INTERVIEW: COP28, the transition from fossil fuels and the Loss and Damage fund

The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly known as COP28, was held from 30 November to 12 December in Dubai. Every year, the 198 signatories to the convention discuss efforts to limit climate change and adapt to its effects.

This year the main focus was global progress on the Paris Agreement, a crucial legally binding climate change deal signed by the parties in 2015. For Southasia, the conference was primarily about finding financial assistance for their communities, who face the worst impacts of climate change and have the highest adaptation costs. 

At the end of COP28, participants agreed to transition away from fossil fuels for the first time. Another milestone was the establishment of a loss and damage fund to help countries vulnerable to climate change. However, many participants said the language of the agreement did not go far enough and left too many loopholes to ensure the delivery of commitments on climate change. Developing countries were also left disappointed by a lack of financial support to mitigate the impacts of climate change

In this edition of Himal Interviews, Assistant Editor Nayantara Narayanan interviews Simon Evans, deputy editor and senior policy editor at Carbon Brief. Simon covers climate and energy policy and closely followed the negotiations in Dubai during COP28 and spoke to Himal Southasian about historical carbon emissions and what they indicate about the impact of colonialism on climate change. 

Is the world making real progress towards net-zero emissions? 

Episode Notes:

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Simon Evan's reading list

Environment and empire by William Beinart and Lotte Hughes

This interview is now available on Soundcloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.