COP28: US Bishops call for socially sustainable decarbonization

By Lisa Zengarini

U.S. bishops have joined worldwide calls urging the over 90,000 leaders and participants in the COP28  in Dubai to commit to a decisive acceleration of the transition from fossil to clean energy to contain the devastating impact of climate change, and to supporting the most vulnerable in the process.

In a statement issued on the eve of the U.N climate conference,  they described decarbonization of global economies, through the replacement of fossil fuels with secure, reliable, affordable, and clean energy, as "the preeminent environmental challenge faced by all nations." 

The question of fossil fuels at the heart of discussions

The summit kicked off on Thursday, 30 November, two days after the Holy See announced Pope Francis had cancelled his plans to attend the summit as he recovers from flu and a pulmonary infection.  

The meeting is expected to be a watershed moment for some kind of pledge to end fossil fuel expansion and to “phase out” existing production to meet the 2015 Paris Agreement goal of holding average global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius compared to preindustrial times.

According to climate scientists, surpassing 1,5 °C would expose the planet to more frequent and intense heat waves, droughts, floods and other extreme weather affecting the livelihood of millions of people.

Developing countries, alongside many faith-based organizations and civil society groups, have called for nations in Dubai to commit to a full phaseout of coal, oil and gas which are the primary drivers of climate change. Fossil-producing countries have instead proposed a "phasedown" or phaseout of "unabated fossil fuels", which would allow continued use and production of the carbon-emitting fuel sources alongside the development of carbon-capture-and-sequestration technologies to pull emissions from the atmosphere.

Achieving a decisive acceleration of energy transition

The statement from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) referred to Pope Francis' recent Apostolic Exhortation ‘Laudate Deum’ (Praise God) in which the Pope urged world leaders to act on climate change as the planet nears the “point of no return.”

"The climate crisis is an opportunity to reconfigure international relations toward the common good" where countries and communities can work together to "achieve a decisive acceleration of energy transition," the bishops wrote, quoting the papal document published on October 4, 2023, ahead of COP28.

Global economic system still largely powered by fossil fuels

They noted that "Despite the tremendous growth of renewable energy worldwide, the global economic system remains largely powered by fossil fuels.”

The bishops acknowledged recent decarbonization efforts in the United States, the world's largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases, to direct investments towards climate infrastructure and technological development.

The ‘cry of the earth’ and the ‘cry of the poor’

However, they warned that efforts to shift to renewable sources "won't be successful if they significantly increase energy costs for middle- and low-income citizens," and without “financial support by developed nations for adaptation, resilience, and recovery of the most vulnerable.”

"Justice for the poor, including the 3.3 billion people worldwide with limited energy and 700 million without any electricity, constitutes an essential test of ethical climate policy”, the statement concluded.

Launch of Climate Lost and Damage Fund in Dubai

COP28 will run until 12 December. The meeting is to carry out the first global assessment of the landmark agreement reached at COP21 in Paris.

On the opening day, a major breakthrough was achieved with the finalization of the long-sought climate Loss and Damage Fund, following the agreement reached by the Parties in 2022 at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh to supply developing countries with recovery funds in response to the effects of climate disasters.