COP28: A turning point ?

As the dust settles on #COP28, let me take a moment to reflect and take stock of progress in this important area. It was certainly an event with its fair share of controversy as negotiations continued long after the curtain-fall and its legacy will be debated for some time to come. However, in the end there were three outcomes that I think are notable and set the stage for further progress.

Firstly, for the first time ever, the world has vowed to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, and that includes most of the world’s big energy producers. Is this the ‘beginning of the end’ for fossil fuels? It’s not as strong a statement around ‘phaseout’ as some wanted but we shouldn’t underestimate that, for the first time ever, the role of fossil fuels in climate change has been properly called out and an intention declared to move to a more sustainable ecosystem. Let this therefore be a historic turning point in the world’s commitment to renewable energies and the transition away from traditional sources. As renewable technologies evolve quickly, the next 5 years should see a step change in the mix of energy sources we use and hopefully we get past the tipping point of renewable adoption globally. For example, China is already building sufficient renewables capacity to meet all of its forecast growth in domestic energy demand and given its vast scale, is now the leader in solar technologies. As production costs for equipment fall, let’s hope this enables an acceleration in takeup globally and the recent wordsmithing between ‘transition’ and ‘phaseout’ becomes academic.

Secondly, a strong and reaffirming commitment to the 1.5 degree C target set under the Paris Agreement was made, with the goal to reduce global GHG emissions by 43% by 2030. The downside is that current data suggests we are far off-track at the moment to hit the target and achieving it requires massive investment. While governments can pump-prime initiatives, it is the private sector that will drive innovation and build a net zero future.? It was reassuring to see this spelt out, but now we need to see governments create the environment within which these investments can be made confidently. It doesn’t need to be a zero sum game either. Innovation will create new markets, winners will access a global marketplace, new and highly skilled jobs will be created - that sounds like economic progress to me. I’ve spoken before about the significant positive impact this can have on the global labour markets and we need to start thinking about this transition from the viewpoint of potentially significant economic returns as well as environmental returns, and not just a cost drag on economies.

Finally, our ability to feed ourselves was rightly high on the agenda, for the first time. Around a third of global greenhouse gas emissions come from our overall food systems (what we eat, how we grow it, how we transport it etc). The historic absence of food systems and the role they need to play in an overall climate action plan has long looked an anomaly. Again, there was controversy around the eventual wording of the ‘Declaration on sustainable agriculture, resilient food systems, and climate action’, but it’s now undeniable that we must all consider food and agriculture systems when designing our path to net zero. It’s a tightrope to navigate #safeguard access to #food and nutrition for all, with the need to adapt our systems urgently, but I expect to see this topic gain more prominence.

I’m proud that dss+ was prominent as a thought leader in several of these areas, hosting panel discussions on #energytransition and another on #decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors.?dss+ China Director Xin Liu spoke on a panel about technological innovation, energy transition and social enterprise in China.?dss+ also announced the publication of a new book entitled “How To Create A Sustainable Food Industry - A Practical Guide to Perfect Food” - what could be more relevant given the prominence of food systems mentioned above ? They also presented the “Watts to Waste” report on solar waste in India – a report commissioned by the International Solar Alliance and UNEP containing valuable lessons for all of us embarking on energy transition strategies.

Despite difficulties and conflicts, it does feel to me as though the science of climate change is becoming mainstream and the root causes being identified. For sure, this threatens installed systems and vested interests come to the fore to defend the status quo. However the greatest vested interest must be to have a sustainable healthy planet on which we (and all those who come after us) can live. We also need to move on from discussion into action. Practical solutions already exist to many of the issues on the table and where they don’t, human ingenuity will discover a way if only it were so incentivised. More to come on these topics in 2024.?In the meantime, if you would like to learn more about the new book or listen to the podcasts dss+?created https://www.consultdss.com/content-hub/perfect-food-podcasts .

What were your takeaways from COP28? Was it a success and and what would you like to see being delivered when delegates gather again in Azerbaijan for COP29?