Global South expresses deep disappointment over GST draft at COP28

The ongoing climate conference (COP28) has become a battleground for developing countries as they express deep dissatisfaction with the latest draft of the global stocktake (GST), a document considered pivotal to the conference’s outcomes.

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Negotiators from the Global South have called for significant revisions, particularly in the section outlining options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions—a move that has sparked tensions over the role of fossil fuels and the urgency of climate action.

The current GST draft, set to be a cornerstone of the final COP28 agreement, notably omits the explicit mention of the “phase-out of fossil fuels.” Instead, it features stronger language addressing coal usage, a provision causing concern for countries heavily reliant on coal, such as India and China. Coal contributes approximately 40 percent of global CO2 emissions, with oil and gas accounting for the remaining share.