EU divided over negotiating stance at COP28

On October 16, climate ministers of European Union (EU) member states met to decide on their negotiating stance at the upcoming 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28).

EU countries remain divided on key issues such as pushing for a global deal to phase out fossil fuels.

In its draft negotiating position, the EU calls for a global phase-out of fossil fuels and a peak in their consumption in the near future. However, EU countries have yet to reach a consensus on this issue.

About 10 of the 27 EU member states (including Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Slovenia) want the EU to propose phasing out all fossil fuels, EU diplomats said. Meanwhile, some other countries such as the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Poland and Slovakia are more cautious, wanting to reduce greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels by maintaining the use of coal, gas and oil but applying technology to limit emissions.

Fossil fuel subsidies are another contentious issue, with wealthy Western countries like France and the Netherlands wanting the EU to propose phasing them out by 2025, while fossil fuel-dependent economies like Poland are reluctant to set such a specific deadline.

EU countries are also expected to consider whether to declare that the bloc will exceed its legally binding target of cutting net greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 thanks to the CO2 reduction policies the EU has adopted over the past two years.

The EU is one of the most ambitious negotiators at the annual UN climate change conference, where nearly 200 countries discuss efforts to combat global warming. So there are concerns that a weakening of the EU’s position – the world’s third-largest economy – could dash hopes of an ambitious deal at COP28.

As planned, COP28 will take place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), from November 30 to December 12.

The outcome is expected to be whether countries will agree for the first time at the COP to phase out fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas produces greenhouse gases that are considered a major cause of climate change.