Venezuela tells COP31 it has a sovereign right to pump more oil
USO•Acting President Delcy Rodriguez told COP31 that Venezuela has the sovereign right to strengthen its oil industry while also combating climate change. Her remarks contrasted with calls at the conference to accelerate the shift to clean energy.
1. Venezuela defends oil development
Acting President Delcy Rodriguez told the COP31 climate conference that Venezuela has the sovereign right to strengthen its oil industry, while saying it is possible to grow and protect the environment at the same time. She said the country's forests absorb more carbon than Venezuela emits, but did not address emissions from its exported oil.
2. Burnham urges clean energy
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said energy supply disruptions from the US-Israeli war with Iran and Russia's war with Ukraine showed the need to shift from fossil fuels to clean energy. He said dependence on energy a country does not control leaves it exposed to prices it cannot control.
3. Climate outlook
Representatives from nearly 200 countries are meeting at the two-week conference to agree on progress in tackling climate change. A UN report last month found the world was on course to exceed the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming limit countries agreed to pursue under the 2015 Paris Agreement.
