Climate campaigners slam a draft COP28 deal calling for "reducing" the use of fossil fuels as a major step backwards from previous proposals. The text "represents a significant regression from previous versions", says Harjeet Singh, head of global political strategy at Climate Action Network International. The United States, European Union and low-lying island nations have pressed for the final deal to include language on winding down the use of fossil fuels. But the text presented by the COP28 presidency, which is headed by the CEO of the UAE's national oil company, included a list of actions that countries "could" take, including "reducing" the consumption and production of fossil fuels. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES