The euphoric moment the world called time on fossil fuels at Cop28 – before reality set in

For a brief second, the room seemed stunned – and then delegates rose to their feet, clapping and hugging, writes Louise Boyle from the groundbreaking summit in Dubai. But the story doesn’t end there

Cop28 ended with an apparently historic announcement, but is it simply words without substance? (AP)

A strange calm had descended over Expo City as the sun came up on Wednesday, after two weeks of Cop28 which saw tens of thousands – world leaders, tech billionaires, protesters – descend on the sprawling venue.

Now, the summit was being haunted by pods of red-eyed, blue-lanyard-wearing zombies in search of coffee as the venue was packed up around them and pleas for a final deal were audible.

The final days of Cops are always fraught and exhausting, but these felt particularly so.