200 Countries in COP28 UAE, held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have agreed to the UAE Consensus. This Consensus is meant for countries to move away from fossil fuels and “reimagines global finance…and is strengthened by inclusivity.” Some have considered it historic in that it is the first to initiate an agreement about moving away from fossil fuels. But it may not be…

There are lots of loopholes in this Consensus. One loophole is for countries to focus on technologies that remove carbon pollution from the atmosphere. In turn of removing carbon pollution, it may give countries — and companies — excuses to burn more fossil fuels. Another loophole is the use of transition fuels — which potentially could mean use of more fossil fuels, specifically methane. Additionally, countries can continue drilling for and using fossil fuels. Lastly, and most significantly, it is not a binding agreement.

Overall, it is pretty much talk and probably much of the UAE Consensus will be diluted even further. It’s a step in the right direction, but it may be an imaginary one.