Reflections on #COP28

A Message from Assistant Secretary Brad Crabtree: Reflections on #COP28

Productive 2 weeks at #COP28UAE! It was great to see the diversity of participation, across the public and private sector and geographically, come together to support the energy transition. I come away with three reflections most relevant to the role that the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management will play in the energy transition:

1. Historic commitment to prevent near term climate warming driven by increasing methane emissions, as reflected in the agreement of over 50 oil and gas companies representing nearly half of global production to achieve near zero methane emissions by 2030, together with governments and industry committing to invest over $1 billion in mitigation of methane emissions, the greatest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide.

2. Growing recognition of the essential role carbon management must play as a core strategy for keeping the 1.5 C Paris goal within reach, as evidenced by the 20 members of the Carbon Management Challenge convened by the COP 28 Presidency, countries of extraordinary diversity that encompass every region of the world, leading renewable energy producers with no fossil fuels, the largest oil and gas producers, and key developing nations—all committed to advancing projects collectively capable of capturing and storing one gigaton of carbon dioxide annually by 2030.

3. Partnering with developing countries in the global south to ensure energy and economic development and energy affordability and access, even as we expand and accelerate our efforts to achieve a managed and secure transition to net zero emissions by midcentury or sooner.

Thank you to the #FECM team for their hard work in support of measuring and reducing methane emissions and in setting up the Carbon Management Challenge!