Is this the beginning of the end for fossil fuel use?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

COP28 has once again made headlines as, after days of negotiations & uncertainty, a ‘landmark deal’ has been struck, calling for countries to transition away from fossil fuels.

Whilst this is quite the monumental development - especially as this is the very first time reducing fossil fuel use has been explicitly mentioned in a COP text - some are reportedly disappointed that this isn’t quite the ‘phase out’ hoped for.

However disappointed some may be at this news, many are viewing this as what can only be described as a step in the right direction to a renewable future and the ‘beginning of the end’ of fossil fuel use. But does this really mark the beginning of the end for fossil fuels?

Is this the beginning of the end for fossil fuel use?

The text agreed is particularly interesting as it recognises that greenhouse gas emissions will peak but also that each nation will take a different approach to achieve a successful transition away from fossil fuels.

This, alongside references to Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage which have been criticised as a way of ‘slowing down’ the transition to renewables.

Within this, it’s important to note that news of this deal has only just been released and, as such, it’s difficult to find a deadline by which the countries in agreement of this deal should successfully transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Until we know, then, whether there is a deadline associated with this transition, we can only assume that agreeing nations may indeed make the move at their own pace which, understandably, could take decades, especially for developing countries.

What’s more, and we’ve spoken about this before, fossil fuels and - in particular - oil are so deeply ingrained in our manufacturing processes, products, transport and generally our way of life that, in practical terms, it would take several decades to truly remove oil from our daily lives.

Having said this, however, over 100 countries coming together and agreeing to work towards a future free from fossil fuels and reliant on renewable and alternative energy sources is huge and marks a global shift towards renewables as the primary source of global energy; marking a milestone moment for the renewable energy industry and hopefully the beginning of many important and serious open conversations around how countries across the world can transition to renewable energy comfortably, safely and sustainably.