UN climate talks might avoid fossil fuel phase-out, says Cop28 official

Majid Al Suwaidi says governments not in agreement yet over whether issue should be on agenda

UN climate talks this year might skirt the vital question of whether and how to phase out fossil fuels, as nations have not yet agreed to discuss the issue, one of the top officials hosting the talks has said.

Majid Al Suwaidi, director-general of the Cop28 climate talks for its host nation, United Arab Emirates, said governments were not in agreement over whether the phase-out of fossil fuels should be on the agenda for the conference, which begins in November.