Countries Demand Fossil Fuel Phase-Out Roadmap at COP30

"...in a significant escalation of tensions at the crunch talks..."

"...boiled over on Thursday night..."

"...strongly worded letter..."

"...leaked letter..."

"...simmering row..."

"...threatened to walk out of the talks..."

"...fire broke out in part of the conference centre..."

"...talks were suspended for more than six hours..."

"...red line..."

"...vast majority of Parties..."

"...science and by the people who are watching our work closely..."

"...The world is looking to this Cop to demonstrate continuity and progress after the Global Stocktake..."

"...Anything less would inevitably be seen as a step backward..."

"...historic decision made at Cop28 in Dubai in 2023..."

"...set out for the first time a pledge by all countries to 'transition away from fossil fuels'..."

"...set out no timeline for the transition and no measures on how to achieve it..."

"...some countries – chiefly Saudi Arabia – have tried to unpick it..."

"...attempt to reconfirm the commitment failed in the face of opposition..."

"...countries in favour of the phase-out took a different tack..."

"...draw up proposals for a forum in which all countries could take part..."

"...discuss a possible roadmap for the transition..."

"...would not require any country to sign up to a firm deadline for a phase-out..."

"...would allow all countries to choose their own policies and pathways..."

"...would not be completed at this Cop..."

"...would take at least a year or more of work at future Cops to be fully articulated..."

"...More than 80 countries joined the initiative..."

"...held a press conference on Tuesday to announce their plans..."

"...this was too much for the countries that are still opposed to such a commitment..."

"...led by some members of a group known as the 'like-minded developing countries'..."

"...loose grouping which includes Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran and Bolivia..."

"...signatories to the letter in favour of the phase-out of fossil fuels include: Austria, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Marshall Islands, México, Monaco, the Netherlands, Panamá, Palau, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Vanuatu..."

"...The fortnight of talks in Belem are scheduled to end on Friday evening..."

"...delayed by the fire..."

"...caused some damage to the venue but in which no one was hurt..."

"...likely to carry on into the weekend..."

"...row over the transition away from fossil fuels is likely to dominate..."

"...other issues also remain to be resolved..."

"...response to the fact that countries’ national climate plans are too weak to limit global heating to 1.5C as set out in the 2015 Paris agreement..."

"...questions of finance, trade and transparency..."

"...how much cash developing countries will receive to help them adapt to the impacts of the climate crisis..."