Weak enforcement measures stand to derail success

Nearly 200 countries on Wednesday agreed to "transition away from fossil fuels" in a historic agreement at the UN Climate Conference, signalling that the world was ready for an end to the oil age. But experts warned that the grounds for implementation of agreements reached remained murky.

- Tannu Jain

COP28 President Sultan AI Jaber, the controversial CEO of UAE's national oil company who weathered several challenges in the lead up to the summit, urged countries to act on their commitments to ensure success of the agreement.

"We are what we do, not what we say," he told the crowded plenary at the summit. "We must take the steps necessary to turn this agreement into tangible actions," the 50-year-old said, adding that true success of the Dubai deal would be in its implementation.

But experts said that the grounds for implementation of such agreements were murky, in the absence of any punitive measures ensuring that countries don't fall short of their commitments.

"If were looking around the language on fossil fuels, there really isn't much in terms of implementation for this. It will be up to countries to do this on their own," said Jennifer Allan, strategic adviser, with Earth Negotiations Bulletin, International Institute of Sustainable Development.