COP28: takeaways from our experts on the ground
Written By
COP28 concluded this week with a landmark agreement on a “transition away” from fossil fuels. But despite ending with this historic deal, credibility concerns over the commitments remain, with many climate groups calling for the language on fossil fuels to be strengthened. How nations and the business community will interpret and respond to the ambitious targets set out in the agreement remains to be seen, as we now enter the implementation phase of taking climate action forward. It’s a significant step in the right direction, but it’s clear there’s a lot of work still to be done.
Our experts Peter Dann Jørgensen, Matthias Lang, and Casper Moltke-Leth report back from their time at COP28 in Dubai. Casper also spoke on a panel focusing on the issue of the just transition, whilst Matthias spoke on accelerating permitting for renewable energy and on making mobility more sustainable.
Here are their takeaways from the conference:
Peter Dann Jørgensen: “Our presence on the ground at COP28 has allowed us to keep abreast of the key issues at stake for our clients when it comes to climate challenges. We are working to help clients future-proof their businesses as they assess the impact of COP28 and what the agreements might mean in practice. Digital solutions and technologies have been a game-changer at this year’s COP. They can slash the time for data collection, analysis, and reporting, and streamline the documentation for permits without compromising environmental standards. By embracing these strategies, we can make environmental permitting a catalyst for sustainable development, and pave the way for a greener and more sustainable future.”
Matthias Lang: “COP28 is part of an iterative process to decide how we address the climate challenge at a global level. Whilst not everyone may agree on the pace of change required, or who should do what, it was encouraging to see how much common ground there was in terms of the challenges that stakeholders across all sectors are facing. The opportunity to come together to share our different perspectives, progress and lessons learned was invaluable. The power of collaboration when it comes to finding innovative solutions to some of the most pressing issues of our time was at the heart of the conference. Intelligent use of technology will be a key driver to getting us to net zero and beyond.”
Casper Moltke-Leth: “It was amazing to see the comprehensiveness and level of granularity of what COP28 addressed. The summit has grown from being primarily discussions at a state level just a few years ago, into a powerful agent of change for global transformative climate action. Topics discussed ranged from macro challenges of how we assure that communities are not left behind as we transition to a carbon-free economy, to micro hands-on issues such as speeding up how quickly authorities give permissions to new renewable energy projects. The summit has sent a clear message – renewables are the way forward and they will dominate the energy landscape of the future. The final agreement addresses the need for a global shift away from fossil fuels and urges countries to triple their renewable energy capacity by 2030.”
