The first week of the COP28 climate negotiations has seen mixed results. While significant progress has been made on some key issues, the outcome of the Global Stocktake is uncertain. 

Country negotiators have produced a long draft text on the Global Stocktake, with multiple options, including one on a fossil fuel phaseout. WWF, along with many others, will be pushing to keep “phase out fossil fuels” in the text and on top of the agenda.

However, progress has been slow and difficult on many other issues, including the Mitigation Work Program, the Global Goal on Adaptation and food systems.
 

• What is COP28 and does it matter?
• Climate change: Who should foot the bill?
• Fossil fuels vs renewable energy
• COP28: What is the Global Stocktake?
• WWF at COP28: Find out more

WWF is calling on negotiators to prioritize a successful outcome of the Global Stocktake, which is a crucial assessment of progress towards the Paris Agreement goals.

“The progress made at COP28 so far has been disappointing and does not reflect the urgency called for by science and people suffering from the climate crisis,” said Dr Stephen Cornelius, WWF Deputy Global Climate and Energy Lead. 

“There is a lot to do in the remaining five days of negotiating time to achieve the course correction needed to adequately respond to the climate emergency.”

WWF is also concerned about the lack of progress on nature and food systems. 

The current draft of the Global Stocktake does not include a reference to nature-based solutions, and food systems are currently being sidelined from the negotiations.

“In the next week’s political phase of the negotiations we need to see decisions that secure a major course correction in global climate action,” said Shirley Matheson, WWF Global NDC Enhancement Coordinator.

“Ministers must strengthen the texts, bring in missing elements, and resolve disagreements. They must keep the strongest elements of the Global Stocktake text, especially on a fossil fuel phaseout and emissions reductions needed by 2035.”

“Those in negotiation rooms cannot be tone-deaf to science and urgency,” added João Campari, WWF Global Food Lead. 

“We will not achieve any of the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement without more ambitious, comprehensive, and equitable climate action on food. Negotiators can’t squander another opportunity by excluding food systems transformation from the Global Stocktake. It has to be reinstated - and meaningfully.”

WWF is urging negotiators to seize this critical opportunity to deliver a strong outcome from COP28.

Find out more: panda.org/cop28