by Professor Margherita Pieraccini and Professor Elen Stokes, Centre Co-directors
Another year, another Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. This blog series captures the views of three academic members of the Centre for Environmental Law and Sustainability and an LLM student with expertise and interests in climate and energy law. They reflect here on selected aspects/outcomes of COP28.
In her blog, Alice Venn discusses the place of equity in the Paris Agreement first Global Stocktake, highlighting the references made to equity and to the common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities principle as an important first step towards an equitable response to climate mitigation.
Colin Nolden too, writing in a more autobiographical tone, reflects on the Global Stocktake but from the perspective of renewable energy law, arguing that although a loophole is present in relation to abated fossil fuel technologies, the Global Stocktake has made progress in climate law, e.g. in relation to infrastructure. However, the Global Stocktake is not the whole story and Colin criticises the lack of progress parties made in relation to Article 6.
Temitope Tunbi Onifade reflects on development made regarding loss and damage’s funding at COP 28. Taking a normative, environmental justice perspective, Temitope argues that loss and damage efforts should also focus on vulnerable communities in developed countries which are disproportionality affected by climate change.
Finally, Alexia Kaplan, a current student on the Environment, Sustainability and Business LLM programme, examines some of the challenges and uncertainties around the ambition and implementation of the loss and damage fund. Alexia argues that although progress on the fund is an important breakthrough, this optimism should be tempered with critical analysis and caution.
You can find the links to the four blogs below.
“Equity in the Paris Agreement Global Stocktake?” by Alice Venn
“Did the Global Stocktake made progress in climate law through COP28? Reflecting on an in-person zoom conference in the desert.” by Colin Nolden
“Loss and Damage in Developed Countries: Who or what gets left behind?” by Temitope Tunbi Onifade
“Is the Loss and Damage Fund all that it promises to be? Examining some of the Fund’s shortcomings and putting things into perspective after COP 28.” by Alexia Kaplan