One Minute Brief of the Day:
Create posters encouraging COP28 to seriously combat climate change by phasing-out fossil fuels & not just make minor promises to reduce emissions.
Tweet your entries to @OneMinuteBriefs with the hashtags #FossilFreeCOP28 + #RealActionCOP
Enter as many times as you wish and remember to add your Twitter handle in the bottom right-hand corner of your entries!
PRIZES
1st Place: £150 cash!!
2nd Place: £50 cash!!
Context
Governments from around the world will gather in the UAE later this year (Nov-Dec 2023) to review climate change impacts and negotiate a deal on climate action. One of the major points of discussion at this UN conference - called COP28 - is fossil fuel phase-out, the gradual reduction of the use and production of fossil fuels to zero. Fossil fuels cause local pollution where they are produced and used, and their ongoing use is causing lasting harm to the climate of our entire planet. A commitment has been made by wealthy countries to phase out fossil fuels faster and achieve netzero in energy systems by 2050.
While the G7 ministers have made commitments to focus on fossil fuel phase-out, Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 president, who also heads the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, wishes to shift focus on phasing out emissions, rather than fossil fuels which he stated will “continue to play a role in the foreseeable future”.
The danger of focusing on emission reductions instead of Fossil Fuel phaseout
While reducing emissions is a necessary step in addressing climate change, solely focusing on emissions reductions can be dangerous. Ignoring the root cause of emissions, which is the burning of fossil fuels, will only treat the symptoms and not the disease. The continued use of fossil fuels will inevitably lead to further greenhouse gas emissions, and ultimately, continued global warming. Without a focus on phasing out fossil fuels, we cannot achieve the necessary emissions reductions to prevent catastrophic climate change. Therefore, it is crucial for policymakers to take a strong stance on fossil fuel phaseout and prioritise the transition to renewable energy sources to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Key messaging lines
You can use these key messages
UAE need to bring real climate action, the world is watching - The COP president must take bold action to address the urgent threat of climate change. We cannot afford to settle for empty promises or incremental steps to ensure a sustainable future for ourselves and future generations.
Al Jaber, commit to fossil fuel phase-out - The future is at stake, and we cannot afford to wait any longer. A sustainable future can only be achieved with fossil fuel phase-out. It's time to take bold steps to transition to renewable energy sources and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
Carbon credits are NOT the answer - Carbon credits are permits that allow companies to release a certain amount of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases
Examples
From Australia to California, devastating wildfires have caused significant damage to ecosystems, homes, and lives. Relying on fossil fuels, increases carbon dioxide in the atmosphere leading to warmer and drier conditions.
Melting of polar ice caps, caused by fossil fuel emissions, has led to rising sea levels, threatening coastal communities around the world, including major cities such as Miami, New York, and Shanghai.
Other controversial carbon offset projects include Jari Pará REDD+ Project in northern Brazil, which forced indigenous communities to sign agreements that gave away their rights to the forest. The project was also found to be falsely claiming carbon credits.
Ankeniheny-Zahamena Corridor REDD+ project in Madagascar was also found to be exploiting local communities, and the carbon credits generated were not based on real emissions reductions.
