A global coalition of civil society groups organized a demonstration at the COP28 climate negotiations in UAE on “Finance Day” to demand that the Japanese government stop financing new fossil fuel projects and shift support to renewable energy. The action featured activists wearing inflatable Pikachu costumes and a slogan calling on Japan to say #SayonaraFossilFuels.

Welcome to Finance Day. The UN Climate Talks are heating up, and not without controversy. Between COP28 President Al Jaber’s science denying statements, the US’ flawed methane plan, and more, things are off to a rocky start. Here's what the Oil Change International team will be doing today at the UN climate talks.

– Today at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), the U.S. government promoted its flawed plan to lead a global framework on the measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification (MMRV) of methane, carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gas emissions from gas. 

COP28 President Al Jaber’s science-denying statements are alarming and raise deep concerns about the Presidency’s capacity to lead the UN climate talks, at a time when leadership and a clear vision are most needed. Of course, denying science has been part of the fossil fuel industry’s playbook for decades. But science is not up for debate: we must phase out fossil fuels to have a livable planet. 

As the UN climate talks are well underway, fossil fuel phase out and an agreement to triple renewable energy and double energy efficiency are top of the agenda. Today, ahead of finance day, transforming public finance institutions to free up billions of dollars that are available to pay for the just transition is also entering the conversation - as 200+ civil society groups today call on world leaders to use COP28 to overhaul global monetary, trade, tax, and debt rules, as well as international financial institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.