Fossil fuel burning is the overwhelming cause of the climate crisis. CO2 emissions must half if to have a chance of meeting the 1.5C target in 2030! So, the issue of phasing out or phasing down fossil fuels at COP 28 was vital. It is complex and political. Neither are defined and can therefore be used to mean different things by different people. Generally, phase-out indicates a radical reduction in fossil-fuel burning down to zero, or close by 2050. Phase down, a weaker term, signifies that fossil-fuel burning must decline without specifying by how much or when.
Vulnerable and developing countries are demanding a phase-out of fossil fuels. The EU, US and major business coalitions, have backed a phase-out of unabated fossil fuels – carbon that’s not captured and stored. Those opposed to a phase-out include Russia, China, and India. Saudi Arabia appears to oppose any reduction of fossil fuels.
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