The agreement reached today at COP28 in Dubaia global compromise agreement that notably calls for the first time to phase out fossil fuels, the main drivers of climate change, has been welcomed by the United Arab Emirates, which chairs the UN climate conference, the EU, the US, the France and the Netherlands, the Arab countries and to a lesser extent from Australia.

The UN and Samoa, speaking on behalf of small island states, had more subdued reactions, calling for more progress in the energy transition.

The agreement approved today in Dubai after two weeks of tough negotiations has a goal send a strong message to investors and policymakers that the world is now united in breaking its ties to fossil fuelswhich scientists call the last viable hope to stave off climate catastrophe.

Presidency of COP28

This is a “historic decision to accelerate climate action”said Sultan Al Jaber, the president of the UN climate conference held in Dubai with the participation of about 200 countries.

“We have language on fossil fuels in the final agreement, for the first time”he added, prompting fresh applause.

“We should be proud of this historic success and the United Arab Emirates, my country, are proud of their role in achieving it”he added.

“We leave Dubai with our heads held high”he continued, while clarifying that the nearly 200 countries participating in the conference approved a “historic package” measures that offer a “roman plan” to continue to be feasible the goal of containing global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial era.

“We have delivered a paradigm shift that has the potential to redefine our economies”he also noted shortly after the agreement was approved at the COP28 closing meeting in Dubai.

Al-Jaber concluded his speech by drawing the attention of the nations to the following: “A deal is good if it is implemented. We are what we do, not what we say.”

UN

“The age of fossil fuels must end, and it must end fairly and equitably”said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, following the agreement at COP28 in Dubai, which establishes the principle of an energy transition away from fossil fuels.

“I mean the exit from fossil fuels is inevitable whether they like it or not. Let’s hope it doesn’t come too late”the UN secretary-general underlined in a statement, referring to “those who opposed a clear reference” to this concept of elimination in the COP28 text.

European Union

The “historic” agreement reached at COP28 in Dubai “marks the beginning of the post-fossil fuel era”said the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

“The world has adopted the EU’s 2030 targets: tripling renewable energy sources and doubling energy efficiency,” added the Commission president in a message on X (formerly Twitter), hailing in a separate statement a “strong demonstration of the value of multilateralism in addressing our planet’s greatest challenges “.

“For the first time in 30 years, we may now be approaching the beginning of the end of fossil fuels”European Climate Commissioner Boepke Hoekstra also expressed his satisfaction.

USA

US Climate Envoy John Kerry welcomed the deal secured at COP28, saying he sees in her “a reason for optimism” in a world rocked by war.

“I think the whole world will be pleased that, in a world rocked by the war in Ukraine and the Middle East and all the other challenges on a faltering planet, there is a reason to be optimistic, to be grateful and to we congratulate each other here,” Kerry noted.

China

Developed countries must “lead” the global energy transition and “deliver without delay” economic and technical assistance for it to developing countries, China said after the conference in Dubai.

“Developed countries have a historic and unquestionable responsibility for climate change: they must lead the way to commit to the 1.5 degree Celsius pathway” to contain global warming and to “achieve carbon neutrality as soon as possible” possible,” said Zhao Yingmin, China’s vice minister of environment.

France

French President Emmanuel Macron greeted “an important milestone” that “commits the world to a fossil fuel-free transition”, while calling for “acceleration” in the fight against global warming.

He also welcomed in a post on X the recognition of the “key role” of nuclear energy for the “first time”, which France has championed, alongside the need to triple renewables.

“The COP28 agreement that has just been adopted is a victory for multilateralism and climate diplomacy,” France’s Energy Transition Minister Agnes Pannier-Rinacer previously noted from Dubai.

The text, adopted after long negotiations, “calls for the first time for a phase-out of fossil fuels, in line with the objective of 1.5 degrees Celsius” of the level of global warming set out in the agreement of Paris for the climate of 2015, added the minister.

“It is the first time that all countries have converged at this point,” he underlined.

The French minister also noted that the reference to nuclear energy in the agreement reached today constitutes “historic recognition and a diplomatic victory for France”.

“For the first time, the text repeatedly mentions the contribution of nuclear power to the fight against climate change,” he noted.

Netherlands

The Netherlands characterized the agreement “historic moment”. “For the first time, the world has talked about withdrawing from fossil fuels,” said Dutch climate minister Rob Gotten.

“More ambition is always preferable, but the (limiting global warming) target of 1.5 degrees Celsius remains within sight,” he added.

Arab countries

“The Arab group expresses its gratitude for the great efforts made by the presidency of the United Arab Emirates and its team“, said the representative of the Saudi delegation to COP28, Saudi Albara Tawfiq, who is the chairman of the Arab group at the UN Climate Service, hailing the “great success” of the conference.

Australia

“The result is not as significant as many of us would like, starting with the most vulnerable countries. However, the message is clear: all the nations of the world recognize that our future lies in clean energy sources and that the fossil age fuel will run out,” Australian Climate Minister Chris Bowen said.

Small island states

The alliance of small island states (Aosis), which are particularly threatened by climate change, expressed reservations and concerns after the adoption of the text, which it considered insufficient.

“We have taken a step forward from the status quo, but what we really need is an exponential change,” said Ann Rasmussen, the spokeswoman for Samoa, which chairs Aosis, who was applauded after the statement by European and other delegations.

Brazil

After the announcement of the agreement, Brazil he called on developed countries to implement the energy transition and provide “necessary means” to developing countries.

“It is fundamental that developed countries take the lead in the transition to the end of fossil fuels,” Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silva underlined, also calling on them to “provide the necessary means to developing countries.”

The agreement

The text of the agreement, every word of which was negotiated by the United Arab Emirates, calls for “a transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a fair, coordinated and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050 in line with scientific recommendations”. The demand to accelerate action already in the current decade was a demand of the EU and many others countries.

By choosing the term “transitioning away” the text does not speak of a “phasing out” of oil, natural gas and coal, a formulation that had been the banner behind which more than 100 countries had rallied for months and thousands of non-governmental organizations.

They lobbied hard for tough language in the COP28 agreement to “phase out” the use of oil, gas and coal, but ran into strong opposition from the Saudi-led Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which argued the world could to reduce greenhouse gas emissions without avoiding specific fuels.

This battle led to the extension of the conference until today.

Once this agreement is reached, countries take responsibility for upholding it through national policies and investments.