A historic agreement. An unprecedented deal. The first commitment in history to launch a unanimous call for a fair and accelerated transition away from fossil fuels to prevent climate chaos. Despite challenges, the Dubai climate summit succeeded in advancing an agreement that explicitly calls for leaving oil, gas, and coal behind and for drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, with an aim to simulate global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees. “We promised a historic agreement and we achieved it,” said Sultan Al Jaber, chairing the meeting, as representatives from nearly two hundred countries applauded the final text that many hoped would set a clear path forward.
Ratification of the Dubai pact came as a near surprise. Earlier on Wednesday, after long, grueling negotiations, the presidency of the United Arab Emirates published a new, more ambitious draft than its predecessor. Minutes later, Al Jaber convened a general assembly to discuss the draft and urged the parties to vote on his proposal on the podium itself.
Decarbonization targets will be tailored to each country’s realities, a key note that framed the discussions around the pact. The Dubai text presents a broad and ambitious set of messages about the future of fossil fuels. It commits to a rapid and fair transition away from fossil energy, calls for action within this critical decade, and sets the science-grounded goal of reaching net zero by 2050. At the same time, it acknowledges that the approach must be adapted to the diverse conditions of each nation. The document threads a theme of phasing out fossil energy while keeping the same underlying philosophy, without spelling out every controversial detail.
The “Clear message”
The swift approval of the draft, emerging just after the summit’s official deadline, drew criticism. Voices from the global south argued that the text did not fully reflect scientific guidance on limiting warming. Samoa pointed out that the language does not adequately reflect the science. Bolivia expressed disappointment that the agreement did not provide stronger protections to help vulnerable nations cope with loss and damage from climate extremes. Bangladesh also pressed for clearer commitments to assist southern countries in adapting to harsher weather patterns.
“The era of fossil fuels is not over in Dubai, but we are at the beginning of the end”
Observers note not only the text itself but also the decision on the opening day to establish a fund for the nations most vulnerable to climate chaos. The fund has already mobilized more than $600 million, a number seen as a critical step even though far short of what is needed to fully address the losses and damages faced by affected communities. The presidency of the summit has estimated that the meeting mobilized more than $80 billion in total measures against the climate crisis, a milestone that signals momentum while leaving many gaps to be closed in the months ahead.