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COP28 deal agreed amid controversy over ‘phasing out’ of fossil fuels

2023-12-14T11:44:00-05:00

A climate deal has been struck by global leaders at the COP28 UN climate summit in Dubai following days of negotiations. The agreement calls for all countries to move away from using fossil fuels, though stops short of phasing them out. The final text, signed by 200 countries, recognizes a “need for deep, rapid, and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.”

The pact calls on countries to “transition away” from fossil fuels for energy systems but not for other sectors such as plastics, transport, or agriculture. At the beginning of the conference, the hosting UAE president had proposed a deal to “phase out” fossil fuels entirely; language explicitly called for by a coalition of over 100 countries. However, an initial draft of the deal removed the reference to “phasing out” fossil fuels, as did the final agreement, leading one delegate representing small island states to claim the final text contained a “litany of loopholes.”

Among the commitments in the deal are a tripling o...

EU member states agree to major building emissions cuts at COP28

2023-12-12T18:21:00-05:00

If approved in its current form, the deal struck on Thursday night will also force member states to put solar panels on more buildings, starting with new public buildings and offices and expanding to include new homes by 2030. [...] It is a compromise on the European Commission’s original proposals to renovate the leakiest homes, which member states had fought fiercely.

The EU’s pledge mandates that all new buildings will have zero emissions from fossil fuels in that timeframe, with heating systems derived from fossil fuels phased out by 2040. The expansion of heat pump subsidies will be a decisive factor, along with the mandatory installation of solar panels on everything except heritage architecture, churches, and agricultural buildings by the decade’s end. Also at the conference, six other member states joined the U.S., Canada, and UK in pledging their commitments to the UNEP Buildings Breakthrough challenge that will further reduce emissions by 2030. Signatories will also have until 2035 to cut emissions in residential structures by at least 20%.

Still, the Climate Action Network’s Eva Brardinelli, told the Guardian: “The final agreement on the directive missed a significant opportunity to lift millions out of energy poverty and cut our dependence on fossil fuels.”

The changes are likely to be formally adopted via the European Parliament in th...

AIA will send nine-member delegation to COP28 in Dubai

2023-11-28T19:15:00-05:00

The American Institute of Architects today announced the appointment of a nine-member delegation that will represent the professional body at the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) ahead of its commencement this Thursday in Dubai.

In a separate announcement today, AIA says its 96,000-strong community is one of the “best kept secrets” in the fight against climate change. As such, the aim of its envoy is to foster strategic partnerships with industry and government in addition to promoting much of the AIA’s own climate platform and 2030 Commitment. Their input will provide a valuable source of knowledge for policymakers while advocating for the better health of the built environment overall, the Institute states.

“AIA and its delegation are eager to attend COP28. Being here ensures the voice of architects is heard in the global conversation about urgent climate change. Buildings are currently responsible for 40 percent of carbon emissions,” 2023 AIA President Em...