Hasty gavel and standing ovation bring down COP28 curtain

After two nights of fraught last negotiations, it took simply 5 minutes for Sultan Al Jaber, with the nervous bang of his gavel, to undertake a historic deal calling for a transition from fossil fuels.

“I hear no objection? It’s so determined,” he introduced at 11:15 am (0715 GMT) on Wednesday, to applause and a standing ovation from delegates, regardless of the frustration expressed by some small island states concerning the last language.

The delegates gathered within the oil-rich UAE since November 30 barely had time to sit down down earlier than the deal was declared adopted.

“It’s the UAE consensus,” Jaber proclaimed from the rostrum, visibly relieved on the outcome, after months of promising to safe a “historic” deal and weathering criticism for his twin roles main the important thing local weather convention whereas helming nationwide oil firm ADNOC.

“We now have language on fossil gas in our last settlement, for the primary time ever,” he stated, prompting much more vigorous applause.

Moments earlier, negotiators might be seen chatting fortunately within the monumental plenary room of the big expo park in Dubai, the place discussions ran a day longer than scheduled.

The relaxed ambiance among the many exhausted delegates, simply 4 hours after the publication of the most recent draft textual content, had recommended a beneficial consequence regardless of the furore a day earlier over a draft that proposed decreasing reasonably than abandoning fossil fuels.

“The Saudis are on board, that is stunning, however the Chinese language too, the People… it is surprising,” a European negotiator stated simply earlier than the plenary started.

Close by, the heads of the Saudi and Chinese language delegations chatted and smiled. Their opposition to mentioning a “section out” of fossil fuels had threatened to go away them remoted, with different nations demanding extra ambition in a last textual content.

However in the long run, they discovered a method to conform to “transitioning away from fossil fuels in vitality techniques, in a simply, orderly and equitable method.”

– ‘The start line’ –

Till the final minute although, there was uncertainty.

Would India, extremely depending on coal and notably quiet throughout the summit, oppose the compromise?

“I’ve blended suggestions,” the negotiator admitted, earlier than the session opened and eliminated any last doubts that the textual content can be adopted.

Nonetheless, for all of the cheers and reduction, the adoption was greeted with considerably much less enthusiasm by small island growing states which might be among the many nations most in danger from local weather change.

Their representatives weren’t even within the room in the intervening time of adoption, apparently arriving late to the already delayed plenary.

“We did not wish to interrupt the standing ovation once we got here into the room, however we’re slightly confused about what occurred. Plainly you simply gavelled the selections and the small island growing states weren’t within the room,” stated Samoa’s consultant Anne Rasmussen.

She stated the grouping was delayed as they tried to agree a coordinated place on the textual content, and declared the bloc sad with the ultimate outcome.

“We now have come to the conclusion that the course correction that’s wanted has not been secured.”

Prolonged applause and shouts of encouragement adopted Rasmussen’s feedback, from civil society teams in the back of the room, but in addition European and different delegates.

“By all of the tears of pleasure we simply had in our eyes, we noticed additionally that there have been some tears from a few of us within the rooms who is perhaps not solely tears of pleasure,” acknowledged Germany’s Overseas Minister Anna Baerbock.

“We see you and we really feel and see that to your youngsters this may not be sufficient. And subsequently this textual content is for us because the European Union, as Germany, simply the start line.”

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