The inclusion of the call for a phaseout of “unabated” coal in the draft agreement from the COP26 climate summit is meeting some resistance as countries such as India argue they’re entitled to keep burning the potent fossil fuel.
India’s delegate argued at the conference that wealthy nations have used their share of fossil fuels, so it’s only fair that developing countries can keep using them.
“Fossil fuels and their use have enabled parts of the world to attain high levels of wealth and well-being,” he said.
“Developing countries have a right to their fair share of the global carbon budget and are entitled to the responsible use of fossil fuels within this scope,” he added. “How can anyone expect that developing countries can make promises about phasing out coal and fossil fuel subsidies? Developing countries have still to deal with their development agendas and poverty eradication.”
The latest iteration of the text calls for the phaseout of unabated coal, which doesn’t use technology to capture its emissions, and the phaseout of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies.
Nevertheless, several countries did appear willing to make compromises in order to achieve a deal as the conference stretched into overtime.
But other issues remained, as many lamented what they described as a lack of progress on carbon market rules and developing countries continued to push for the establishment of a funding mechanism for “loss and damage” they’ve suffered from climate change.
Read More: Call for coal phaseout meets some objections at climate summit