November 18, 2022, Sharm el-Sheikh: On the last official day of negotiations at COP27, a new draft cover text has emerged, with a clear emphasis on the urgent need to “accelerate” the “phase down of unabated coal power” as well as new elements focussing on enhancing renewable energy investment and expanding Just Energy Transitions around the world.

The new text reaffirms the global consensus to phase down unabated coal power that was decided in Glasgow last year, and reiterated in the G20 earlier this week. It highlights that to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees, global greenhouse gasses need to fall by 45% this decade, and this will require an urgent transformation of global energy systems.

A clear addition of this new text is the emphasis on the need to support developing countries in their own Just Energy Transitions, through yearly ministerial meetings. Just Energy Transition Partnerships have been one of the clear success stories of a challenging COP27, with South Africa announcing its initial Investment Plan, and Indonesia announcing a Just Energy Transition Partnership worth $20 billion earlier this week.

To get there, the new draft decision highlights that renewable energy will play a key role in this global energy transformation, requiring a $4 trillion investment annually. If included, this could result in the first specific mentions of renewable energy within a UNFCCC final decision text since 2015, and would reinforce the exponential growth of renewable energy globally. In reaction to the text, global coal and energy experts said:

Dave Jones, Global Programmes Lead, Ember

“It’s good to see there’s no backsliding on the words coming out of COP26 last year. At the highest level, it reaffirms the resolution to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees, but it gives until next November for countries to update their 2030 plans. Coal phasedown still stands. There is one step forward, which is that “renewable energy” is mentioned three times, taking away the emphasis from other less desirable forms of “low-carbon” or “clean” energy, which is a positive development. Renewable energy hasn’t been mentioned in a COP cover decision since 2015.“

Camilla Fenning, Program Leader, E3G

“After the G20 reaffirmed its commitment to efforts to phase down coal, it’s good to see the COP draft also containing a clear reference to Glasgow’s coal phase down, as well as the explicit articulation of renewable energy as the driver of the coal to clean transition. But it would have been good to see more specific targets on renewables, energy efficiency and peak emissions, and to include commitments to phase down all fossil fuels. Following on from last week’s ambitious Indonesian JETP, the new language on Just Energy Transitions underlines the role of partnerships to accelerate progress, and shows that countries are increasingly addressing the “how” of coal phase out.”

Andri Prasetiyo, Trend Asia

“Our Just Energy Transition is just beginning in Indonesia. It’s critical that the international community work with us to ensure that Justice remains the center of this partnership and we can collectively review how to ensure that our own energy transition is one that focuses on empowering all Indonesians, without simply redirecting focus to fossil gas, unfavorable financial schemes, or unjust development.”

Dr. Evan Gach, Program Coordinator, Kiko Network

“This draft text emphasizes that the global transition to a decarbonized society not only must keep the world to 1.5°C, but also needs to be a just transition. Japan must recognize this in both its domestic energy transition and in its support for transitions abroad, which means committing to a robust rollout of renewables instead of extending the life of coal power through false solutions like ammonia.”

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About Ember

Ember is an independent, not-for-profit climate and energy think tank that produces cutting-edge research and high-impact, politically viable policies that aim to accelerate the global transition from coal to clean electricity.

https://ember-climate.org/

@EmberClimate

About E3G

E3G is an independent climate change think tank with a global outlook. We work on the frontier of the climate landscape tackling the barriers and advancing the solutions to a safe climate. Our goal is to translate climate politics, economics and policies into action.

https://www.e3g.org/

About Trend Asia

Trend Asia is an independent civil society organization that acts as an accelerator of energy transformation and sustainable development in Asia.

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About Kiko Network

Kiko Network is a Japanese non-governmental, non-profit organization established in 1998. Since then, it has been dedicated to making policy proposals, disseminating information, and carrying out various environmental activities from a citizen perspective. Activities include collaborating with and empowering communities, conducting policy research, and submitting policy proposals on the national and international levels.

https://www.kikonet.org

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