Jakarta, CNN Indonesia --
The results of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil remain deadlocked after the European Union refused to accept the draft agreement. The agreement is considered incapable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions that trigger climate change.
The two-week conference held in Belem, Amazon, was originally scheduled to end Friday (November 21) evening local time. However, the schedule was pushed back as negotiations continued late into the night.
Brazil has positioned the summit as a defining moment for global climate cooperation. The summit urges countries to bridge gaps on a range of issues, including the future of fossil fuels.
"This is not an agenda that divides us," COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago told delegates in a plenary session.
"We have to reach an agreement between us," he added.
Several developing countries have countered the European Union's position, urging them to commit to funding poorer countries to address climate change.
"We can't just work on one track. If there's a track for fossil fuels, there has to be a track for climate finance as well," said a negotiator from a developing country, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Differing positions on fossil fuels, CO2 emission reductions and funding highlight the difficulty of reaching consensus at the annual conference.
A draft text of the agreement, as quoted by Reuters Saturday (22/11), released by Brazil on Friday morning, does not contain any reference to fossil fuels, thus eliminating various options that had been included in the previous version.
Dozens of countries, including major oil and gas producing nations, have opposed these options.
At the previous summit, around 80 countries had demanded that COP30 deliver a plan to transition away from fossil fuels. However, by Friday evening, many countries had signaled their acceptance of a fossil fuel-free agreement.
Burning fossil fuels produces greenhouse gases which are by far the largest contributor to global warming.
United on fossil fuels
The 27-member European Union considers the text too weak.
"Under no circumstances will we accept this," EU Commissioner for Climate Wopke Hoekstra said in a statement on Friday.
The European Union has indicated that it could go beyond its comfort zone to fund developing countries. However, it would do so only if certain parts of the text could reduce global warming emissions.
On Friday evening, some European negotiators were considering the option of walking away from the talks, rather than accepting a deal.
A Brazilian negotiator told Reuters that the fossil fuel language was unlikely to be reintroduced, and that the summit presidency was only pressing for minor adjustments to the existing draft.
Three sources said the 22-nation Arab Group negotiating bloc, which includes Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, did not include its energy industry in the discussions.
Saudi Arabia conveyed a statement from Arab Group to negotiators, warning that its industry would derail negotiations. Saudi Arabia did not respond to a request for comment sent to the Saudi government communications office.
Multilateralism under pressure
 The draft agreement at the COP30 climate summit is considered incapable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions that trigger climate change. (CNN Indonesia/Adhi Wicaksono) |
The draft agreement also calls for a global effort to double funding to help countries adapt to climate change by 2030.
However, the draft does not specify whether these funds would be provided directly by wealthy countries or other sources, including development banks or the private sector.
The text of the agreement requires consensus approval among the nearly 200 countries present to be adopted.
Corrêa do Lago said the multilateral show of unity was an important signal given the US's absence this year. President Donald Trump has called global warming a hoax.
"The world is watching," he said.
(thr/asr)
