The CEO of The Climate Group, Helen Clarkson, emphasized the urgent need for strong political will to overcome barriers in the fight against climate change ahead of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai. In an interview, Clarkson highlighted the critical issue of phasing out fossil fuels and accelerating the rollout of renewable energy.
Clarkson noted that despite renewable energy sources like solar power becoming the cheapest form of energy in history, political and regulatory obstacles continue to hinder progress. “We’ve got to really speed up the phase-out of fossil fuels,” she said. “There are a lot of political barriers to doing that. We need to see countries putting plans in place to deliver on renewable energy targets.”
She pointed out that processes such as lengthy permitting for renewable projects significantly delay implementation. “The amount of time it takes to build a wind farm, you are looking at 10 years, but only two of those are construction; eight are the regulatory process,” Clarkson explained. Reducing such delays is essential for achieving climate goals.
Discussing the recent improvement in relations between China and the United States, Clarkson expressed optimism about their joint commitment to climate action. “It’s really good news to see China and the USA talking to each other again on these issues,” she said. “Together, the U.S. and China account for 40 percent of emissions. We don’t get anywhere on climate unless the U.S. and China are working together.”
She underscored the importance of translating commitments into tangible actions, noting significant investments by China in electric vehicles and domestic climate plans. Clarkson believes that collaboration between the two countries is crucial, despite other disagreements, to drive innovation and progress in addressing climate change.
As COP28 approaches, Clarkson calls for a clear global plan to phase out fossil fuels and enhance renewable energy deployment. “We need to get a really clear plan of how the world gets off fossil fuels and how we speed up the rollout of renewable energy,” she urged, emphasizing that the trajectory toward renewable energy is unstoppable but requires accelerated efforts supported by political will.
Reference(s):
COP28: We need strong political will to break through barriers
cgtn.com
