Pre-COP talks are taking place this week to lay the groundwork for negotiations at the UN climate summit in late November.
ADVERTISEMENTThe COP28 presidency and two renewable energy organisations have urged governments to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.
A new report from the UAE presidency, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Global Renewables Alliance says renewable energy capacity needs to “reach more than 11,000GW” by the end of this decade.
IRENA’s analysis, which forms the basis of the report, “warns that the energy transition is dangerously off track”, according to director-general Francesco La Camera. He adds that “immediate, radical collective action” is now needed.
It also calls for a doubling of energy efficiency with set target dates, financial incentives, awareness campaigns and strong regulatory frameworks.
Many of the world’s major economies are already on board with renewable energy targets ahead of COP28. The G20 agreed in September to pursue efforts to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030.
But many, including the EU and countries most vulnerable to climate change, don’t believe scaling up clean energy is enough without commitments to phase out fossil fuels.
Pre-COP talks are taking place in Abu Dhabi this week
The report was released on the sidelines of Pre-COP - talks being held in Abu Dhabi this week to lay the groundwork for negotiations at the summit in Dubai in late November.
With the UN climate summit just four weeks away, these negotiations aim to identify differences on essential issues such as fossil fuels, keeping 1.5C goals in sight and loss and damage funding.
The Global Stocktake, the first assessment of where countries stand on progress toward Paris Agreement goals, is also expected to take a central role in the two-day talks.
One of the key decisions at the summit in Dubai later this year will be whether countries agree to phase out fossil fuels for the first time ever.
COP28 president Sultan Al Jaber said in the opening session of the pre-COP talks that he was aware countries had strong views on including language on fossil fuels and renewables in the final text of the summit.
Jaber - boss of state oil firm ADNOC- was a controversial pick to lead the UN climate summit with concerns over his country’s status as a major oil exporter.
He said that with “too many things out there dividing our world at this moment” countries must unite on climate.
“I need you to work together to come forward with solutions that can achieve alignment, common ground and consensus between all parties,” Al Jaber added.
“We must be pragmatic. And we must leave no one behind.”
Old promises, including the $100 billion climate finance pledge must also be kept, the COP28 president said.
