NOTABLE OUT COME OF COP-28 (WORLD'S CLIMATE CONFERENCE) EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW

NOTABLE OUT COME OF COP-28 (WORLD'S CLIMATE CONFERENCE) EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW

COP-28 Dubai, UAE,  held from 30-November-2023 to 12-December-2023 for 2-weeks, just concluded a week back, some or all might have read something or other that came continuously in public media globally for the said 2-weeks and thereafter.

Just a quick grasp of COP if some or a few may not know/understand what COP-Conferences are all about and with such big fan fair: While COP-stands for Conference of Parties (COP) which is held annually at World level, at the instance of the UN Organization UNFCCC ( United Nation's Framework Convention on Climate Change ) co-partnered with other UN-Bodies and International Organizations to deal with the Global Concern for Climate-Change that affects the lives (that of  man kind, animal kingdom and plant kingdom), health, foods, livelihood, living conditions and lifestyles, environment, weather and its seasonality, economies and all domain areas of civilization, can be quite detrimental to the earth (the world) as a whole for the present generation and for future generations to come. 

The COP has been numbered as COP-1, 2, 3 .... like this from the first Annual COP and thus it was thus the COP-28, the 28th COP at Dubai, UAE this year in 2023 ( from Nov 30 to Dec 12, 2023 ), participated by about 200 Nations of the World and many World Bodies and Institutions from all Spheres of activities of the World Society.

Now let me say what has been the the Out Come of COP-28 Dubai, UAE 2023 very precisely that everyone should know, locally, nationally and globally:

1.     “Beginning of the end” of the Fossil Fuel era.

Over two weeks of COP-28 the representatives and participants from 200 Countries did lot of churning and brain storming on ending the Fossil Fuel use that is considered as the "Mother of Green House Gas Emission leading to Global Warming and Climate Change", however it was not possible to make a concrete decision to end the use of Fossil Fuel use in a time bound targeted manner ( that would entail total ending of the use of Fossil-generated Hydro Carbon Fuels such as Petroleum Oils, Coal, Petroleum Gas and Fossil-generated Natural Gas ). The Reasons being, there are a large number of Countries that Produce and their Economies are Surviving mostly on the revenue of Fossil Fuels, while on the other hand, there are a large number of countries, that Consume the Fossil Fuels, their Economies and Energy Systems are very largely dependent on Fossil Fuel Consumption right now.   

We should not hesitate to admit also, that India is one among on the both sides, one of the big Producers ( not to look at only Crude Oil Production of India, but to be looked at also on the production of Coal and Fossil-Gas all put together) and one of the very Large Consumers of Fossil Fuel in the world today.

The COP-28 Dubai, was concluded with a compromise agreement among the Parties to the Conference by laying the ground for a swift, just and equitable transition ( transitioning out the Fossil Fuel ), underpinned by deep emissions cuts and scaled-up finance for the same, which has been called in the concluding declaration of COP-28 Dubai, as “Beginning of the end” of the Fossil Fuel era".

2.     Aim to keep the Global Mean Temperature under the Limit of 1.5 degreeC above Pre-Industrial Level in this decade ongoing till 2030.

For information, for the purpose of baseline of Global Mean Temperature  in the Pre-industrial, the 150year period from the year 1850  to 1900 is normally considered as the Pre-Industrial when the Global Mean Temperature was below 13.5 degreeC. Right now from January to October 2023, the Global Mean Temperature was about 14.43 degreeC. The COP-28 Dubai has aimed and targeted at the Global Mean Temperature  limit of 15 degree C ( that is 1.5 degree over 13.5 degreeC ). That means the effort of the World from all quarters should be in the direction to restrict and check Global Warming under the limit of 15 degree C i.e. not more than 1.5 degree above that of the Pre-Industrial and the Scientists at world level have observed and have indicated in this context that the Global Green House Gas Emission has be to be cut by 43% by 2030.

3.    Making Effort to Triplicate the Capacity of Renewable Energy and Doubling the Energy Efficiency by 2030.

This means, the Parties to the Conference, have to make effort to enhance the Renewable Energy Capacity 3-times of the Present Capacity at Global level. Along with enhancing the Renewable Energy Capacity to 3-times of the present level, the Energy Use Efficiency have to be aimed to be 2-times of the Present Efficiency of Energy Use at Global Level by 2030.

4.    "New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance" with Global Base Line of USD 100 Billion per year from 2024.

Considering the needs of the Developing Countries, the Parties to the Conference of COP-28 Dubai, discussed for setting up of a New Goal of Collective Quantified Climate Finance fund of Global Base Line Starting at USD 100 Billion per year from 2024.

The follow up actions at National Level by the Parties to Conference are supposed to proceed in various ways consistent with the above Goals of COP-28 Dubai. I have just listed the Principal Outcome listing above 4-Goals (Aims or Targets ), however, there are many other additional substantive aims hovering around it, it can be read and understood by one and all as per their interest and choice.

During Cop-28 Dubai, UAE progress from Nov 30 to Dec 12, 2023, some 131 Nations out of 200 who are parties, had agreed for the COP-28 Declarations, others have to consider for signing it in due course.

As far as India, our National Consideration, is concerned, while COP-28 was in progress, it was reported through public media that, India did not agree to sign the COP-28 Declaration under Practicality Considerations considering the Constraints India has before the Nation as a developing country. 

However, India has always been a torch-bearer globally in Global Climate and Environment Considerations; moreover, India being the most Populous Country of the World now, and Global Climate Actions as the most required relief for the man kind, it is believed that India will make all out efforts in the direction of COP-28 Goals, even if it may not agree and sign the COP-28 Declaration keeping its National Constraints in mind, while when it is agreed and signed formally, have to be also tried to be fulfilled as a bound commitment, for that reason citing practicality considerations, India did not agree to sign it formally, however, efforts of India will be all in Global Directions, it is understood, goes without saying and without signing formally. 

Even it has been reported while the COP-28 Dubai was in progress that USA also did not agree to sign the COP-28 with the Practicality Consideration with their National Constraints they may have.

Also, it was reported while the COP-28 was in progress, that Saudi Arabia did not respond to the initial discussions on ending Fossil Fuel Use.

Of course China is another very large Producer and very large Consumer of Fossil Fuel, it is much more than India, known to everyone Globally.

I am not giving any reference in this note, It is a subject where there are many publications globally, may be 100s and 1000s of publications globally, with various opinions and views both Institutional and Individual and Scientists, anyone can find and read as they like by their own Choice.

I just gave a precise and crisp view of the outcome of the COP-28 Dubai for very simple understanding of one and all, without making any hard effort to read and churn a lot of reports from media who may not be inclined to do that, however none is prevented from reading and assessing by their interest and choice.

A simple understanding of the out come of COP-28 Dubai, UAE may be for individual, local, national and global common and collective good.

About the Author : Dr. Nimain Charan Biswal is a B.Sc.(Agri. Science and Technology), M.B.A. and Ph.D.(Management Area ) by qualifications; and he has 37 years of work experience in both industrial and development sectors in diversified fields of social importance. He has been educated at Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT)-Bhubaneswar, Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and Gujarat University (with Resource Support of IIM-Ahmedabad). He is further educated at IIM-Calcutta, XLRI-Jamshedpur, Apple Computer Industries and Spar Inc., USA. He has worked for reputed National and International Organizations in Senior/Top Management Capacities at Board level as well as Managing Director and CEO. He is a management expert covering extensive areas from management in industrial sectors, management in agriculture and dairy, development management to management of public systems. He is a prominent professional of India and known Internationally as well. He lives at Mumbai in India.