Delegates have agreed to “transition away” from fossil fuels for the first time at the Cop28 climate talks in Dubai.

Language in the agreement was strengthened after widespread anger at a draft in which it suggested that countries “could” reduce fossil fuels but left too many holes for many nations to live with.

Sultan al-Jaber, the Cop28 president, said the delegates had gone down “a long road in a short amount of time”.

Many countries, such as small island states severely threatened by rising seas, believe there are still too many loopholes in the agreement but expressed confidence that it will lead to stronger action in the future.

Developing nations reliant on fossil fuels for their economies also want to see the rich world provide more funding for their energy transitions.

‘Earth is down but not out’

Responding to the Cop28 agreement to “transition away” from fossil fuels, Manuel Pulgar-Vidal of the WWF conservation group said: “The Earth is down but not out, as countries agree to transition away from fossil fuels, but fall short of consensus on the full phase-out of coal, oil and gas at Cop28.

“Nevertheless, a decision to transition away from fossil fuels is a significant moment. After three decades of UN climate negotiations, countries have at last shifted the focus to the polluting fossil fuels driving the climate crisis.

“This outcome must signal the beginning of the end for the fossil fuel era.”

And Joab Okanda, of global poverty charity Christian Aid said: “We may not have driven the nail into the coffin here at Cop28 but the end is coming for dirty energy.

“But there is a gaping hole on finance to actually fund the transition from dirty to clean energy in developing countries. Without that, we risk the global shift being much slower.

“We now need to see rich countries following up their warm words about wanting a fossil fuel phase-out with actions to actually bring it about and end their use of coal, oil and gas by the end of this decade.”