A small minority of countries at UN climate talks are blocking a growing consensus to phase out fossil fuels, Vanuatu's climate change minister told AFP on Sunday. The COP28 meeting in Dubai is at a "critical stage", said Ralf Regenvanu, whose low-lying Pacific nation faces a serious threat from rising sea levels and tropical cyclones. "The majority here wants the anti-fossil fuel language, the language that moves us away from fossil fuels, that shows our willingness to move according to the science, according to the 1.5 degree goal," Regenvanu said in an interview. “So this is the will of the majority. We need the small minority of countries that are blocking progress to change their position and we will work on that in the next few days," he added. Negotiators from around the world are trying to reach an agreement to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels.
Oil cartel OPEC has called on its members to block a new declaration that would seek to end oil, coal and gas production that is causing the climate emergency. “The majority of countries have already agreed to have language against fossil fuels. There are only a few countries that abstain," Regenvanu said. "And we hope that the fact that most countries want to see language against fossil fuels, phasing out of fossil fuels, will be accounted for and that that can be included in the text," he added. "Because if it doesn't make it into the text, we won't consider this COP a success."
COP28 chairman Sultan Al Jaber warned on Saturday that progress was too slow in the talks, which are due to end on Tuesday. "Today and tomorrow will be critical days to reach the agreement," Regenvanu said. "If it is true that all parties are negotiating in good faith for a good outcome, we will get a good outcome."
Vanuatu has been hit by three tropical cyclones this year, including a category five storm in October that destroyed infrastructure such as schools and left some families reliant on humanitarian aid. "We are suffering extreme consequences because of climate change," Regenvanu said. “The relief and recovery costs from all these events are more than our national budget for a year. “So financially we can't make it. We urgently need to correct course here because otherwise we have very little future to offer our children and grandchildren," he stressed.
