the Chinese delegation reasserted on the platform that Taiwan “was an inalienable part of China.” "China has noted that during the meeting a handful of countries ignore the fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and make noises about the participation by the Taiwan authorities in the COP," the member said via a translator. "This is unacceptable," the delegate said, asking for their statement to be entered into the official record. Allies call for Taiwan’s inclusion Earlier this week, the leaders of four of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies, namely Saint Lucia and Saint Kitts and Nevis, Tuvalu, and Eswatini, called on the UN to include Taiwan in the climate conference. In his address, Saint Lucian Prime Minister Philip Pierre said that "the time is now for world leaders to transform to a safer place for our children." "And in this battle Taiwan must not be left behind," he underlined. Watch: Japan worries of an influx of refugees amid China-Taiwan tensions × Prime Minister Terrance Drew of Saint Kitts and Nevis named Taiwan as a "reliable global partner in the climate crisis." "Saint Kitts and Nevis firmly believes that Taiwan, as an island nation, should be allowed to play meaningful role in the existential policy drives of the United Nations," he said. Also read: Taiwan`s financial ties with China unravel as ETF market nears collapse In his address, Russell Mmiso Dlamini, prime minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini, said all countries should be part of the agreements and commitments on climate action. "If countries like Taiwan have voluntarily committed for the sake of the planet and people without being a party to the negotiations, then the rest of us can," he said, adding that Eswatini calls for Taiwan's formal inclusion in future COP meetings. Taiwan’s status at the UN Taiwan, a proud democratic country in East Asia, was kicked out of the UN in 1971. Over the last few years, Beijing has exerted pressure on nations still having active diplomatic relations with the island nation. But Beijing’s pressure has not stopped Taiwan from contributing to the global good amid increasing climate change concerns. It has already submitted an action plan in line with the 2015 accord. In Dubai too, it took out advertisements in public places to highlight its activities. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Unacceptable,’ China lashes out at nations calling for Taiwan’s inclusion in COP28

The Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC) Secretary-General Haitham Al Ghais in a letter&nbsp; addressed to the oil cartel's member nations has pleaded with them to&nbsp;reject proposals for any text under negotiation at the&nbsp;COP28 Climate Summit, reported news agency Reuters on&nbsp;Friday (Dec 8). The letter referred to a draft of the COP28 text under negotiation that was published by the UN climate body on Tuesday.

A different draft was published on Friday. This new draft included a range of options from agreeing to a "phase-out of fossil fuels in line with best available science", to phasing out "unabated fossil fuels", to including no language on them at all.

"It seems that the undue and disproportionate pressure against fossil fuels may reach a tipping point with irreversible consequences, as the draft decision still contains options on fossil fuels phase out," the letter read.

It also urged delegations at COP28 to "proactively reject any text or formula that targets energy i.e. fossil fuels rather than emissions."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-as-debate-over-fossil-fuels-rages-on-at-cop28-climate-summit-global-co2-emissions-hit-new-record-666515">Explained | Global CO2 emissions due to fossil fuels hit new record. Will world leaders at COP28 act now?</a>

"While OPEC Member Countries and Non-OPEC Countries participating in the Charter of Cooperation (CoC) are taking climate change seriously and have a proven record on climate actions, it would be unacceptable that politically motivated campaigns put our people's prosperity and future at risk," the letter further added.

Speaking to Reuters, OPEC said it did not comment on official communication with member nations but it continued to advise them and its partners.

Reacting to the letter, Nikki Reisch from the Center for International Environmental Law said, "The inclusion of some options that focus on the need for action toward phaseout of all fossil fuels this critical decade is a step in the right direction."

"But language calling for the massive scale-up of risky and speculative carbon capture and removal technologies risks blowing a gaping loophole through the energy package and must be struck," Reisch added.

Another climate expert said the new draft of the COP28 agreement was the beginning of the end.&nbsp;

Li Shuo, director of China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute, told Reuters the first version included options from "two extreme sides of the political spectrum" and the new options were filling in "the empty field in the middle."

(With inputs from agencies)

The Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC) Secretary-General Haitham Al Ghais in a letter addressed to the oil cartel's member nations has pleaded with them to reject proposals for any text under negotiation at the COP28 Climate Summit, reported news agency Reuters on Friday (Dec 8).

The Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC) Secretary-General Haitham Al Ghais in a letter addressed to the oil cartel's member nations has pleaded with them to reject proposals for any text under negotiation at the COP28 Climate Summit, reported news agency Reuters on Friday (Dec 8). The letter referred to a draft of the COP28 text under negotiation that was published by the UN climate body on Tuesday. A different draft was published on Friday. This new draft included a range of options from agreeing to a "phase-out of fossil fuels in line with best available science", to phasing out "unabated fossil fuels", to including no language on them at all. "It seems that the undue and disproportionate pressure against fossil fuels may reach a tipping point with irreversible consequences, as the draft decision still contains options on fossil fuels phase out," the letter read. It also urged delegations at COP28 to "proactively reject any text or formula that targets energy i.e. fossil fuels rather than emissions." Also read: Explained | Global CO2 emissions due to fossil fuels hit new record. Will world leaders at COP28 act now? "While OPEC Member Countries and Non-OPEC Countries participating in the Charter of Cooperation (CoC) are taking climate change seriously and have a proven record on climate actions, it would be unacceptable that politically motivated campaigns put our people's prosperity and future at risk," the letter further added. Speaking to Reuters, OPEC said it did not comment on official communication with member nations but it continued to advise them and its partners. Reacting to the letter, Nikki Reisch from the Center for International Environmental Law said, "The inclusion of some options that focus on the need for action toward phaseout of all fossil fuels this critical decade is a step in the right direction." "But language calling for the massive scale-up of risky and speculative carbon capture and removal technologies risks blowing a gaping loophole through the energy package and must be struck," Reisch added. Another climate expert said the new draft of the COP28 agreement was the beginning of the end. Li Shuo, director of China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute, told Reuters the first version included options from "two extreme sides of the political spectrum" and the new options were filling in "the empty field in the middle." (With inputs from agencies)

OPEC head told members to block any deal at COP28 that targets fossil fuels: Report

British High Commissioner Alex Ellis has lauded India's initiatives on climate change, with the international solar alliance, LiFE initiatives, Green Credits Initiative and both India and the UK working together on the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). Speaking to WION's diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Ellis said, "India is going to be leading the way, not just in India that really matters but also in other countries and we're partnering together".

He pointed to the British government's focus on the climate issue and how "Prime Minister Sunak came with some new money at the COP " to deal with the challenge of climate finance.&nbsp;

On India and UK ties, he emphasised that the focus is on a "very deep, broad future-looking relationship" even as both sides work together on the free trade agreement. On the issue of Khalistani extremism and attack on Indian mission, he highlighted how there is a shared will on that issue by the two sides.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: The world is dealing with the climate crisis. What was the key focus for the British PM at the COP summit in Dubai? UK's focus during this year's COP28 summit in Dubai?

Alex Ellis: You are right to use the word crisis. The truth is that the increase in temperatures across the world&nbsp;is dangerously high and the consequences of that every day forever even in the extreme weather events which India is witnessing, including Chennai very sadly over the last week or so, is a crisis. The UK's response is part of the global response. We have halved our emissions as we grow our economy since the 1990s. We are putting a lot more money into how we are going to address the crisis, not just in terms of how we reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also how we are going to deal with the consequences of climate change which are already felt in India and across the world. That's why Prime Minister Sunak came with some new money at the COP exactly for that. Now, lots of countries are coming to the COP summit, Prime Minister Modi was there as well because this is truly a shared global challenge and we can only do it together.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: The British Prime Minister said that climate politics is at a breaking point. There was a pledge of $2 billion as well, if you can elaborate on that.&nbsp;

Alex Ellis: What he was saying was that we have to bring people with us. The UK has gone a long way and halved our emissions almost, we're on, we have a legally binding target to reduce them by 68% by 2030. That's well on the way to net zero, a remarkable achievement. But we have to bring people with us. You can't just do it from the top down. You've got to bring people along and one of the interesting things I've seen in India is how Prime Minister Modi has made this not just about investment and stuff but also about lifestyle through the Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) initiative as part of bringing your population with you to accept the changes which are necessary if we're really going to deal with climate change.

Sidhant Sibal: But the developing countries like India have been saying that the West, the developed countries have not fulfilled their commitments regarding climate finance. What do you have to say about this criticism?&nbsp;

Alex Ellis: The United Kingdom is putting a great deal of money into climate finance. And we're delighted that one of the things which has come out of this COP already in its first week was the agreement on a loss and damage fund to deal with some of the consequences of climate change, particularly in developing countries. So we're putting a lot of money in. In fact, I think there were developed countries on track for the Copenhagen pledge of $100 billion per year of public money. That is just the tip of the iceberg. The truth is that most of the capital is going to come from the private sector. And that's why you need to create initiatives and ideas where the public money could help the private money to come in. That's why we strongly supported India's proposals on changing, for example, the World Bank. The World Bank is more focused on bringing in private capital, it's great and it came out in the G 20. Our own private finance arm of the British government's British International Investment (BII) as well as the development capital programme, putting money into Indian enterprises and trying to attract private capital, because that isn't how you're going to solve this.

Sidhant Sibal: How do you see India's role when it comes to dealing with climate change? Now we know that we have the International Solar Alliance, which has seen an enthusiastic response from many countries and also in Dubai, we saw the Indian Prime Minister launching the green credit initiative, what do you have to say on that?

Alex Ellis: I think it's going to be very important to create the market mechanisms which allow private companies to be able to trade green credits in a way which encourages sustainability. That's what we have in the UK, through our own carbon market. That's what happens to quite a lot of the developed world because, in the end, it's going to be a private enterprise initiative, which is really going to help us to do this within frameworks which are set by the government. Now the big end, of course, is to keep the rising global temperatures to 1.5 degrees on pre-industrial levels. That's a very ambitious aim. It's something we pushed very hard in Glasgow a couple of years ago with Prime Minister Modi with some very big initiatives being announced. It's a big challenge for India, but also a huge opportunity. So I think India is going to be the first major economy that's going to seek to get up to developing country status, PM Modi has been really clear about that ambition, using increasingly green energy and not just powered by fossil fuels, and that's a big ask, you've got to grow a lot. That means consuming more energy. There's no way it is not going to be consuming more energy. But where does that energy come from? So the big initiatives about how we can get more with hydrogen on stream, how we get more renewables on stream, in some cases nuclear, UK signed up to a nuclear alliance with other countries as well. All of these are necessary to power India's growth in a sustainable way.

Sidhant Sibal: How are the UK, and India working together to deal with this crisis? UK is co-chair of the CDRI as well if you can elaborate on that

Alex Ellis: It is one of the main planks of the 2030 roadmap we have between the UK and India signed by the Prime Ministers 18 months ago and that's everything from the research for example in green hydrogen through to business investments. So for example, Shell has brought big renewables companies here. Other companies are putting a lot more money into renewables and sustainability. Through joint programs on things like electric vehicles. I was in the Northeast last weekend talking to the chief ministers of Assam, Nagaland and Meghalaya exactly about how we could do more sustainable transport in the future. So it's a combination of that government intervention, it is a combination of some funding as well to get to the research areas, and also just allowing very talented people to thrive, also through other kinds of stimulus. So we just had one of the winners of Prince William, the Prince of Wales, Earthshot Prize was a fantastic company called S4S Technologies, an Indian company which has really innovative solutions about how you reduce food waste. So this was almost every aspect of our work. And we do it also internationally. You're absolutely right to mention the CDRI. There's also an International Solar Alliance as well. UK and India work together in other countries to try and help them, for example, to create more Disaster Resilient infrastructure, India has fantastic experience in this and to try to get more rollout of solar across the world as well. So India is going to be leading the way, not just in India that really matters but also in other countries and we're partnering together with them to try and make that work.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: At the COP summit in Dubai, we saw PM Modi pitching India to host the COP33 summit in India. How do you see this announcement?

Alex Ellis: It is an exciting announcement. Of course, it's for the process to deliver the outcomes for the final decision, but what I would observe is, firstly, India's global ambition, which was evident in the G 20&nbsp;presidency, the ambition with Prime Minister Modi shown at Glasgow when he announced an enormous increase in renewables, other reduction in energy intensity, that is a message which you want to get out across the world. So it's very welcomed that India's bid for that and we'll see what comes out of it but it's very exciting.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: You just mentioned how India and the UK are working together when it comes to dealing with climate change. Are you looking at some third-country, both countries working together for a third-country initiative?

Alex Ellis:&nbsp;We do that in some areas, for example on infrastructure for small island states. So we have a creating facility around that. We'd like to see if we can create, get some of India's very effective frugal innovation, and work with some other countries across the world. So India has a lot to show the world. We have already shown by COVIDSHIELD vaccine, with British technology, Indian manufacturing might be projected to some of India's neighbours for example, and that was originally British research and technology which got turned into something of benefit to the world. So that's a nice model to try and think about how you can apply it elsewhere.

Sidhant Sibal: So now moving from climate to the bilateral aspect of the relationship, how do you characterize this relationship? We saw the visit of the Indian External Affairs Minister to your country and he met the new foreign secretary as well on a very interesting day. So if you can talk about this relationship

Alex Ellis: You are quite right, Minister Jaishankar met the Home Secretary James Cleverly in his last meeting as Foreign Secretary and his first meeting as home secretary and was the first person from outside the UK whom new Foreign Secretary James Cameron met as well. So in the end it was a very auspicious timing. The UK, India partnership is a forward-looking one, it's very broad, we are dealing with climate, we're dealing with the living bridge increasingly on defence and security, trade and investment as well as the negotiations on the FTA, Research and Development, Health, sustainability and we had to look forward. You know, we have in the past that, we have had its consequences, be one of the good consequences has been an extraordinary number of people from India, from the subcontinent going to the UK and thriving. You have to keep looking forward, what are the challenges of tomorrow. How are we going to promote green investment for example, how are we going to ensure that we have sustainable growth, across the world, how we're going to keep the Indo-Pacific safe and secure, these are big, big challenges. The focus of the world. evermore going to move towards India, towards the Indo-Pacific and that's of interest to us as well. We want a free, sustainable. open Indo-Pacific that is in India's interest as well.

Sidhant Sibal: Any update on UK, India FTA talks, and rumours that the UK PM is to travel to India in January, anything on that?

Alex Ellis: There are always rumours. Let's deal with the fact that we've had a high-level negotiating team here this week in Delhi exactly to see if we can crack the toughest nut in relation to the FTA. This is hard, no doubt about it. What I saw this week with a shared will and I have to give my respect to the Indian side and the really shared will the top of the Indian Government to see if we can make this happen. There are some tough things which we have to get through but I have to say there is a sheer determination to try to do so.

Sidhant Sibal: Anything on PM's visit?

Alex Ellis: Let's deal with the FTA and investment treaty, first.

Sidhant Sibal: My Last question to you, there are certain issues as well. Every substantive relationship has that and in this case, we have seen earlier this year Khalistani extremists indulging in acts of violence and vandalism. What do you have to say about these acts?

Alex Ellis: Any form of extremism, by its definition, this is not something which we accept in the United Kingdom. Where there are expressions of extremism in the United Kingdom. That is a British problem, not just an Indian problem. That's a British problem because we cannot have acts of violence which break the law in our own country. How would you go about tackling that? The sharp end, the police will have to arrest people and they will have done in some cases related to Khalistani extremism. The regulators have powers for example, when you have TV stations which are not really TV stations. Charities which are not really charities, UK charities regulators act in that spirit as well. You have cooperation between the two governments and have a better understanding of what's the problem because, by definition, it's a cross-border issue, as well. And finally, you have to do the prevent work. In other words, to make clear that this is not acceptable and the Sikh community in the United Kingdom for example, thrives and does very well but we don't want any community to stir by acts of extremism. So you need the cooperation and you also sometimes need a firmer approach and that's what we've taken, as well as of course, making sure there's proper protection of the buildings and most importantly, the people of the Indian High Commission. That's why the police, it is a judgment for them. They have increased presence outside the High Commissioner. We're talking to the Indian Government in more longer term, measures to improve physical security as well.

Sidhant Sibal: But have you been able to assuage the concerns of the Indian side, because in the past, we have seen the Indian side very vocal publicly about these issues..

Alex Ellis: That is for the Indian government to say rather than for me, but what I think is we have a constant dialogue and we recognize our issues in the UK. That's why our security minister was out here in August actually announcing more money and effort into understanding the problem and being able to address it in the United Kingdom. So I hope that we can, there's so much good and what we need to do, and I've talked about many of those things, whether it's on the free trade agreement, whether it's on investments, both ways where there's sustainability, and we should not be diverted from our course of a very deep, broad future looking relationship.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: Well thank you so much for speaking to WION

Alex Ellis: Thank you for not mentioning cricket.&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: I can mention I mean, it has been an important pillar of the relationship.

Alex Ellis: Mainly India winning, but the English test team will be back in January, so we will see how that will go.

British High Commissioner Alex Ellis has lauded India's initiatives on climate change, with the international solar alliance, LiFE initiatives, Green Credits Initiative and both India and the UK working together on the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).

British High Commissioner Alex Ellis has lauded India's initiatives on climate change, with the international solar alliance, LiFE initiatives, Green Credits Initiative and both India and the UK working together on the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). Speaking to WION's diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Ellis said, "India is going to be leading the way, not just in India that really matters but also in other countries and we're partnering together". He pointed to the British government's focus on the climate issue and how "Prime Minister Sunak came with some new money at the COP " to deal with the challenge of climate finance. On India and UK ties, he emphasised that the focus is on a "very deep, broad future-looking relationship" even as both sides work together on the free trade agreement. On the issue of Khalistani extremism and attack on Indian mission, he highlighted how there is a shared will on that issue by the two sides. Sidhant Sibal: The world is dealing with the climate crisis. What was the key focus for the British PM at the COP summit in Dubai? UK's focus during this year's COP28 summit in Dubai? Alex Ellis: You are right to use the word crisis. The truth is that the increase in temperatures across the world is dangerously high and the consequences of that every day forever even in the extreme weather events which India is witnessing, including Chennai very sadly over the last week or so, is a crisis. The UK's response is part of the global response. We have halved our emissions as we grow our economy since the 1990s. We are putting a lot more money into how we are going to address the crisis, not just in terms of how we reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also how we are going to deal with the consequences of climate change which are already felt in India and across the world. That's why Prime Minister Sunak came with some new money at the COP exactly for that. Now, lots of countries are coming to the COP summit, Prime Minister Modi was there as well because this is truly a shared global challenge and we can only do it together. Sidhant Sibal: The British Prime Minister said that climate politics is at a breaking point. There was a pledge of $2 billion as well, if you can elaborate on that. Alex Ellis: What he was saying was that we have to bring people with us. The UK has gone a long way and halved our emissions almost, we're on, we have a legally binding target to reduce them by 68% by 2030. That's well on the way to net zero, a remarkable achievement. But we have to bring people with us. You can't just do it from the top down. You've got to bring people along and one of the interesting things I've seen in India is how Prime Minister Modi has made this not just about investment and stuff but also about lifestyle through the Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) initiative as part of bringing your population with you to accept the changes which are necessary if we're really going to deal with climate change. Sidhant Sibal: But the developing countries like India have been saying that the West, the developed countries have not fulfilled their commitments regarding climate finance. What do you have to say about this criticism? Alex Ellis: The United Kingdom is putting a great deal of money into climate finance. And we're delighted that one of the things which has come out of this COP already in its first week was the agreement on a loss and damage fund to deal with some of the consequences of climate change, particularly in developing countries. So we're putting a lot of money in. In fact, I think there were developed countries on track for the Copenhagen pledge of $100 billion per year of public money. That is just the tip of the iceberg. The truth is that most of the capital is going to come from the private sector. And that's why you need to create initiatives and ideas where the public money could help the private money to come in. That's why we strongly supported India's proposals on changing, for example, the World Bank. The World Bank is more focused on bringing in private capital, it's great and it came out in the G 20. Our own private finance arm of the British government's British International Investment (BII) as well as the development capital programme, putting money into Indian enterprises and trying to attract private capital, because that isn't how you're going to solve this. Sidhant Sibal: How do you see India's role when it comes to dealing with climate change? Now we know that we have the International Solar Alliance, which has seen an enthusiastic response from many countries and also in Dubai, we saw the Indian Prime Minister launching the green credit initiative, what do you have to say on that? Alex Ellis: I think it's going to be very important to create the market mechanisms which allow private companies to be able to trade green credits in a way which encourages sustainability. That's what we have in the UK, through our own carbon market. That's what happens to quite a lot of the developed world because, in the end, it's going to be a private enterprise initiative, which is really going to help us to do this within frameworks which are set by the government. Now the big end, of course, is to keep the rising global temperatures to 1.5 degrees on pre-industrial levels. That's a very ambitious aim. It's something we pushed very hard in Glasgow a couple of years ago with Prime Minister Modi with some very big initiatives being announced. It's a big challenge for India, but also a huge opportunity. So I think India is going to be the first major economy that's going to seek to get up to developing country status, PM Modi has been really clear about that ambition, using increasingly green energy and not just powered by fossil fuels, and that's a big ask, you've got to grow a lot. That means consuming more energy. There's no way it is not going to be consuming more energy. But where does that energy come from? So the big initiatives about how we can get more with hydrogen on stream, how we get more renewables on stream, in some cases nuclear, UK signed up to a nuclear alliance with other countries as well. All of these are necessary to power India's growth in a sustainable way. Sidhant Sibal: How are the UK, and India working together to deal with this crisis? UK is co-chair of the CDRI as well if you can elaborate on that Alex Ellis: It is one of the main planks of the 2030 roadmap we have between the UK and India signed by the Prime Ministers 18 months ago and that's everything from the research for example in green hydrogen through to business investments. So for example, Shell has brought big renewables companies here. Other companies are putting a lot more money into renewables and sustainability. Through joint programs on things like electric vehicles. I was in the Northeast last weekend talking to the chief ministers of Assam, Nagaland and Meghalaya exactly about how we could do more sustainable transport in the future. So it's a combination of that government intervention, it is a combination of some funding as well to get to the research areas, and also just allowing very talented people to thrive, also through other kinds of stimulus. So we just had one of the winners of Prince William, the Prince of Wales, Earthshot Prize was a fantastic company called S4S Technologies, an Indian company which has really innovative solutions about how you reduce food waste. So this was almost every aspect of our work. And we do it also internationally. You're absolutely right to mention the CDRI. There's also an International Solar Alliance as well. UK and India work together in other countries to try and help them, for example, to create more Disaster Resilient infrastructure, India has fantastic experience in this and to try to get more rollout of solar across the world as well. So India is going to be leading the way, not just in India that really matters but also in other countries and we're partnering together with them to try and make that work. Sidhant Sibal: At the COP summit in Dubai, we saw PM Modi pitching India to host the COP33 summit in India. How do you see this announcement? Alex Ellis: It is an exciting announcement. Of course, it's for the process to deliver the outcomes for the final decision, but what I would observe is, firstly, India's global ambition, which was evident in the G 20 presidency, the ambition with Prime Minister Modi shown at Glasgow when he announced an enormous increase in renewables, other reduction in energy intensity, that is a message which you want to get out across the world. So it's very welcomed that India's bid for that and we'll see what comes out of it but it's very exciting. Sidhant Sibal: You just mentioned how India and the UK are working together when it comes to dealing with climate change. Are you looking at some third-country, both countries working together for a third-country initiative? Alex Ellis: We do that in some areas, for example on infrastructure for small island states. So we have a creating facility around that. We'd like to see if we can create, get some of India's very effective frugal innovation, and work with some other countries across the world. So India has a lot to show the world. We have already shown by COVIDSHIELD vaccine, with British technology, Indian manufacturing might be projected to some of India's neighbours for example, and that was originally British research and technology which got turned into something of benefit to the world. So that's a nice model to try and think about how you can apply it elsewhere. Sidhant Sibal: So now moving from climate to the bilateral aspect of the relationship, how do you characterize this relationship? We saw the visit of the Indian External Affairs Minister to your country and he met the new foreign secretary as well on a very interesting day. So if you can talk about this relationship Alex Ellis: You are quite right, Minister Jaishankar met the Home Secretary James Cleverly in his last meeting as Foreign Secretary and his first meeting as home secretary and was the first person from outside the UK whom new Foreign Secretary James Cameron met as well. So in the end it was a very auspicious timing. The UK, India partnership is a forward-looking one, it's very broad, we are dealing with climate, we're dealing with the living bridge increasingly on defence and security, trade and investment as well as the negotiations on the FTA, Research and Development, Health, sustainability and we had to look forward. You know, we have in the past that, we have had its consequences, be one of the good consequences has been an extraordinary number of people from India, from the subcontinent going to the UK and thriving. You have to keep looking forward, what are the challenges of tomorrow. How are we going to promote green investment for example, how are we going to ensure that we have sustainable growth, across the world, how we're going to keep the Indo-Pacific safe and secure, these are big, big challenges. The focus of the world. evermore going to move towards India, towards the Indo-Pacific and that's of interest to us as well. We want a free, sustainable. open Indo-Pacific that is in India's interest as well. Sidhant Sibal: Any update on UK, India FTA talks, and rumours that the UK PM is to travel to India in January, anything on that? Alex Ellis: There are always rumours. Let's deal with the fact that we've had a high-level negotiating team here this week in Delhi exactly to see if we can crack the toughest nut in relation to the FTA. This is hard, no doubt about it. What I saw this week with a shared will and I have to give my respect to the Indian side and the really shared will the top of the Indian Government to see if we can make this happen. There are some tough things which we have to get through but I have to say there is a sheer determination to try to do so. Sidhant Sibal: Anything on PM's visit? Alex Ellis: Let's deal with the FTA and investment treaty, first. Sidhant Sibal: My Last question to you, there are certain issues as well. Every substantive relationship has that and in this case, we have seen earlier this year Khalistani extremists indulging in acts of violence and vandalism. What do you have to say about these acts? Alex Ellis: Any form of extremism, by its definition, this is not something which we accept in the United Kingdom. Where there are expressions of extremism in the United Kingdom. That is a British problem, not just an Indian problem. That's a British problem because we cannot have acts of violence which break the law in our own country. How would you go about tackling that? The sharp end, the police will have to arrest people and they will have done in some cases related to Khalistani extremism. The regulators have powers for example, when you have TV stations which are not really TV stations. Charities which are not really charities, UK charities regulators act in that spirit as well. You have cooperation between the two governments and have a better understanding of what's the problem because, by definition, it's a cross-border issue, as well. And finally, you have to do the prevent work. In other words, to make clear that this is not acceptable and the Sikh community in the United Kingdom for example, thrives and does very well but we don't want any community to stir by acts of extremism. So you need the cooperation and you also sometimes need a firmer approach and that's what we've taken, as well as of course, making sure there's proper protection of the buildings and most importantly, the people of the Indian High Commission. That's why the police, it is a judgment for them. They have increased presence outside the High Commissioner. We're talking to the Indian Government in more longer term, measures to improve physical security as well. Sidhant Sibal: But have you been able to assuage the concerns of the Indian side, because in the past, we have seen the Indian side very vocal publicly about these issues.. Alex Ellis: That is for the Indian government to say rather than for me, but what I think is we have a constant dialogue and we recognize our issues in the UK. That's why our security minister was out here in August actually announcing more money and effort into understanding the problem and being able to address it in the United Kingdom. So I hope that we can, there's so much good and what we need to do, and I've talked about many of those things, whether it's on the free trade agreement, whether it's on investments, both ways where there's sustainability, and we should not be diverted from our course of a very deep, broad future looking relationship. Sidhant Sibal: Well thank you so much for speaking to WION Alex Ellis: Thank you for not mentioning cricket. Sidhant Sibal: I can mention I mean, it has been an important pillar of the relationship. Alex Ellis: Mainly India winning, but the English test team will be back in January, so we will see how that will go.

UK envoy Alex Ellis asserts India's leadership role in addressing climate change

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, how often do we pause to consider the air we breathe? The truth is, for many of us, the idea of air pollution might seem abstract, something that happens far away or in distant industrial zones. However, the reality is much closer to home.

With the rise of urbanisation and industrialisation, the air around us has become laden with pollutants, posing a significant threat to our health and well-being. The question we must now confront is, are we truly aware of the air we breathe? As the skies over our cities darken and the air quality index soars, it is the high time that we recognize the urgency of the situation and actively participate in the collective battle against air pollution.

Understanding the gravity of the issue is paramount. Air pollution isn't just an environmental concern; it's a public health crisis that affects every one of us.

The air we inhale carries harmful particulate matter, gaseous pollutants, volatile compounds, and greenhouse gases, which, in turn, lead to respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, and a host of other health problems.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-new-delhis-aqi-turns-very-poor-again-temperature-likely-to-fall-667417">Also read |&nbsp;India: New Delhi's AQI turns 'very poor' again, temperature likely to fall</a>

Vulnerable populations, especially our children and elderly aged group people, are at maximum risk. Moreover, the environmental consequences of air pollution are far-reaching, impacting our ecosystems, climate, and overall quality of life.

Public awareness and sensitisation are the cornerstone of addressing this pressing challenge. It is crucial for us to understand the sources of air pollution, ranging from vehicular emissions to industrial processes, and their impact on our immediate surroundings.

Awareness campaigns, utilising newspapers, television, radio, and social media platforms, play a vital role in disseminating this information. These campaigns not only educate us about the hazards but also empower us to make informed choices in our daily lives. Apart from this, promoting “Air Implementation Pilots” on dissemination of air quality information and public awareness can sensitize citizen to a greater extend. Under the pilot, use of mass media (tv, press) and electronic displays showing Air Quality Index (AQI), air quality maps and forecasts can be served as information desk for generating air quality information to the public.

Sensitisation efforts, on the other hand, aim to create an emotional connection between us and the issue. Stories of families battling with respiratory diseases, children suffering breathing issue, and communities adversely affected by pollution bring the crisis closer to home. When we empathise with those suffering due to air pollution, we are compelled to act. Sensitisation initiatives, conducted through community workshops and interactive events, reinforce the urgency of the matter, encouraging us to modify our behaviours and support clean air initiatives.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-some-practical-ways-to-combat-air-pollution-667175">Also read |&nbsp;Some practical ways to combat air pollution as we step into a new year</a>

Majority of the citizen feel they are not well enough informed and expresses the opinion that public authorities have not done enough to improve air quality. However, co-efforts of public administration and citizen participation can make a great difference in raising the awareness.

Changing our habits and behaviours is where our individual power lies. By embracing sustainable practices such as using public transportation, cycling, carpooling, encouraging residents to adopt emission reducing practices and promote low emission activities, reducing waste and promote recycling, training campaigns etc. we can significantly reduce our emission footprint. Supporting policies and regulations that promote clean energy sources and environmentally friendly practices is equally crucial. Local initiatives, such as tree plantation drives and neighbourhood clean-up campaigns, not only enhance our immediate environment but also foster a sense of community ownership.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-as-debate-over-fossil-fuels-rages-on-at-cop28-climate-summit-global-co2-emissions-hit-new-record-666515">Also read |&nbsp;Explained | Global CO2 emissions due to fossil fuels hit new record. Will world leaders at COP28 act now?</a>

In the face of this daunting challenge, unity and awareness are our greatest assets. It's time for every citizen to acknowledge the reality of air pollution, educate themselves about its consequences, and actively participate in the initiatives aimed at combating it. By being aware, informed, and engaged, we can collectively work towards breathing clean air, ensuring a healthier future not only for ourselves but for the generations to come. Let us join hands in this endeavour, for the air we breathe that has no boundaries, and our responsibility transcends them.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, how often do we pause to consider the air we breathe? The truth is, for many of us, the idea of air pollution might seem abstract, something that happens far away or in distant industrial zones.

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, how often do we pause to consider the air we breathe? The truth is, for many of us, the idea of air pollution might seem abstract, something that happens far away or in distant industrial zones. However, the reality is much closer to home. With the rise of urbanisation and industrialisation, the air around us has become laden with pollutants, posing a significant threat to our health and well-being. The question we must now confront is, are we truly aware of the air we breathe? As the skies over our cities darken and the air quality index soars, it is the high time that we recognize the urgency of the situation and actively participate in the collective battle against air pollution. Understanding the gravity of the issue is paramount. Air pollution isn't just an environmental concern; it's a public health crisis that affects every one of us. The air we inhale carries harmful particulate matter, gaseous pollutants, volatile compounds, and greenhouse gases, which, in turn, lead to respiratory diseases, cardiovascular issues, and a host of other health problems. Also read | India: New Delhi's AQI turns 'very poor' again, temperature likely to fall Vulnerable populations, especially our children and elderly aged group people, are at maximum risk. Moreover, the environmental consequences of air pollution are far-reaching, impacting our ecosystems, climate, and overall quality of life. Public awareness and sensitisation are the cornerstone of addressing this pressing challenge. It is crucial for us to understand the sources of air pollution, ranging from vehicular emissions to industrial processes, and their impact on our immediate surroundings. Awareness campaigns, utilising newspapers, television, radio, and social media platforms, play a vital role in disseminating this information. These campaigns not only educate us about the hazards but also empower us to make informed choices in our daily lives. Apart from this, promoting “Air Implementation Pilots” on dissemination of air quality information and public awareness can sensitize citizen to a greater extend. Under the pilot, use of mass media (tv, press) and electronic displays showing Air Quality Index (AQI), air quality maps and forecasts can be served as information desk for generating air quality information to the public. Sensitisation efforts, on the other hand, aim to create an emotional connection between us and the issue. Stories of families battling with respiratory diseases, children suffering breathing issue, and communities adversely affected by pollution bring the crisis closer to home. When we empathise with those suffering due to air pollution, we are compelled to act. Sensitisation initiatives, conducted through community workshops and interactive events, reinforce the urgency of the matter, encouraging us to modify our behaviours and support clean air initiatives. Also read | Some practical ways to combat air pollution as we step into a new year Majority of the citizen feel they are not well enough informed and expresses the opinion that public authorities have not done enough to improve air quality. However, co-efforts of public administration and citizen participation can make a great difference in raising the awareness. Changing our habits and behaviours is where our individual power lies. By embracing sustainable practices such as using public transportation, cycling, carpooling, encouraging residents to adopt emission reducing practices and promote low emission activities, reducing waste and promote recycling, training campaigns etc. we can significantly reduce our emission footprint. Supporting policies and regulations that promote clean energy sources and environmentally friendly practices is equally crucial. Local initiatives, such as tree plantation drives and neighbourhood clean-up campaigns, not only enhance our immediate environment but also foster a sense of community ownership. Also read | Explained | Global CO2 emissions due to fossil fuels hit new record. Will world leaders at COP28 act now? In the face of this daunting challenge, unity and awareness are our greatest assets. It's time for every citizen to acknowledge the reality of air pollution, educate themselves about its consequences, and actively participate in the initiatives aimed at combating it. By being aware, informed, and engaged, we can collectively work towards breathing clean air, ensuring a healthier future not only for ourselves but for the generations to come. Let us join hands in this endeavour, for the air we breathe that has no boundaries, and our responsibility transcends them. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Knowing more about air pollution encourages people to help control it. Here's how

The Climate Change 2023 Synthesis report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change states that human-caused climate transformation is already triggering numerous extreme weather events worldwide, resulting in widespread adverse impacts on both nature and people. Such reports serve as catalysts for greater collective global efforts, such as the UNFCCC’s Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP), providing hope for addressing this critical issue. With COP28 taking place in Dubai since November 30, here is a look at some&nbsp;women in India who are actively driving climate-friendly initiatives. 
&nbsp; 
Nidhi Pant 
&nbsp; 
Founder of S4S (Science For Society) Technologies, Nidhi Pant, is a champion of WCC (Women Climate Collective), a community of women working on climate change and gender issues, and working at the intersection of agriculture, gender, energy access, and financial inclusion. &nbsp;S4S Technologies is a near-farm gate food processing platform powered by solar power which empowers thousands of women entrepreneurs and small businesses. She has also received the prestigious Earthshot Prize 2023 for creating a waste-free food system, demonstrating her commitment to environmental sustainability. This award was presented by Britain’s Prince William and is referred to as the ‘Eco Oscars’. She is also a winner of multiple accolades, including the Women Transforming India Awards, Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia and India listings, Unilever Young Entrepreneur Award, and Cisco Youth Leadership Award.

Dia Mirza 
&nbsp; 
Actor, producer, and climate champion Dia Mirza serves as the National Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and represented India's concerns on sustainability at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) - SDG Summit in New York. &nbsp;In collaboration with the Sanctuary Nature Foundation, she has made a film, 'Kids for Tigers' and continues to talk about depleting biodiversity and endangered species like the snow leopards. She also supports the Wildlife Trust of India in its efforts to highlight the courage and sacrifices of forest rangers. Dia is also an active supporter of campaigns promoting plastic-neutral choices and is investing in green businesses as well.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-cop28-five-passionate-environmentalists-who-are-restoring-indias-biodiversity-tirelessly-665225">&nbsp;COP28: Five passionate environmentalists who are restoring India's biodiversity tirelessly</a> 
&nbsp; &nbsp; 
Varsha Raikwar 
&nbsp; 
A 25-year-old radio jockey from Madhya Pradesh, Varsha Raikwar, is making a significant impact on the environmental landscape as a climate champion with the Women Climate Collective (WCC). A Nat Geo 'One for Change' campaign changemaker, she uses her voice to educate her community in Bundelkhand, North India, about resource management, waste, and eco-friendliness. She also organizes community-driven events like seminars and street plays to spread the environmental message to the rural population. Despite facing gender-based discrimination, Varsha is determined to ensure equal representation of women in discussions surrounding climate change. In 2021, she was recognized as a United Nations Young Climate Leader for her contributions to environmental education and gender equality.

Gul Panag 
&nbsp; 
Actor, producer, and entrepreneur, Gul Panag is a dedicated advocate for a sustainable future. She operates a startup, Sunfuel Electric, providing convenient electric vehicle charging solutions across India. Beyond entrepreneurship, Gul is deeply committed to environmental causes, as seen in her role in The Col. Shamsher Singh Foundation. Named after her grandfather, this NGO focuses on gender equality, education, and disaster management. Her philanthropic efforts extend to community well-being, showcasing her dedication to both the environment and the less fortunate.

Pragya Kapoor 
&nbsp; 
Entrepreneur, and advocate for a greener planet, Pragya Kapoor has launched key initiatives contributing to a cleaner environment. For the past three years, she has made a significant impact on climate action through her NGO, Ek Saath Foundation (ESF), actively engaging in social causes such as cleaning and promoting hygiene awareness in underserved areas. As part of efforts to protect the environment, the Foundation has launched various initiatives like 'Project Kuda' to help implement a responsible waste management system, promoting a circular economy. On World Environment Day in June this year, Pragya also collaborated with the Indian Navy for a cleanliness drive at Carter Road, Mumbai.

The Climate Change 2023 Synthesis report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change states that human-caused climate transformation is already triggering numerous extreme weather events worldwide, resulting in widespread adverse impacts on both nature and people.

The Climate Change 2023 Synthesis report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change states that human-caused climate transformation is already triggering numerous extreme weather events worldwide, resulting in widespread adverse impacts on both nature and people. Such reports serve as catalysts for greater collective global efforts, such as the UNFCCC’s Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP), providing hope for addressing this critical issue. With COP28 taking place in Dubai since November 30, here is a look at some women in India who are actively driving climate-friendly initiatives. Nidhi Pant Founder of S4S (Science For Society) Technologies, Nidhi Pant, is a champion of WCC (Women Climate Collective), a community of women working on climate change and gender issues, and working at the intersection of agriculture, gender, energy access, and financial inclusion. S4S Technologies is a near-farm gate food processing platform powered by solar power which empowers thousands of women entrepreneurs and small businesses. She has also received the prestigious Earthshot Prize 2023 for creating a waste-free food system, demonstrating her commitment to environmental sustainability. This award was presented by Britain’s Prince William and is referred to as the ‘Eco Oscars’. She is also a winner of multiple accolades, including the Women Transforming India Awards, Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia and India listings, Unilever Young Entrepreneur Award, and Cisco Youth Leadership Award. Dia Mirza Actor, producer, and climate champion Dia Mirza serves as the National Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and represented India's concerns on sustainability at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) - SDG Summit in New York. In collaboration with the Sanctuary Nature Foundation, she has made a film, 'Kids for Tigers' and continues to talk about depleting biodiversity and endangered species like the snow leopards. She also supports the Wildlife Trust of India in its efforts to highlight the courage and sacrifices of forest rangers. Dia is also an active supporter of campaigns promoting plastic-neutral choices and is investing in green businesses as well. Also read: COP28: Five passionate environmentalists who are restoring India's biodiversity tirelessly Varsha Raikwar A 25-year-old radio jockey from Madhya Pradesh, Varsha Raikwar, is making a significant impact on the environmental landscape as a climate champion with the Women Climate Collective (WCC). A Nat Geo 'One for Change' campaign changemaker, she uses her voice to educate her community in Bundelkhand, North India, about resource management, waste, and eco-friendliness. She also organizes community-driven events like seminars and street plays to spread the environmental message to the rural population. Despite facing gender-based discrimination, Varsha is determined to ensure equal representation of women in discussions surrounding climate change. In 2021, she was recognized as a United Nations Young Climate Leader for her contributions to environmental education and gender equality. Gul Panag Actor, producer, and entrepreneur, Gul Panag is a dedicated advocate for a sustainable future. She operates a startup, Sunfuel Electric, providing convenient electric vehicle charging solutions across India. Beyond entrepreneurship, Gul is deeply committed to environmental causes, as seen in her role in The Col. Shamsher Singh Foundation. Named after her grandfather, this NGO focuses on gender equality, education, and disaster management. Her philanthropic efforts extend to community well-being, showcasing her dedication to both the environment and the less fortunate. Pragya Kapoor Entrepreneur, and advocate for a greener planet, Pragya Kapoor has launched key initiatives contributing to a cleaner environment. For the past three years, she has made a significant impact on climate action through her NGO, Ek Saath Foundation (ESF), actively engaging in social causes such as cleaning and promoting hygiene awareness in underserved areas. As part of efforts to protect the environment, the Foundation has launched various initiatives like 'Project Kuda' to help implement a responsible waste management system, promoting a circular economy. On World Environment Day in June this year, Pragya also collaborated with the Indian Navy for a cleanliness drive at Carter Road, Mumbai.

Women at COP28: Meet five Indian women who are pioneering climate action in the country

Climate financing remains one of the major impediments in tackling the effects of climate crisis around the world. Combating climate change and its consequences would need an enormous amount of money — much more than the world has budgeted.&nbsp;

The aim of climate financing is to make it easier for developing and poor countries to address the climate crisis, because they suffer the most.&nbsp;

"The impacts of climate change are particularly severe in emerging economies, where the adverse effects are felt more strongly," Saurabh Kumar, Vice President- India of Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) told WION.&nbsp;

"These countries are more vulnerable to the physical effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and water stress, and are at risk of suffering lower crop yields and economic sensitivity due to their sectoral structure," he further said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/calls-rise-to-phase-out-fossil-fuels-but-it-remains-a-challenge-to-devise-a-formal-plan-at-cop28-666782">Calls rise to phase out fossil fuels, but it remains a challenge to devise a formal plan at COP28</a>&nbsp;

<h2>What is climate financing?</h2>

Climate financing means money drawn from public, private and alternative sources to support the planning and process of mitigation and adaptation actions to address climate-related issues.&nbsp;

World bodies have been urging nations and other stakeholders with more financial resources to contribute to help those who are more vulnerable.&nbsp;

At COP28, this year's UN climate summit in Dubai, countries, financial institutions, development agencies and businesses have pledged more money. The money will focus on energy transition, healthcare initiatives, technology investments, disaster relief, and more.

Hosts the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said more than $83 billion had been mobilised during the first five days of the event, with UAE banks pledging to mobilise 1 trillion dirhams (around $270 billion) in green finance.&nbsp;

The World Bank said that its objective is to increase climate funding to 45% of its total lending, which equates to an increase of $9 billion annually.&nbsp;

The Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) announced that it will invest more than $2 billion per year in Latin America until 2030 to combat climate change. There are several others with significant donations.&nbsp;But that's not enough.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-as-debate-over-fossil-fuels-rages-on-at-cop28-climate-summit-global-co2-emissions-hit-new-record-666515">Explained | Global CO2 emissions due to fossil fuels hit new record. Will world leaders at COP28 act now?</a>&nbsp;

<h2>How will the funding process work?&nbsp;</h2>

Kumar talked about the role of GEAPP to explain why there's a need for a new approach to address unreliable energy access and ensure a just energy transition.&nbsp;

He noted that GEAPP's catalytic capital or philanthropic fund, which operates without the expectation of a financial return on investment, makes it different from other institutions.&nbsp;

"The strength of philanthropic capital lies in its capacity to make early investments, take calculated risks, and pioneer innovative models. With the freedom to absorb setbacks without adverse consequences, our primary objective is to contribute to broader development goals," he said.&nbsp;

"GEAPP aims to unlock renewable energy access in emerging economies, with a focus on extending sustainable, reliable, productive-use energy to 1 billion underserved people and enabling 150 million green jobs that generate inclusive economic growth," Kumar added.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Discussing climate change with Pleistocene Park director Luke Griswald&nbsp;

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<h2>High-income countries fail to meet annual goal&nbsp;</h2>

It may look simple, but the process of climate financing is way more complex. There is a lack of transparency and dishonesty. Several reports have suggested that many rich countries use deceptive and misleading accounting to misrepresent their contributions to climate funding for developing countries. Many have also failed to meet their annual goals.&nbsp;

"Climate financing is crucial to combat climate change and meet our net-zero targets. A successful energy transition across the globe would require considerable investments in developing and installing renewable energy sources," Per Heggenes, the CEO of IKEA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Swedish home furnishings company, told WION.&nbsp;

"Of course, the onus of responsibility to drive this transition lies on the governments of the world. However, without private capital, it would not be possible to address the rising challenges of climate change," Heggenes added.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-witnessed-a-climate-disaster-almost-everyday-this-year-cyclone-michaung-is-one-more-to-that-tally-666523">Data lab |&nbsp;India saw at least one major weather event each day in 2023. Cyclone Michaung adds to the tally</a>&nbsp;

<h2>'Need to work together'&nbsp;</h2>

Explaining that climate change is not a national problem but a global challenge, Kumar suggested that to combat the crisis, "we need to work together as partners".&nbsp;

"Partnerships between high-income and low-income countries can play a crucial role in achieving climate goals by leveraging resources, expertise, and technology to support sustainable development for all the countries involved," Kumar said.&nbsp;

"Unlocking the full potential of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires the establishment of multistakeholder partnerships. These partnerships play a crucial role in leveraging the interlinkages between the SDGs, enhancing their overall effectiveness and impact, and accelerating progress toward achieving these goals," Kumar added.&nbsp;

He said it's important for developed countries to fulfil their climate change and finance commitments, actively supporting sustainable development initiatives in emerging economies.&nbsp;

Heggenes said that with further research and development of technologies, the initial investment costs are bound to decline, thereby welcoming more investments in the renewable sector. He said, "Beyond this, communities need to be included in the energy transition process, especially in developing and under-developed countries."&nbsp;

"Distributed renewable energy systems need to be developed with a direct involvement of the concerned communities. A coalition of philanthropic organisations, private capital, and local communities, along with assisting governments, can address the financing of the energy transition," said the IKEA Foundation CEO.&nbsp;

Heggenes said that this year, along with the SELCO foundation, his organisation has committed itself to sustainably upgrading 25,000 primary healthcare facilities in India by 2026.&nbsp;

He noted that the 'Energy for Health project' has received initial funding of 48 million euros from the IKEA Foundation and the project is expected to mitigate over three million tonnes of CO2 emissions over a 20-year period.&nbsp;

Climate financing remains one of the major impediments in tackling the effects of climate crisis around the world. Combating climate change and its consequences would need an enormous amount of money — much more than the world has budgeted.

Climate financing remains one of the major impediments in tackling the effects of climate crisis around the world. Combating climate change and its consequences would need an enormous amount of money — much more than the world has budgeted. The aim of climate financing is to make it easier for developing and poor countries to address the climate crisis, because they suffer the most. "The impacts of climate change are particularly severe in emerging economies, where the adverse effects are felt more strongly," Saurabh Kumar, Vice President- India of Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) told WION. "These countries are more vulnerable to the physical effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and water stress, and are at risk of suffering lower crop yields and economic sensitivity due to their sectoral structure," he further said. Also read: Calls rise to phase out fossil fuels, but it remains a challenge to devise a formal plan at COP28 What is climate financing? Climate financing means money drawn from public, private and alternative sources to support the planning and process of mitigation and adaptation actions to address climate-related issues. World bodies have been urging nations and other stakeholders with more financial resources to contribute to help those who are more vulnerable. At COP28, this year's UN climate summit in Dubai, countries, financial institutions, development agencies and businesses have pledged more money. The money will focus on energy transition, healthcare initiatives, technology investments, disaster relief, and more. Hosts the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said more than $83 billion had been mobilised during the first five days of the event, with UAE banks pledging to mobilise 1 trillion dirhams (around $270 billion) in green finance. The World Bank said that its objective is to increase climate funding to 45% of its total lending, which equates to an increase of $9 billion annually. The Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) announced that it will invest more than $2 billion per year in Latin America until 2030 to combat climate change. There are several others with significant donations. But that's not enough. Also read: Explained | Global CO2 emissions due to fossil fuels hit new record. Will world leaders at COP28 act now? How will the funding process work? Kumar talked about the role of GEAPP to explain why there's a need for a new approach to address unreliable energy access and ensure a just energy transition. He noted that GEAPP's catalytic capital or philanthropic fund, which operates without the expectation of a financial return on investment, makes it different from other institutions. "The strength of philanthropic capital lies in its capacity to make early investments, take calculated risks, and pioneer innovative models. With the freedom to absorb setbacks without adverse consequences, our primary objective is to contribute to broader development goals," he said. "GEAPP aims to unlock renewable energy access in emerging economies, with a focus on extending sustainable, reliable, productive-use energy to 1 billion underserved people and enabling 150 million green jobs that generate inclusive economic growth," Kumar added. Watch: Discussing climate change with Pleistocene Park director Luke Griswald × High-income countries fail to meet annual goal It may look simple, but the process of climate financing is way more complex. There is a lack of transparency and dishonesty. Several reports have suggested that many rich countries use deceptive and misleading accounting to misrepresent their contributions to climate funding for developing countries. Many have also failed to meet their annual goals. "Climate financing is crucial to combat climate change and meet our net-zero targets. A successful energy transition across the globe would require considerable investments in developing and installing renewable energy sources," Per Heggenes, the CEO of IKEA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Swedish home furnishings company, told WION. "Of course, the onus of responsibility to drive this transition lies on the governments of the world. However, without private capital, it would not be possible to address the rising challenges of climate change," Heggenes added. Also read: Data lab | India saw at least one major weather event each day in 2023. Cyclone Michaung adds to the tally 'Need to work together' Explaining that climate change is not a national problem but a global challenge, Kumar suggested that to combat the crisis, "we need to work together as partners". "Partnerships between high-income and low-income countries can play a crucial role in achieving climate goals by leveraging resources, expertise, and technology to support sustainable development for all the countries involved," Kumar said. "Unlocking the full potential of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires the establishment of multistakeholder partnerships. These partnerships play a crucial role in leveraging the interlinkages between the SDGs, enhancing their overall effectiveness and impact, and accelerating progress toward achieving these goals," Kumar added. He said it's important for developed countries to fulfil their climate change and finance commitments, actively supporting sustainable development initiatives in emerging economies. Heggenes said that with further research and development of technologies, the initial investment costs are bound to decline, thereby welcoming more investments in the renewable sector. He said, "Beyond this, communities need to be included in the energy transition process, especially in developing and under-developed countries." "Distributed renewable energy systems need to be developed with a direct involvement of the concerned communities. A coalition of philanthropic organisations, private capital, and local communities, along with assisting governments, can address the financing of the energy transition," said the IKEA Foundation CEO. Heggenes said that this year, along with the SELCO foundation, his organisation has committed itself to sustainably upgrading 25,000 primary healthcare facilities in India by 2026. He noted that the 'Energy for Health project' has received initial funding of 48 million euros from the IKEA Foundation and the project is expected to mitigate over three million tonnes of CO2 emissions over a 20-year period.

Climate financing: Progress made at COP28, but is it enough?

Hailed as a breakthrough agreement at the COP 28 Summit pledges to the loss and damage funds have proved a major disappointment. So far the developed Nations have pledged a total of just $700 million towards the loss and damage fund at COP 28 that amount covers less than 2% of the economic losses that developing nations are facing due to climate change.

COP28 Summit | Experts: Financial pledges fall short of what is need

Hailed as a breakthrough agreement at the COP28 summit, pledges to the loss ad damage fund - IDF - have proved to be a major disappointment. So far, the developed nations have pledged a total of just $700 million towards the loss and damage fund at the COP28.

COP28: US, worst greenhouse gas emitter pledge just $17.5 mn of $700 mn for loss & damage fund

World leaders are discussing the future role of fossil fuels at COP28, the UN climate conference in Dubai. The world hopes to see a consensus to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/global-net-zero-targets-in-jeopardy-as-fossil-fuel-phase-out-plans-lag-behind-666773">formally phase out fossil fuels</a> to tackle the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/earth-on-verge-of-crossing-major-tipping-points-might-trigger-climate-catastrophe-in-10-years-report-666744">climate crisis</a>. The global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels are set to hit a record high this year, according to a report published on Tuesday (Dec 5).&nbsp;Where are we lacking, and what should be the world's immediate focus in addressing this issue? 
 
"Climate change is no longer a possibility; it is unfolding in front of us at this very moment," Per Heggenes, the CEO of IKEA Foundation, the philanthropic wing of the Swedish home furnishings company, told WION.&nbsp;

"Therefore, fossil fuels must be phased out; countries must stop relying on fossil fuels for their energy needs."

"Building on the lessons learned from past agreements, the international community can work collaboratively to strengthen commitments, enhance transparency, and ensure that climate goals are not only set but diligently met," Saurabh Kumar, Vice President- India of Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP)&nbsp;told WION.

"The climate crisis is not a national problem but a global challenge, and to combat climate change, we need to work together as partners," Kumar added.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-as-debate-over-fossil-fuels-rages-on-at-cop28-climate-summit-global-co2-emissions-hit-new-record-666515">Explained | Global CO2 emissions due to fossil fuels hit new record. Will world leaders at COP28 act now?</a>&nbsp;

<h2>Phasing out fossil fuels: A massive challenge&nbsp;</h2>

Scientists are concerned over rising levels of carbon dioxide emissions. The UN released a draft on Tuesday (Dec 5) pertaining to the fossil fuels phase-out.&nbsp;

The draft, which could be the final agreement from COP28, proposed "an orderly and just phase-out of fossil fuels".

It would mark the first global deal 'to end the oil age' if it gets adopted at the summit.&nbsp;

But it's not that simple.&nbsp;

The proposal is expected to stir fierce debate among the nearly 200 countries attending the two-week conference as some of the nations are pressing for it, but many oil and gas producers are keen to avoid it.

Heggenes said that phasing out of fossil fuels "won't happen overnight" and we "will continue to witness energy generation from fossil fuels in the near future".&nbsp;

The IKEA Foundation CEO added: "With differentiated responsibilities, developing and under-developed countries are bound to utilise fossil fuels to meet their energy needs on the road to development."&nbsp;

However, he believes that with advances in technology and sufficient funding, it would be possible to phase out fossil fuels entirely in the coming decades.&nbsp;

He noted that according to the International Energy Agency, global renewable power capacity additions are expected to jump by a third this year.&nbsp;

"However, the pace of growth has to increase substantially if we are to meet the growing energy demands while simultaneously addressing climate change," he said.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-witnessed-a-climate-disaster-almost-everyday-this-year-cyclone-michaung-is-one-more-to-that-tally-666523">Data lab |&nbsp;India saw at least one major weather event each day in 2023. Cyclone Michaung adds to the tally</a>&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Climate 'tipping point report': 'World is at a pivotal point, govt should act now to save planet'&nbsp;

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<h2>What's the process to phase out&nbsp;fossil fuels?</h2>

With their economies partially or fully dependent on energy export revenues, bigwigs of the oil and gas industry don't want a complete shutdown on the usage of fossil fuels.

They are, in fact, talking about progress made to tackle the emissions issue as they highlighted the cutting of the greenhouse gas methane.&nbsp;

It won't be an easy task for some Western and climate-vulnerable nations to fight against fossil fuels lobbyists.&nbsp;

The registered fossil fuel lobbyists attending COP28 outnumbered the delegates from the 10 most climate-vulnerable countries combined, as per a data analyisis done by the NGO Kick Big Polluters Out, based on UN registration data.&nbsp;

Weighing in on the phasing-out process, Heggenes said it would take time and involve different actors from multiple sectors working in tandem.&nbsp;

"We would need government regulations and investment, research and development, inflow of private capital, development of infrastructure and finally, participation of the general public."

"Apart from the obvious need to scale up renewable energy production, which would require considerable investment and research, there needs to be a sense of urgency and collective responsibility across sectors," he said.&nbsp;

World leaders are discussing the future role of fossil fuels at COP28, the UN climate conference in Dubai. The world hopes to see a consensus to formally phase out fossil fuels to tackle the climate crisis.

World leaders are discussing the future role of fossil fuels at COP28, the UN climate conference in Dubai. The world hopes to see a consensus to formally phase out fossil fuels to tackle the climate crisis. The global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels are set to hit a record high this year, according to a report published on Tuesday (Dec 5). Where are we lacking, and what should be the world's immediate focus in addressing this issue? "Climate change is no longer a possibility; it is unfolding in front of us at this very moment," Per Heggenes, the CEO of IKEA Foundation, the philanthropic wing of the Swedish home furnishings company, told WION. "Therefore, fossil fuels must be phased out; countries must stop relying on fossil fuels for their energy needs." "Building on the lessons learned from past agreements, the international community can work collaboratively to strengthen commitments, enhance transparency, and ensure that climate goals are not only set but diligently met," Saurabh Kumar, Vice President- India of Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) told WION. "The climate crisis is not a national problem but a global challenge, and to combat climate change, we need to work together as partners," Kumar added. Also read: Explained | Global CO2 emissions due to fossil fuels hit new record. Will world leaders at COP28 act now? Phasing out fossil fuels: A massive challenge Scientists are concerned over rising levels of carbon dioxide emissions. The UN released a draft on Tuesday (Dec 5) pertaining to the fossil fuels phase-out. The draft, which could be the final agreement from COP28, proposed "an orderly and just phase-out of fossil fuels". It would mark the first global deal 'to end the oil age' if it gets adopted at the summit. But it's not that simple. The proposal is expected to stir fierce debate among the nearly 200 countries attending the two-week conference as some of the nations are pressing for it, but many oil and gas producers are keen to avoid it. Heggenes said that phasing out of fossil fuels "won't happen overnight" and we "will continue to witness energy generation from fossil fuels in the near future". The IKEA Foundation CEO added: "With differentiated responsibilities, developing and under-developed countries are bound to utilise fossil fuels to meet their energy needs on the road to development." However, he believes that with advances in technology and sufficient funding, it would be possible to phase out fossil fuels entirely in the coming decades. He noted that according to the International Energy Agency, global renewable power capacity additions are expected to jump by a third this year. "However, the pace of growth has to increase substantially if we are to meet the growing energy demands while simultaneously addressing climate change," he said. Also read: Data lab | India saw at least one major weather event each day in 2023. Cyclone Michaung adds to the tally Watch: Climate 'tipping point report': 'World is at a pivotal point, govt should act now to save planet' × What's the process to phase out fossil fuels? With their economies partially or fully dependent on energy export revenues, bigwigs of the oil and gas industry don't want a complete shutdown on the usage of fossil fuels. They are, in fact, talking about progress made to tackle the emissions issue as they highlighted the cutting of the greenhouse gas methane. It won't be an easy task for some Western and climate-vulnerable nations to fight against fossil fuels lobbyists. The registered fossil fuel lobbyists attending COP28 outnumbered the delegates from the 10 most climate-vulnerable countries combined, as per a data analyisis done by the NGO Kick Big Polluters Out, based on UN registration data. Weighing in on the phasing-out process, Heggenes said it would take time and involve different actors from multiple sectors working in tandem. "We would need government regulations and investment, research and development, inflow of private capital, development of infrastructure and finally, participation of the general public." "Apart from the obvious need to scale up renewable energy production, which would require considerable investment and research, there needs to be a sense of urgency and collective responsibility across sectors," he said.

Calls rise to phase out fossil fuels, but it remains a challenge to devise a formal plan at COP28

Sultan Al Jaber, president of the ongoing COP28 summit, has drawn flak for his comment on fossil fuels. According to a media report, Al Jaber said that there was 'no science' to demonstrate that phasing out fossil fuels will achieve the global climate goals. Sultan Al Jaber also heads state oil company ADNOC. He, however, added that phasing out of fossil fuels was 'inevitable'.

The Guardian has published a video that shows a testy&nbsp;exchange between Al Jaber and former Irish leader Mary Robinson. The exchange of words between the two took place during an online forum.

Sultan Al Jaber (50) is also the UAE's climate envoy. He said that eliminating use of fossil fuels will take the world "back into caves".

"I'm not in any way signing up to a discussion that is alarmist," Jaber told the SHE Changes Climate online conference on November 21.

"I am factual and I respect the science, and there is no science out there, or no scenario out there, that says that the phase-out of fossil fuels is what's going to achieve 1.5."

Watch | COP28 UAE: US unveils strategy at COP 28 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from gas and oil

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It had been agreed in the landmark 2015 Paris climate conference that the global community will make efforts to restrict global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in order to avoid environmental catastrophe.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cop28-summit-in-dubai-makes-breakthrough-over-renewable-fuels-but-there-is-a-catch-665854">COP28 summit in Dubai makes breakthrough over renewable fuels. But there is a catch</a>

An assessment made by the United Nations&nbsp;and released last month&nbsp;revealed that the world was way off-course in meeting the target.

"1.5 is my North Star and a phase-down and a phase-out of fossil fuels in my mind is inevitable, it's essential," Jaber told the forum on women leading climate action.&nbsp;

"But we need to be real, serious and pragmatic about it."

"Show me a roadmap for a phase-out of fossil fuels that will allow for sustainable socio-economic development, unless you want to take the world back into caves," he added.

<h2>Al Jaber's statement&nbsp;causes alarm</h2>

The 'no science' statement from none other than COP28 president himself has caused alarm in scientific and activist communities.

CNN quoted Romain Ioualalen, global policy lead at non-profit Oil Change International who said that Al Jaber's statements were “alarming,” “science-denying” and “raise deep concerns about the Presidency’s capacity to lead the UN climate talks.”

The news network also quoted Mohamed Adow, director of climate think tank Power Shift Africa, who said that COP28 president's remarks were a “wake up call”.

“They are not going to get any help from the COP Presidency in delivering a strong outcome on a fossil fuel phase out,” he said.

Negotiators are facing a possible battle during COP28 over the wording 'phase out' or weaker 'phase down' of fossil fuels.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/surge-in-greenhouse-gas-emissions-points-to-china-us-and-india-as-primary-culprits-data-665785">Surge in greenhouse gas emissions points to China, US, and India as primary culprits: Data</a>

Jaber has maintained since June this year that although phasing out of hydrocarbons is inevitable, there need to be viable alternatives in place before it happens and that developed nations should lead the way.

A COP28 spokesperson dismissed The Guardian report as "just another attempt to undermine the presidency's agenda" which that spokesperson said "has been clear and transparent and backed by tangible achievements by the COP president and his team". The spokesperson was quoted by AFP.

(With inputs from agencies)

Sultan Al Jaber, president of the ongoing COP28 summit, has drawn flak for his comment on fossil fuels. According to a media report, Al Jaber said that there was 'no science' to demonstrate that phasing out fossil fuels will achieve the global climate goals.

Sultan Al Jaber, president of the ongoing COP28 summit, has drawn flak for his comment on fossil fuels. According to a media report, Al Jaber said that there was 'no science' to demonstrate that phasing out fossil fuels will achieve the global climate goals. Sultan Al Jaber also heads state oil company ADNOC. He, however, added that phasing out of fossil fuels was 'inevitable'. The Guardian has published a video that shows a testy exchange between Al Jaber and former Irish leader Mary Robinson. The exchange of words between the two took place during an online forum. Sultan Al Jaber (50) is also the UAE's climate envoy. He said that eliminating use of fossil fuels will take the world "back into caves". "I'm not in any way signing up to a discussion that is alarmist," Jaber told the SHE Changes Climate online conference on November 21. "I am factual and I respect the science, and there is no science out there, or no scenario out there, that says that the phase-out of fossil fuels is what's going to achieve 1.5." Watch | COP28 UAE: US unveils strategy at COP 28 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from gas and oil × It had been agreed in the landmark 2015 Paris climate conference that the global community will make efforts to restrict global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in order to avoid environmental catastrophe. Also Read | COP28 summit in Dubai makes breakthrough over renewable fuels. But there is a catch An assessment made by the United Nations and released last month revealed that the world was way off-course in meeting the target. "1.5 is my North Star and a phase-down and a phase-out of fossil fuels in my mind is inevitable, it's essential," Jaber told the forum on women leading climate action. "But we need to be real, serious and pragmatic about it." "Show me a roadmap for a phase-out of fossil fuels that will allow for sustainable socio-economic development, unless you want to take the world back into caves," he added. Al Jaber's statement causes alarm The 'no science' statement from none other than COP28 president himself has caused alarm in scientific and activist communities. CNN quoted Romain Ioualalen, global policy lead at non-profit Oil Change International who said that Al Jaber's statements were “alarming,” “science-denying” and “raise deep concerns about the Presidency’s capacity to lead the UN climate talks.” The news network also quoted Mohamed Adow, director of climate think tank Power Shift Africa, who said that COP28 president's remarks were a “wake up call”. “They are not going to get any help from the COP Presidency in delivering a strong outcome on a fossil fuel phase out,” he said. Negotiators are facing a possible battle during COP28 over the wording 'phase out' or weaker 'phase down' of fossil fuels. Also Read | Surge in greenhouse gas emissions points to China, US, and India as primary culprits: Data Jaber has maintained since June this year that although phasing out of hydrocarbons is inevitable, there need to be viable alternatives in place before it happens and that developed nations should lead the way. A COP28 spokesperson dismissed The Guardian report as "just another attempt to undermine the presidency's agenda" which that spokesperson said "has been clear and transparent and backed by tangible achievements by the COP president and his team". The spokesperson was quoted by AFP. (With inputs from agencies)

COP28 president's 'no science to justify oil phase-out' statement causes alarm

This year’s COP28 Summit is currently underway in the UAE, and it has been riddled with controversies right from the word go.

On November 21, Al Jaber—who happens to be the president and host of the Dubai-based COP28 as well as the CEO of the United Arab Emirates’ state oil company, Adnoc, set the cat among the pigeons with a string of incendiary comments that didn’t go down well with international climate activists.

“There is no science out there, or no scenario out there, that says that the phaseout of fossil fuel is what’s going to achieve 1.5C,” Al Jaber made this explosive statement after he challenged former Irish President Mary Robinson during a She Changes Climate event.

“Please help me, show me the roadmap for a phaseout of fossil fuel that will allow for sustainable socioeconomic development, unless you want to take the world back into caves,” he had added.

<h2>UAE’s damage control</h2>

The comments triggered a major global backlash, which has now prompted the all-powerful UAE leader to desperately win the confidence of the international community back.

“I respect the science in everything I do. I have repeatedly said that it is the science that has guided the principles or strategy as COP28 president. We have always built everything, every step of the way, on the science, on the facts,” Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said during a press conference on Monday (Dec 4).

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cop28-presidents-no-science-behind-oil-phase-out-statement-causes-alarm-666064">Also read:&nbsp;COP28 president`s `no science` behind oil phase-out statement causes alarm</a>

“I know that there are strong views among some [countries], about the phase-down or phaseout of fossil fuels. Allow me to say this again: This is the first [COP] presidency ever to actively call on parties to come forward with language on all fossil fuels for the negotiated text,” he said.

<h2>UAE trying to strike oil deals during COP28?</h2>

To UAE’s further embarrassment, a bombshell report released last week claimed that the host nation was utilising its hosting of the COP28 summit as an opportunity to strike oil and gas deals with at least 15 nations.

Watch:&nbsp;Africa | Tanzania floods claims 63 lives, 116 injured; President cuts short COP28 visit

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A report by BBC claimed that UAE’s COP28 team was preparing to hold meetings with foreign governments, with intentions of furthering fossil fuel collaborations.

(With inputs from agencies)

This year’s COP28 Summit is currently underway in the UAE, and it has been riddled with controversies right from the word go. On November 21, Al Jaber—who happens to be the president and host of the Dubai-based COP28 as well as the CEO of the United Arab Emirates’ state oil company, Adnoc, set the cat among the pigeons with a string of incendiary comments that didn’t go down well with international climate activists.

This year’s COP28 Summit is currently underway in the UAE, and it has been riddled with controversies right from the word go. On November 21, Al Jaber—who happens to be the president and host of the Dubai-based COP28 as well as the CEO of the United Arab Emirates’ state oil company, Adnoc, set the cat among the pigeons with a string of incendiary comments that didn’t go down well with international climate activists. “There is no science out there, or no scenario out there, that says that the phaseout of fossil fuel is what’s going to achieve 1.5C,” Al Jaber made this explosive statement after he challenged former Irish President Mary Robinson during a She Changes Climate event. “Please help me, show me the roadmap for a phaseout of fossil fuel that will allow for sustainable socioeconomic development, unless you want to take the world back into caves,” he had added. UAE’s damage control The comments triggered a major global backlash, which has now prompted the all-powerful UAE leader to desperately win the confidence of the international community back. “I respect the science in everything I do. I have repeatedly said that it is the science that has guided the principles or strategy as COP28 president. We have always built everything, every step of the way, on the science, on the facts,” Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said during a press conference on Monday (Dec 4). Also read: COP28 president`s `no science` behind oil phase-out statement causes alarm “I know that there are strong views among some [countries], about the phase-down or phaseout of fossil fuels. Allow me to say this again: This is the first [COP] presidency ever to actively call on parties to come forward with language on all fossil fuels for the negotiated text,” he said. UAE trying to strike oil deals during COP28? To UAE’s further embarrassment, a bombshell report released last week claimed that the host nation was utilising its hosting of the COP28 summit as an opportunity to strike oil and gas deals with at least 15 nations. Watch: Africa | Tanzania floods claims 63 lives, 116 injured; President cuts short COP28 visit × A report by BBC claimed that UAE’s COP28 team was preparing to hold meetings with foreign governments, with intentions of furthering fossil fuel collaborations. (With inputs from agencies)

UAE leader holds damage control conference after making ‘no-science’ fossil claim

COP28 President is facing backlash from climate activist over his comments on fossil fuels. Al Jaber says that there is no science behind phase out of fossil fuels.

COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber under fire over fossil fuel remark

Italian PM Giorgia Meloni was spotted using an 'anxiety' mobile cover during the COP28 Summit in Dubai. The phone cover has statements that can be supportive to a person suffering from anxiety.

The Italian PM was talking with her Indian counterpart PM Narendra Modi when she took a selfie with him. The moment was captured by a photographer present at the summit who happened to also click the cover of the phone Meloni was using to take the selfie. "Affirmations for Anxiety" was prominently written on the cover.

Watch | Climate change and its impact on mental health

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There are apparently 20 small affirmations on the cover which can be read in anxious times to improve mood and relieve stress. It is also a reminder of the importance of mental health.

"My anxiety doesn't define me", read an affirmation.

“It’s okay for me to say no for my mental health",&nbsp;said another.

There is also a picture of a birthday cake and a sentence that reads, “I give myself permission to take a break”.

<h2>Her daughter attached the cover</h2>

As buzz started growing around the phone cover, the Italian PM's spokesman said that the phone cover was attached to Meloni's phone by her daughter Ginerva (7).

Meloni split with her longtime partner and Ginerva's father Andrea Giambruno&nbsp;after he was caught on camera making lewd remarks and propositioning his female colleagues.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cop28-summit-in-dubai-makes-breakthrough-over-renewable-fuels-but-there-is-a-catch-665854">COP28 summit in Dubai makes breakthrough over renewable fuels. But there is a catch</a>

Meloni is the leader of the hard-right Brothers of Italy party but has chosen to project a softer image since coming to power in 2022.&nbsp;

Meloni's government has promised improvement&nbsp;in mental health services but the plan has faced a money crunch.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cop28-presidents-no-science-behind-oil-phase-out-statement-causes-alarm-666064">COP28 president's 'no science' behind oil phase-out statement causes alarm</a>

Other high-income countries allocate 10 per cent of their health budget to mental health. However, Italy spends only 3 per cent of the budget.

Meloni remains one of the most popular leaders of Italy but her government is seen to have fallen short of fulfilling promises made at the time of elections and later.

(With inputs from agencies)

Italian PM Giorgia Meloni was spotted using an 'anxiety' mobile cover during the COP28 Summit in Dubai. The phone cover has statements that can be supportive to a person suffering from anxiety.

Italian PM Giorgia Meloni was spotted using an 'anxiety' mobile cover during the COP28 Summit in Dubai. The phone cover has statements that can be supportive to a person suffering from anxiety. The Italian PM was talking with her Indian counterpart PM Narendra Modi when she took a selfie with him. The moment was captured by a photographer present at the summit who happened to also click the cover of the phone Meloni was using to take the selfie. "Affirmations for Anxiety" was prominently written on the cover. Watch | Climate change and its impact on mental health × There are apparently 20 small affirmations on the cover which can be read in anxious times to improve mood and relieve stress. It is also a reminder of the importance of mental health. "My anxiety doesn't define me", read an affirmation. “It’s okay for me to say no for my mental health", said another. There is also a picture of a birthday cake and a sentence that reads, “I give myself permission to take a break”. Her daughter attached the cover As buzz started growing around the phone cover, the Italian PM's spokesman said that the phone cover was attached to Meloni's phone by her daughter Ginerva (7). Meloni split with her longtime partner and Ginerva's father Andrea Giambruno after he was caught on camera making lewd remarks and propositioning his female colleagues. Also Read | COP28 summit in Dubai makes breakthrough over renewable fuels. But there is a catch Meloni is the leader of the hard-right Brothers of Italy party but has chosen to project a softer image since coming to power in 2022. Meloni's government has promised improvement in mental health services but the plan has faced a money crunch. Also Read | COP28 president's 'no science' behind oil phase-out statement causes alarm Other high-income countries allocate 10 per cent of their health budget to mental health. However, Italy spends only 3 per cent of the budget. Meloni remains one of the most popular leaders of Italy but her government is seen to have fallen short of fulfilling promises made at the time of elections and later. (With inputs from agencies)

Italy PM Meloni sports 'anxiety' phone cover during COP28

Tanzania President has cut short his trip to the COP28 summit in Dubai after disaster struck back home. Deadly landslides and floods triggered by heavy rainfall has claimed over 60 lives and injured over 100.

Africa | Tanzania floods claims 63 lives, 116 injured; President cuts short COP28 visit | WION

Maldives President Muizzu says that India has agreed to withdraw its soldiers from the island nation. Muizzu made these remarks following engagements on the sidelines of COP28 climate summit with the Indian officials.

Maldives: Pres Muizzu says India troops agreed to withdraw, India officials say discussions still on

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck on Sunday cancelled a planned trip to the Middle East to focus on talks over a hole in Germany's 2024 budget and said he was "very optimistic" a solution would be found. The economy minister was due to fly to Dubai on Monday evening to attend COP28 and then to Oman, Israel and Saudi Arabia but was asked by the chancellor to postpone the trip, a spokesperson said.

Germany's Habeck cancels Middle East COP28 trip to focus on budget talks

Leaders from nearly 120 nations vowed to triple the world's renewable energy capacity within the next seven years at COP28 summit in Dubai. The development has emerged as a collective push to shift away from fossil fuels and advance towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 despite the fact that major oil producers, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, and China, have opted not to join the initiative.

<h2>What does it mean?</h2>

These pledges are voluntary and non-binding. But their focus centres on an ambitious deployment of solar, wind, hydroelectric, and other renewable sources.

President Sultan Al Jaber, leading COP28, expressed the need for broader participation, particularly from key stakeholders. Notably, more than half of all nations signed up to triple global renewable capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030.

Clean energy advocates welcomed the commitment but called for the necessity of concurrently phasing out more polluting forms of energy.&nbsp;

Greenpeace's COP28 delegation head, Kaisa Kosonen, noted, "The future will be powered by solar and wind, but it won't happen fast enough unless governments regulate fossil fuels out of the way."

<h2>COP28 summit: Inside oil companies' pledge to 'decarbonise'</h2>

In another significant development, oil and gas companies responsible for 40 per cent of global production, including Saudi Aramco and UAE's ADNOC, pledged to decarbonise their operations by 2050 and curb methane emissions. However, these commitments excluded emissions from the burning of fuels by customers.

Also watch |&nbsp;COP28 summit in Dubai: India offers to host climate talks in 2028 | World News | WION

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The issue of methane emissions gained prominence at COP28, with the US Environmental Protection Agency announcing tighter curbs on such emissions from the country's oil and gas industry.

Methane, responsible for about one-third of greenhouse gas warming, became a focal point in discussions between US climate envoy John Kerry and his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua.

<h2>The US' call for tripling nuclear energy capacity</h2>

As world leaders gathered at COP28, the United States spearheaded a call by over 20 nations to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050. &nbsp;Proponents say that it can play a "key role" in achieving carbon neutrality.

The US Vice President Kamala Harris announced a $3 billion contribution to a fund aiding developing countries in energy transition and climate change impacts, marking Washington's first pledge since 2014.

(With inputs from agencies)

Leaders from nearly 120 nations vowed to triple the world's renewable energy capacity within the next seven years at COP28 summit in Dubai. The development has emerged as a collective push to shift away from fossil fuels and advance towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 despite the fact that major oil producers, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, and China, have opted not to join the initiative.

Leaders from nearly 120 nations vowed to triple the world's renewable energy capacity within the next seven years at COP28 summit in Dubai. The development has emerged as a collective push to shift away from fossil fuels and advance towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 despite the fact that major oil producers, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, and China, have opted not to join the initiative. What does it mean? These pledges are voluntary and non-binding. But their focus centres on an ambitious deployment of solar, wind, hydroelectric, and other renewable sources. President Sultan Al Jaber, leading COP28, expressed the need for broader participation, particularly from key stakeholders. Notably, more than half of all nations signed up to triple global renewable capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030. Clean energy advocates welcomed the commitment but called for the necessity of concurrently phasing out more polluting forms of energy. Greenpeace's COP28 delegation head, Kaisa Kosonen, noted, "The future will be powered by solar and wind, but it won't happen fast enough unless governments regulate fossil fuels out of the way." COP28 summit: Inside oil companies' pledge to 'decarbonise' In another significant development, oil and gas companies responsible for 40 per cent of global production, including Saudi Aramco and UAE's ADNOC, pledged to decarbonise their operations by 2050 and curb methane emissions. However, these commitments excluded emissions from the burning of fuels by customers. Also watch | COP28 summit in Dubai: India offers to host climate talks in 2028 | World News | WION × The issue of methane emissions gained prominence at COP28, with the US Environmental Protection Agency announcing tighter curbs on such emissions from the country's oil and gas industry. Methane, responsible for about one-third of greenhouse gas warming, became a focal point in discussions between US climate envoy John Kerry and his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua. The US' call for tripling nuclear energy capacity As world leaders gathered at COP28, the United States spearheaded a call by over 20 nations to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050. Proponents say that it can play a "key role" in achieving carbon neutrality. The US Vice President Kamala Harris announced a $3 billion contribution to a fund aiding developing countries in energy transition and climate change impacts, marking Washington's first pledge since 2014. (With inputs from agencies)

COP28 summit in Dubai makes breakthrough over renewable fuels. But there is a catch

New data from the Climate Trace project shows&nbsp;that electricity generation in China and India, along with oil and gas production in the US, has driven the most significant increases in global greenhouse gas emissions since the signing of the Paris climate agreement in 2015.

The findings shift focus to&nbsp;the challenge of accurately reporting emissions, with many countries and companies failing to fulfil their obligations under the Paris Agreement.

<h2>Rising methane emissions despite pledges</h2>

The data also reveals a rise in methane emissions, a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

Over 100 countries pledged to reduce methane emissions, yet the latest figures indicate an increase.

Coal mines in China notably contributed to the surge in methane emissions between 2021 and 2022.

Also watch |&nbsp;COP28 Summit: Could the world agree to ditch fossil fuels at COP28?

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China, however, has recently committed to including methane in its national climate plans and is collaborating with the US to address this issue.

As more than 190 countries convene in Dubai for the COP28 UN climate summit, the focus is on the "global stocktake," assessing progress toward the emissions cuts necessary to stay within the 1.5ºC temperature limit set by the Paris Agreement.

Al Gore, co-founder of Climate Trace, pointed out to&nbsp;The Guardian the importance of accurate emissions information and the project's role in pinpointing emission sources through satellite images and AI software.

“Climate Trace is filling a vacuum that is presently virtually devoid of accurate information. We can break down exactly where emissions are coming from, facility by facility. If the problem is greenhouse gas emissions, it only makes sense to find out where they’re coming from,” he said.&nbsp;

Scientists stress the urgency of sharp cuts to methane to mitigate the worst impacts of global heating.

Cooperation on methane reduction at the COP28 summit is viewed as a positive step that could potentially help keep the 1.5C target achievable.

Methane reductions, along with cuts to other short-lived pollutants, could contribute significantly to lowering global temperature increases by up to 0.3C.

Over 50 oil and gas companies at COP28 have joined a "decarbonisation accelerator" to reduce the climate impact of their operations.

However, critics argue that the voluntary nature of the pledge makes accountability challenging, and stronger legal agreements are needed for a substantial phase-out of fossil fuels.

Climate Trace data also reveals a rebound in emissions from aviation post-Covid&nbsp;lockdowns. Carbon emissions from international flights surged by 74 per cent&nbsp;between 2021 and 2022, while domestic flight emissions rose by 18 per cent&nbsp;during the same period. Road transport emissions increased by 3.5 per cent&nbsp;potentially linked to the rise in SUV sales.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-cop28-five-passionate-environmentalists-who-are-restoring-indias-biodiversity-tirelessly-665225">Also read |&nbsp;COP28: Five passionate environmentalists who are restoring India's biodiversity tirelessly</a>

<h2>Deforestation decline offers a positive note</h2>

Amidst the concerning trends, there is positive news regarding deforestation. Key regions, including the Congo Basin, have witnessed a drop in emissions from forest degradation and destruction. In 2022, emissions in the Congo Basin decreased by up to 19 per cent compared to the previous year.

(With inputs from agencies)

New data from the Climate Trace project shows that electricity generation in China and India, along with oil and gas production in the US, has driven the most significant increases in global greenhouse gas emissions since the signing of the Paris climate agreement in 2015.

New data from the Climate Trace project shows that electricity generation in China and India, along with oil and gas production in the US, has driven the most significant increases in global greenhouse gas emissions since the signing of the Paris climate agreement in 2015. The findings shift focus to the challenge of accurately reporting emissions, with many countries and companies failing to fulfil their obligations under the Paris Agreement. Rising methane emissions despite pledges The data also reveals a rise in methane emissions, a greenhouse gas 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Over 100 countries pledged to reduce methane emissions, yet the latest figures indicate an increase. Coal mines in China notably contributed to the surge in methane emissions between 2021 and 2022. Also watch | COP28 Summit: Could the world agree to ditch fossil fuels at COP28? China, however, has recently committed to including methane in its national climate plans and is collaborating with the US to address this issue. As more than 190 countries convene in Dubai for the COP28 UN climate summit, the focus is on the "global stocktake," assessing progress toward the emissions cuts necessary to stay within the 1.5ºC temperature limit set by the Paris Agreement. Al Gore, co-founder of Climate Trace, pointed out to The Guardian the importance of accurate emissions information and the project's role in pinpointing emission sources through satellite images and AI software. “Climate Trace is filling a vacuum that is presently virtually devoid of accurate information. We can break down exactly where emissions are coming from, facility by facility. If the problem is greenhouse gas emissions, it only makes sense to find out where they’re coming from,” he said. Scientists stress the urgency of sharp cuts to methane to mitigate the worst impacts of global heating. Cooperation on methane reduction at the COP28 summit is viewed as a positive step that could potentially help keep the 1.5C target achievable. Methane reductions, along with cuts to other short-lived pollutants, could contribute significantly to lowering global temperature increases by up to 0.3C. Over 50 oil and gas companies at COP28 have joined a "decarbonisation accelerator" to reduce the climate impact of their operations. However, critics argue that the voluntary nature of the pledge makes accountability challenging, and stronger legal agreements are needed for a substantial phase-out of fossil fuels. Climate Trace data also reveals a rebound in emissions from aviation post-Covid lockdowns. Carbon emissions from international flights surged by 74 per cent between 2021 and 2022, while domestic flight emissions rose by 18 per cent during the same period. Road transport emissions increased by 3.5 per cent potentially linked to the rise in SUV sales. Also read | COP28: Five passionate environmentalists who are restoring India's biodiversity tirelessly Deforestation decline offers a positive note Amidst the concerning trends, there is positive news regarding deforestation. Key regions, including the Congo Basin, have witnessed a drop in emissions from forest degradation and destruction. In 2022, emissions in the Congo Basin decreased by up to 19 per cent compared to the previous year. (With inputs from agencies)

Surge in greenhouse gas emissions points to China, US, and India as primary culprits: Data

As delegations of around 200 nations have gathered to discuss the issues surrounding climate. A lot of climate activists across nations are staging demonstrations against climate inaction - around 25,000 people gathered in Belgian capital, Brussels.

COP28: Thousands protest in Belgium, demand action against climate inaction; 'There is no planet B'

In line with a global initiative to reduce emissions that fuel climate change, the Biden administration unveiled final regulations on Saturday that aim to severely restrict methane emissions from the US oil and gas industry. US officials unveiled the regulations, which had been in the works for two years, during the COP28 climate change conference held in Dubai.

COP28 UAE: US unveils strategy at COP 28 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from gas and oil

COP28 President's fossil fuel claim causes outcry

Amid the COP28 summit, a report says electricity generated in China, India and US as well as oil and gas production have produced the biggest spike in global greenhouse gas emissions.

India, China & US biggest Greenhouse gas emittors, says report; Satellite tracking displays reality

Amid the COP28 Summit, a Climate Trace report says electricity generated in China and India as well as oil and gas production in the US have produced the biggest spike in global greenhouse gas emissions since 2015.

'Climate trace' project releases data on global warming

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