An Interpretive Perspective on COP 28’s Decision: Transition from Fossil Fuels in a Just, Orderly and Equitable Manner

The annual conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is held to review the implementation of the Convention and other subsequent agreements accepted under it, including the Paris Agreement. It assesses the global climate situation and makes necessary decisions to accelerate progress towards the Convention's goals. The 28th Conference of the Parties was recently took place in Dubai, focusing heavily on the first global stocktake in accordance with the Paris Agreement, which resulted in an agreement between the parties to adopt the decision to transition away from fossil fuels. Given that a significant portion of the world's energy is still supplied by fossil fuels, this decision could have substantial effects in various political, economic, and other domains, particularly on oil-dependent developing countries. This study concludes that the use of the phrases "just, orderly, and equitable transition" in this decision implies different commitments for developed and developing countries in this regard, as interpreted through the provisions of the Framework Convention and the Paris Agreement.