New UN draft deal calls for ‘transitioning away’ from fossil fuels but no phase-out

A new draft agreement unveiled early Wednesday in talks in Dubai toughens language by calling for “transitioning away” from fossil fuels, although it does not use the term “phase-out”.

A new draft agreement unveiled early Wednesday in talks in Dubai toughens language by calling for "transitioning away" from fossil fuels, although it does not use the term "phase-out".

The text, released for consideration after another full night of haggling, would also call for "accelerating action" during "this critical decade" -- providing more urgency than an earlier proposal widely dismissed by green-minded countries.

On Tuesday, COP Director General, Majid Al Suwaidi said that the COP team was facing “the most demanding agenda of all time.” On the state of deliberations he said, “We need to keep 1.5 degree within reach, that is our North Star...part of this is to include language on fossil fuels in the text.”

He added that “...Parties (delegations) have deeply held and deeply split views....especially the language around fossil fuels.” For a final outcome, it is the parties that have to concur and the Presidency could only prod them towards one that was consequential, he added.

1.5 C refers to an increase in average, global temperature that science now considers the upper ceiling to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.