So much happened this weekend at COP28 in Dubai. The World Leaders Summit wrapped up on Saturday. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber closed-out this part of the conference announcing a variety of voluntary pledges made by governments and corporations, seeking fan-fare of great accomplishment.link for detail

The reality though is that pledges are fine, but they mean very little when the effects of the climate crisis are being felt now. Promises, pledges and voluntary commitments are empty unless they turn into binding agreements to completely phase-out fossil fuels.

What else does this mean? With no action on the phase-out of fossil fuels during the World Leaders summit, the attention of everyone here has shifted to the Global Stocktake. This document is being negotiated at the moment and should show where countries are making progress toward meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement – and where they’re not.

Finally Finalized! After 10 years of advocacy by Earthworks, allies & community partners, the EPA announced it had, at last, finalized rules to #cutmethane. This news came with a slew of other methane reduction plans that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.

Of course, the devil is in the details. Quick and effective implementation and aggressive enforcement are necessary to make these rules work for climate and communities.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta spoke at an event co-sponsored by Earthworks, Oil Change International and Center for Biological Diversity touting a model for holding oil & gas companies accountable for their green-washing.

Important to know: There’s a difference between the phase-out demanded here at COP28 and “phase-down” commitments some nations are making. In short, a “phase-down” or, alternatively, a “phase-out of unabated fuels” is language that greenlights carbon sequestration projects, dirty hydrogen and other dangerous distractions that prolong the fossil fuel era and do nothing to repair toxic air, water and soil that is making people sick. For a more in depth understanding, Kaisa Kosonen from Greenpeace breaks it down here.

What’s next? Today is Energy Day, so expect a lot in today’s update.