Explainer: COP28 deal on fossil fuels gives impetus to 'just transition'
The hard-won agreement at the COP28 climate summit to transition away from fossil fuels for energy was heralded as the “beginning of the end” for the production and use of oil, coal and gas, and a key step in limiting global warming.
But what does that mean for workers whose jobs and incomes depend on extracting polluting fuels from the ground, or burning them in power plants?
From coal miners to offshore oil rig engineers, the 32 million people who work in the fossil fuel industry face losing their livelihoods over time as the global energy mix turns greener and the share of renewables — like solar and wind - grows.
Related Knowledge Center: Climate diplomacy: COP 28
The 28th Conference of the Parties on climate change is planned for Nov. 30 through Dec. 12, 2023, in Dubai.
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: fossil fuels
Fossil fuels — coal, oil and natural gas, primarily — remain the dominant energy sources for much of the world, with their accompanying infrastructure of mines, drilling and production wells, pipelines and various forms of transportation. But they have become more problematic as governments struggle to address climate change and pivot to energy sources that do not result in carbon dioxide emissions.