The 2020 Dubai Climate Summit turned out to be more heated than predicted, with powerful divisions among the attendees causing the negotiations to continue longer than expected. Issues of disagreement mainly revolved around the use of fossil fuels, a topic that remains contentious even in 2020.
The summit opened Sunday with a speech from the United Arab Emirates Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, outlining the need for effective climate action. “We must take a decisive stand and face our environment challenges head on,” he said, to hearty agreement amongst attendees.
From the start, however, it was evident that the issue over the use of fossil fuels would be the main stumbling block of the summit. On one side were the representatives from North American and northern European countries, who urged participants not to rely on coal, oil and gas to “build a vibrant and sustainable future”. On the other were some of the less economically developed countries of the world, who said their growth hinged on their continued use of fossil fuels and needed to be accepted as part of a global energy mix.
The two sides argued back and forth, neither willing to concede ground to the other until late into the night. After some heated discussions and a few compromises along the way, a joint agreement was eventually reached.
The agreement notes the tips of climate scientists and the “profound” effects of the climate crisis, and calls for a transition away from fossil fuels in the near future. It also honors the commitment from some countries to shift away from fossil fuels and invest in clean energy, and acknowledges the need for a global shift in energy production and consumption.
Whilst the agreement is the first major step towards the battle against climate change, there are still monumental tasks ahead for the world. Such is the complexity of the situation, it is unlikely the same solution will work everywhere, and those countries still heavily reliant on fossil fuels have an urgent task of finding new sources of energy should they wish to hit their climate commitments.
As the summit concluded, Prime Minister Al Maktoum gave a speech thanking attendees for the dialogue which showed a “remarkable level of patience and willingness to listen”. He noted that “the world must now urgently agree on achievable, actionable goals to reduce emissions and combat the climate crisis – a daunting task, but one which we must face together”. Indeed, these negotiations represent a significant step in the right direction, though there is still a considerable amount of work left before the world reaches a global consensus on the climate crisis.
