Singapore's Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu stands in front of the Singapore Pavilion at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday, December 11, 2023. - Reuters
DUBAI (Agencies): Singapore's environment minister said talks at the COP28 climate talks in Dubai had secured progress on several key issues but that there was "significant" work still to do.
"We have narrowed down crucial issues but still some gaps, still significant work to do," Grace Fu told reporters on the sidelines of the talks.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday one key to success of the COP28 climate summit was for nations to reach agreement on the need to "phase out" fossil fuels, albeit with countries possibly moving at different rates.
"The COP covers many aspects and it depends on the global balance but a central aspect, in my opinion, of the success of the COP will be for the COP to reach a consensus on the need to phase out fossil fuels," he told reporters.
"That doesn't mean that all countries must phase out fossil fuels at the same time."
The UN's climate envoy urged countries at the COP28 meeting on Monday to lift "unnecessary tactical blockades", with 24 hours before the official end of talks in Dubai that are focused on a deal to phase out fossil fuels.
"First, clear the unnecessary tactical blockades out of the way," said Simon Stiell, citing the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the transition of less developed countries. - Agencies
