At the latest Knowledge Insights event, held on 17 October 2023, Professor John Fitzgerald, member of the Climate Change Advisory Council, looked forward to COP28 which will be held in Dubai from 30 November until 12 December 2023. The discussion was facilitated by Dr Irene Lynch Fannon and Dr Juliette Casey of the Knowledge Management Team.
The Transition from Fossil Fuel to Renewable Energy
Speaking about the significance of the location of this year's conference, Professor Fitzgerald recognised that nations such as the UAE are dependent on the continued use of fossil fuels and have been slow in the past to implement climate policies. However, he stressed that all countries need to be involved in this conversation if the transition to clean energy is going to be effective.
Professor Fitzgerald was hopeful that President-delegate Al Jaber's ambitious targets to triple the world’s renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030 could be realised, but he emphasised that the feasibility of these targets depended on the availability of cheap sustainable solutions. He was firmly of the view that cheaper renewable energy resources were essential to ensure accessibility and convenience to the Global North.
Professor Fitzgerald emphasised that global co-operation was required to assist countries in the Global South to adapt to extreme weather and climate change. He noted that the frustration felt by countries in the Global South is understandable given the slow pace at which countries in the Global North are recognising the gravity of the problems climate change will create in the coming decades. He sees the Global North's role as providing these cheap sustainable solutions to facilitate an easier transition globally.
The Loss and Damage Fund
Addressing the financing of a just transition, Professor Fitzgerald praised the creation of a Loss and Damage Fund, recently discussed in the Synthesis Report of the First Global Stocktake which we have written about here. The Fund is aimed at assisting the Global South to adapt to the effects of climate change, ensuring that those who are the least responsible for carbon emissions do not have to bear an unequal burden in the transition process. One of the priority topics at the COP28 will be to identify adequate funding arrangements and ensuring that funding is distributed equitably. Professor Fitzgerald noted that one point of contention at the COP28 will be deciding which countries will be entitled to benefit from the Fund.
The Planning and Development Bill 2022
Professor Fitzgerald spoke about the frequency of appeals and judicial reviews of planning permission for sustainable infrastructure projects. Criticising the current legislative regime for placing too much weight on local interests over the wider public good, he was of the view that the right to raise objections and to appeal these decisions must be balanced against the public good in providing renewable energy sources. He was not hopeful that the changes under the proposed s.249 of the Planning and Development Bill 2022, regarding standing for lodging planning objections, will be sufficient.
EU Regulation
Professor Fitzgerald addressed the role of legislation and policy in the transition process. The European Union is a global leader in climate change regulation, seen for example by the introduction of Regulation (EU) 2019/631 setting CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and for new light commercial vehicles. This kind of regulation is to be welcomed and encouraged, as it makes sustainable transition low-cost and easy for business. However, overregulation can discourage the provision of cheaper solutions to facilitate transition. Professor Fitzgerald gave the example of the EU policy requiring that all battery parts used in electric vehicles have to be made in the EU or the UK to qualify for tariff-free trade, which in-turn inhibits the use of cheaper batteries made in China. The key message was that a balance must be found between positive regulation that protects the environment while also encouraging a transition to renewable energy.
Adaptation and Mitigation in Ireland
As the effects of climate change escalate, Professor Fitzgerald looked to Ireland's future and spoke of the difficulties faced by an island nation as sea levels continue to rise. Emphasis was placed on the need for forward government planning in the areas of climate adaption and mitigation, such as managing forest fires and constructing flood defences. While individual investment can be a catalyst for private projects, Professor Fitzgerald was firmly of the view that funding for large-scale adaptation and mitigation projects requires public financing.
A recording of the webinar is available on our Matheson Knowledge Hub. If you would like to access the webinar, please contact knowledgehub@matheson.com. If you would like to be invited to future Matheson webinars, you can subscribe to our various mailing lists here.
Further insight pieces about COP28 are available on the Matheson Insights page.