UN climate summit drops mention of fossil fuels from draft deal

All new mention of fossil fuels, by far the largest contributor to climate change, has been dropped from the draft deal under negotiation as the COP30 UN climate talks in Belém, Brazil enter their final stretch.

The fight pits groups of countries against each other, but all 194 parties must agree in order to pass a deal at the two-week summit.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and some countries including the UK want the summit to commit nations to stronger, faster action to reduce their use of fossil fuels.

An earlier text included three possible routes to achieve this, but it has been dropped after opposition from oil-producing nations.

Thousands of negotiators, experts and activists remain at the venue, which has been patched up after a fire burnt through a ceiling on Thursday.

Country representatives have been holed up for several hours inside a negotiation room, guarded by security officials.

Speaking to journalists outside, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Miliband said the UK was determined to keep “alive” at the talks a plan to take further action on fossil fuels.

“We are determined that one way or another, this innovative idea, with the support of more than 80 countries to have a roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels, is kept alive at this COP,” he said.

Mr Miliband added: “I think that in 10-20 years time people will say, “You were the generation that saw the climate crisis around you. Did you take action? Did you rise to the challenge. It’s that sense of what will people think of us in the future that keeps me going.”

Earlier, a group of countries including the UK published a letter saying they had “deep concern” and rejecting the new draft deal.

Two years ago, COP28 in Dubai committed countries to “transition away from fossil fuels” but did not bind countries to specific actions or timelines.

A group of more than 80 nations want COP30 to create that plan and pass stronger language about moving away from oil, coal and gas.

A source close to the negotiations said that Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations are blocking the fossil fuel deal. The BBC has approached Saudi Arabia for comment.

French Environment Minister Monique Barbut said the deal was being blocked by “oil-producing countries – Russia, India, Saudi Arabia, but joined by many emerging countries.”

She suggested that small island nations may agree to a weaker deal on fossil fuels if they secured more finance to adapt to the changes in their countries caused by rising temperatures.

On France’s position she said: “At this point, even if we don’t have the roadmap, but at least a mention of the fossil fuels, I think we would accept it. But as it stands now, we have nothing left.”

Dropping the language is likely to be a negotiating tactic to raise the temperature at the talks and force countries to come to agreement.

In the hallways, groups of campaigners are chanting “fossil fuels out” and hanging banners saying “Stop Amazon oil” and “1.5C under threat: time to act”.

“A good outcome could mean giving us a future and a present that it is worth fighting for,” International Youth Climate Movement campaigner Shurabe Mercado, from Mexico told BBC News.

“Our generation is most at risk and we are most at stake.”

The meeting is a fraught and delicate diplomatic process as countries jostle to protect their national interests, while also attempting to address the issue of climate change.

Some observers question the value of the complex, legalistic talks which almost always over-run.

But others point to the significant advances in measures to tackle climate change, including renewable energy, electric vehicles, and protection of nature in recent years linked to COP agreements.

Other issues discussed at the COP include the gap in climate finance promised by richer nations to developing nations that are most impacted by climate change.

The new draft deal called for global efforts to triple financing available to countries by 2030.

But it did not say if this should come from richer nations or from other sources, like the private sector.

This could anger poorer countries who want stronger support from richer nations and heavily criticised a deal at last year’s COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, which they considered paltry.

Deforestation has been been a fraught issue at the meeting, which takes place on the edge of the Brazilian Amazon.

The new draft also weakened language around tackling deforestation.

“For a COP hosted in the Amazon, it’s shattering that deforestation is taking a back seat,” said Kelly Dent, Director of External Engagement for World Animal Protection.

“The wildlife and indigenous people who call the forest their home deserve better than this.”

The two-week meeting has been interrupted by two evacuations.

Last week a group of protesters broke into the COP venue in Belém carrying signs reading “Our forests are not for sale”.

On Thursday a fire broke out, burning a hole through the sheeting covering the venue and causing 13 smoke inhalation injuries. The summit was evacuated and closed for at least six hours.

The summit has been praised for including the largest number yet of delegates from indigenous groups.