COP28 leaders announce newest attempt to seal long-fought climate compromise

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Organizers of the global climate summit offered a new proposal early Wednesday seeking to bridge a yawning divide over whether to shut down fossil fuels in the name of saving the planet.

The latest compromise text, published by the United Arab Emirates conference hosts after marathon overnight consultations, would commit countries to developing plans for “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems … in this critical decade.” It says this shift should occur “in a just, orderly, and equitable manner,” with the aim of bringing net greenhouse gas pollution to zero by 2050 — “in keeping with the science.”

The text still needs consensus approval from nearly 200 nations at the summit, any one of which could sink the deal. That decision could come as early as Wednesday.