COP28 live: Climate talks run through night as countries seek deal on fossil fuels - BBC.com

COP28 live: Climate talks run through night as countries seek deal on fossil fuels - BBC News
Aydah Akao, 43, travelled to COP28 while pregnant with her fifth childImage caption: Aydah Akao, 43, travelled to COP28 while pregnant with her fifth child

With the COP28 climate talks drawing to a close, three mothers from different continents tell the BBC how their love for their children has motivated them to take their arguments to the people in power.

For the past week, in the sweltering heat of Dubai, Aydah Akao has been on a singular mission.

For her personally, there are five reasons the world needs to act far more urgently on climate change: her children. Four are at home in the Solomon Islands, and she is pregnant with the fifth.

"My children are so afraid," Akao tells the BBC. Rising sea levels are more than just lines on a chart for her family. It means their home, and heritage, are at risk of disappearing beneath the waves.

COP28 is her first UN climate summit, but as she marches around the vast Expo 2020 venue, she's not alone.

Mothers from across the world have joined forces at the summit in Dubai to ensure their voices are heard by the heads of state and policy-makers making the key decisions at this conference.

Akao said her community in the Temotu province of the Pacific country is bearing the brunt of natural disasters worsened by climate change - from cyclones to droughts.

It was a long journey to get here, but for her, the sense of urgency and the need to get that across to everyone she meets is palpable.

Thomas Trutschel/Getty ImagesCopyright: Thomas Trutschel/Getty Images
Photos of the press gaggles from last year's COP27 in Egypt show the fever-pitch excitement it can reach towards the endImage caption: Photos of the press gaggles from last year's COP27 in Egypt show the fever-pitch excitement it can reach towards the end

Between now and 06:00 (02:00 GMT), not a lot will be happening for the countries and their delegations - they will be back at their hotels trying to get some sleep.

But the COP28 presidency and UN team will be frantically working to draft the new text based on the feedback they have received from countries in the consultations, which ended only about an hour ago.

When that text drops, make no mistake that this now empty site - bar me, security and the cleaning staff - will become electric.

Countries will be holding rapidly organised press conferences, journalists will be pouring over the text and the eyes of the world will once again be back on Dubai.

There is nothing like the end of a COP.
Where India stands on key fossil fuels

Navin Singh Khadka

Environment correspondent, BBC World Service

ReutersCopyright: Reuters
Labourers loading coal on to a supply truck in Indian-administered Jammu last monthImage caption: Labourers loading coal on to a supply truck in Indian-administered Jammu last month

The world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, India is relatively quiet on the contentious issue of phasing out fossil fuels at COP28.

But it did hint at its position by not signing up to a pledge to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030 that more than 120 countries made on 9 December at the UN climate meet. Reason: the pledge said renewables deployment must be accompanied by a phase-down of unabated coal power.

Barely a week before COP28 began, India’s power ministry had announced that it was adding 80 GW thermal power, coal-based, by 2031-32 because power demand in the country had increased at an "unprecedented rate”.

COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 had “phase down coal” in its declaration, after China and India led the fight against Western countries’ push for “phase out coal”.

Ever since, India has seen the West and several other rapidly developing countries carry on with oil and gas, some even expanding their production.

It now argues that coal must not be singled out.

As per phasing out or phasing down of all fossil fuels, it has chosen to keep its cards close to its chest so far while stressing “equity and climate justice as the basis of climate action".
An update on timings

Esme Stallard

Climate reporter, at COP28

The latest meetings are normally displayed on TV screens across the site. They have been blank for the last few hours, but a new message has just popped up on screen.

"All texts are intended to be published at 06:00am... following which the President will convene plenary at 09:30am."

The Indonesian delegation have just walked past me and confirmed that the Plenary - the meeting when all the countries will get back together to decide on the text - will start then.

That means we will see a new text nearly four hours from now - as the sun comes up here in Dubai.

BBCCopyright: BBC
New options on the table on fossil fuels...maybe

Esme Stallard

Climate reporter, at COP28

BBCCopyright: BBC
The few remaining delegates are starting to leave ready to return early tomorrowImage caption: The few remaining delegates are starting to leave ready to return early tomorrow

Bloomberg reporters are saying that they have seen a copy of the updated draft text. This is still under review, they have said, meaning what they have seen isn't necessarily final.

Instead of a list of options that countries "could" take to reduce their emissions, they are saying it now reads that countries "should". That includes:
Rapidly phasing down unabated coal Accelerating emissions reductions from road transport Transitioning away from fossil fuels

In this version, there is no commitment to "phase out fossil fuels", but this would strengthen the language from what was in the previous draft.

In exchange for a stronger position on this issue, I would expect for nations like the EU to have provided reassurances to developing countries that they will provide more financial support to move away from fossil fuels.

But I have just seen the Fiji, Saudi and Indonesian delegations leave and they don't yet have a final draft text. So I would view this as one option of potentially a few that are still on the table.
Sleepy delegates await new draft deal

Delegates from across the world have been at COP28 in Dubai since 30 November hashing out what the 2023 climate summit deal will amount to.

Although it's not unexpected for COPs to overrun, delegates - much like you and me - are only human and need sleep.

But the fear of missing out on the twists and turns of overnight talks has led to some people camping out at Expo City tonight.

BBCCopyright: BBC
Am I hallucinating or are they playing Christmas music?

Esme Stallard

Climate reporter, at COP28

It's past midnight here in Dubai and everyone is starting to feel very weary.

I had to check with colleagues that I wasn't hearing things when "I'll be home for Christmas" started blaring from the central courtyard.

Feels like a nudge from the COP gods that the deal needs to be wrapped and we should all leave.

Turns out they're just practising for the opening of a winter wonderland festival at the site on Friday - so if we don't get a deal before then, we might be kicked out anyway, to make way for Santa.
COP quiz: Think you’ve got what it takes?

Dulcie Lee

Live reporter, at COP28

Don’t worry, we won’t grill you on the niche acronyms flung around in the corridors at COP28 - but, while we wait for the new draft text, here are six quick questions worth knowing the answer to:
What does COP stand for? Where is COP28 being held? What’s net zero? What does 1.5C refer to - and why’s it important? Who channeled Yoda from Star Wars this year? What are “unabated” fossil fuels? (Okay, we’re being mean now...)

Answers below the photo…

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
US climate envoy John Kerry and COP28 president Sultan Al-Jaber were spotted earlier, clearly conferring about the answers to this very quizImage caption: US climate envoy John Kerry and COP28 president Sultan Al-Jaber were spotted earlier, clearly conferring about the answers to this very quiz

Answer 1: Conference of the Parties - "parties" are the countries that signed the original UN climate agreement in 1992. (This is the 28th COP - hence COP28.)

Answer 2: Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.

Answer 3: Net-zero is the point at which a country - or business etc - is no longer adding to the total amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It’s worth nothing not all emissions can be reduced to zero, so the rest need to be actively removed.

Answer 4: 1.5C is a key threshold - it means that by the year 2100, the world's average surface temperature will have risen to no more than 1.5C (2.7F) warmer than pre-industrial times. Scientists predict that, at 1.5C of warming, many of the deadliest effects of climate change are reduced.

Answer 5: The UN’s climate chief Simon Stiell, rather surprisingly, evoked Yoda from Star Wars in his speech at the conference: "Do or not do. There is no try," he said.

Answer 6: Unabated fossil fuels - like coal, oil and gas - are fuels whose emissions are released directly into the atmosphere, without using tech to capture their planet-warming gases. However, finding consensus over a legally watertight meaning of “unabated” is a key issue at COP28.
What's been happening?

Malu Cursino

Live reporter

As my colleague Dulcie Lee has just said, it's past 23:00 in Dubai and our team at COP28 will have an early start with closed-door negotiations going on throughout the night.

Until we know more about this much-awaited reiteration of the draft deal, our team here in London will be bringing you the latest. So, what's been happening today?
A new version of the deal was made necessary after a promise to "phase out" fossil fuels was removed from Monday's draft - many nations were outraged Continuing negotiations need to take into consideration the interests of 198 countries, who all have to agree on the text for it to become a pact between nations

It all follows COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber's pledge on Monday that a deal would be finalised by Tuesday at 11:00 local time - which did not happen
It is all in the semantics of the text, but many small island nations see the refusal to agree to an end to fossil fuel use as a threat to their existence Throughout the day, climate activists have rallied at Expo City in Dubai with banners and placards to voice their disdain over the lack of fossil fuel "phase out" language in the earlier draft deal But the BBC is hearing that the new text, which is likely to be published in the early hours of Wednesday, will be "more ambitious" than the current version of text being scrutinised by activists and analysts This sentiment is echoed by remarks from US climate envoy John Kerry, who says the new draft text will contain stronger language A doorway, some tired security guards, and a few stray journalists...

Dulcie Lee

Live reporter, at COP28

All eyes are on one key room here at COP28, where the ministers of various countries are thrashing out what they can and can't agree to in this global deal to tackle climate change.

Sadly for us, the door is closed, with only occasional glimpses inside.

Outside? A bunch of tired-looking security guards, and a few stray journalists pacing up and down.

BBCCopyright: BBC
It doesn't look like much, but I promise interesting things are going on inside...Image caption: It doesn't look like much, but I promise interesting things are going on inside...

As the clock ticks past 23:00 here in Dubai, some of our team are hedging our bets and heading for a quick rest.

The next key moment will be when a draft deal drops - with many nations hoping it'll contain stronger wording than the current one, which has ditched a promise of phasing out fossil fuels.

We're handing over to colleagues in our London newsroom, who will continue to break all the key lines for the next few hours.

UN CLIMATE CHANGE/KIARA WORTHCopyright: UN CLIMATE CHANGE/KIARA WORTH
UN climate chief Simon Stiell was seen meeting delegates a few moments agoImage caption: UN climate chief Simon Stiell was seen meeting delegates a few moments ago

As the night deepens here in Dubai, rumours are flying about the new draft agreement text that has been expected since 18:00 local time (14:00 GMT).

The expectation is that this new draft will be the last.

My colleagues have seen ministers and negotiators shuffling and shuttling between rooms as this giant conference centre begins to thin out.

Sultan al-Jaber is meeting with several major country groups, and the most realistic expectation from his team is that a text will drop sometime overnight here.

Delegates will have a couple of hours to get to grips with it, to let it "marinate" as one observer put it, before what's hoped will be the final, huge meeting to approve an agreement. That's likely to begin around 08:00 Dubai time (04:00 GMT).
A silent smile from the COP president

Georgina Rannard

Climate reporter, at COP28

We've just caught a glimpse of the COP28 president as he walked between meetings – he looks quite relaxed.

I asked him if the new draft climate deal is more ambitious. He smiled, but said nothing.

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His team say he's been in "extensive consultations" with many groups and nations to ensure everyone is heard, and all views are considered.

They say he'll be in those consultations until 03:00 local time (23:00 GMT).
COP team's private talks - who's in and who's out?

Georgina Rannard

Climate reporter, at COP28

BBCCopyright: BBC

The COP28 president is still talking to nations and groups one-on-one. It looks like there's a long night ahead of us.

I'm waiting in the hall outside Sultan al-Jaber's cordoned off offices.

I just saw UN climate chief Simon Stiell walking in surrounded by his team. He didn't seem in the mood to talk.

And on their way out, I saw Tuvalu negotiator Mervina Paueli, with the rest of the Alliance of Small Island States team. They represent nations most at risk from climate change.

She told me they're hoping for something ambitious from this text, but they will have more to say later.
I spoke to Mervina Paueli, 25, last week about the future of her island in the PacificImage caption: I spoke to Mervina Paueli, 25, last week about the future of her island in the Pacific BreakingFossil fuel language stronger in new draft deal - US

Esme Stallard

Climate reporter, at COP28

US climate envoy John Kerry says the new draft text - which is still being thrashed out - is progressing on fossil fuels.

He was asked by journalists, as he made his way between government meetings, if the language around fossil fuels was stronger.

"Yes it is," he replied.

We're still awaiting a copy of the latest draft as we go beyond 21:00 here in Dubai - countries have been locked in negotiations all day.

This is the first insight we've had into the new deal is shaping up.
Anger at UK minister for leaving the talks

Georgina Rannard

Climate reporter, at COP28

EPACopyright: EPA
Graham Stuart was spotted during the negotiations yesterdayImage caption: Graham Stuart was spotted during the negotiations yesterday

Charities and opposition politicians are angry that UK climate minister Graham Stuart has left the Dubai climate talks as they enter the final hours.

He's flown back to the UK to vote in Parliament tonight - Rishi Sunak is racing to shore up support for his Rwanda bill.

ActionAid called Stuart's departure "a slap in the face to countries urging major polluters like the UK to act".

And Oxfam said: "There can be no more tragic outcome for UK climate diplomacy than this - flying home from talks to avert a climate catastrophe at the most critical moment".

Green MP Caroline Lucas said the government's "last shred of moral authority in tackling the climate emergency has been obliterated".

In the last hour, Stuart reiterated that the UK "will only agree to a statement that agrees to a phase out of unabated fossil fuels to meet our climate goals".

We're trying to find out if that means the UK will turn down any deal without the language.

The government says the UK is still being represented at these talks by their chief negotiator as well as Lord Benyon, who is joint junior climate minister.
Fiji’s chief negotiator 'hopeful of being heard'

Emma Calder

Reporting from COP28

BBCCopyright: BBC

As we continue to wait for movement here in Dubai, one of the negotiators has given us an insight into Monday's late-night talks.

Fiji's lead negotiator on climate change, Ambassador Amena Yauvoli, says he was up negotiating until 02:00 this morning.

Fiji, a low-lying island state in the Pacific, is pushing for global average temperature increases not to breach the key threshold of 1.5C, which scientists say is vital to fending off the most devastating impacts of climate change.

He says there were “some areas of divergences and areas of convergence” in the talks.

“We are hopeful that the presidency is hearing our voices, because it's a collective voice," he says.
A waiting game in the balmy - and smoggy - night air

Dulcie Lee

Live reporter, at COP28

The sun has set here at COP28 in Dubai, and wandering through the tree-lined boulevards a few moments ago there was a distinct sense of the calm before the storm (that disappeared momentarily when I spilled dinner all over myself).

A handful of people were strolling around in the warm evening air, but the busiest place seemed to be the food court, with the more strategic among us stocking up on snacks ahead of a potentially long night.

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The nightly light show dominates the skyline here at COP28 - by Friday, it'll be the venue for Dubai's Winter Wonderland...Image caption: The nightly light show dominates the skyline here at COP28 - by Friday, it'll be the venue for Dubai's Winter Wonderland...

It's a waiting game here, as everyone holds their breath (or catches a few moments of shut-eye) ahead of a fresh climate proposal being released.

All 198 countries must agree to the plan, which will outline how the world will tackle climate change.

The COP presidency will hope that this offer lands better. Despite suggesting this morning that the backlash last night - over the removal of plans to phase out fossil fuels - was all part of the strategy, the fierce reaction from some quarters will surely be forefront of their minds tonight.
In pictures: COP28 draft deal fuels protest

As we've reported, there was widespread fury when yesterday's draft deal was published - and that anger was apparent in protests at Expo City in Dubai today.

As negotiations in Dubai reach ther final stages, the EU's climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra has weighed in on the state of play.

Hoekstra says the EU wants this year's COP "to mark the beginning of the end of fossil fuels" and his delegation will continue to push for that.

In a statement on X, Hoekstra says the EU and other negotiating parties - including the High Ambition Coalition (HAC), the Alliance of Small Island States (Aosis) and the Umbrella Group - are working together.