Who’s not: Most of the corporate types and lobbyists, who headed for the hills once the parties came to a halt. DRAMA IN DUBAI FOSSIL FUEL COP OUT: There were dramatic scenes late Monday, as the latest draft text was published — with a reference to a full “phaseout” of fossil fuels from previous versions scrapped. Won’t anybody think of the children? Countries on both sides of the fossil divide lined up to rankle at the text at the fractious closed-door meeting Monday night, which Playbook tuned into via an unsanctioned feed. “I don’t know what will happens to my kids tomorrow if we stick to this text,” France’s Minister for Energy Transition Agnès Pannier-Runacher said. Pick your put-down: More criticism came thick and fast, with some delegations including the EU vowing to walk away if the draft declaration isn’t changed. A sample of the reactions: — “Deeply offensive,” said former U.S. Vice President Al Gore. — A “death warrant,” said John Silk, minister of natural resources of the Marshall Islands. — “A dog’s dinner,” according to Greenpeace. — “Completely insufficient,” the Alliance of Small Island States said. — “Not good enough,” said Mary Robinson, chair of The Elders. — “Gravely fails to provide the step forward we desperately need,” according to Global Justice Now. — “Who does this text actually serve?” asked Alok Sharma, the COP26 president. ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE: But despite howls of outrage, the latest text does contain the first explicit mention of “fossil fuels” in any COP declaration (a pledge to reduce coal, but not oil or gas, was referenced at COP26). Specifically, the draft text calls on parties to take action that “could” include “reducing both consumption and production of fossil fuels, in a just, orderly and equitable manner, so as to achieve net zero by, before or around 2050, in keeping with the science.” WHAT NEXT? Heads of delegations and ministers were locked in meetings overnight, with a new text expected this morning. SAUDI SABOTAGE THE NEW BAD BOY OF COP: Al-Jaber must be breathing a sigh of relief: While the UAE came in for a deluge of criticism for its oil-producing antics in the early days of COP28, now Saudi Arabia has become Public Enemy No. 1. Riyadh digs in: In recent days, Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, became the main block to a commitment to phase down or phase out fossil fuel — something that would be truly ground-breaking. Lavish greenwashing: Unsurprisingly, the deep-pocketed kingdom had one of the most OTT pavilions at COP this year. The futuristic Saudi Green Initiative Forum which dominates the Green Zone skyline aimed to showcase Riyadh’s “green” credentials — such as its increase in renewable energy capacity. Disney in the desert: The interactive exhibit takes visitors through a kaleidoscopic “experience,” which begins with 3D versions of Saudi’s historic sites like the Rajajil Columns, through to a giant Earth hologram, before finishing outside in a real-life arboretum. Jamal Khashoggi who? Immerse yourself in the soothing music and you could almost forget that Saudi Arabia consistently ranks as one of the most repressive countries in the world, according to bodies like Freedom House and Amnesty International. BIDEN CAN’T WIN: Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden‘s landmark green investment program known as the Inflation Reduction Act, which contains hundreds of billions in climate and green energy incentives, has been a big talking point here at COP. But while the rest of the world can’t get enough of it, Bidenomics is falling flat with American voters, report my colleagues Karl Mathiesen, Zack Colman and Charlie Cooper. DISUNITED STATES: COP28 saw a big turnout of U.S. members of Congress from both sides of the aisle. But despite attempts to project unity, huge divisions between Democrats and Republicans were on show — particularly on fossil fuels, write Emma Dumain, Sara Schonhardt and Zack Colman. Trump 2.0: Looming over it all? What it means for the world’s climate ambitions if the man who yanked the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement returns to the White House. But as Zack Colman writes, the Republican lawmakers who trekked to Dubai for the U.N. climate gathering made it clear they weren’t eager to discuss the former president.
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