United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meeting in Dubai (COP 28)
In a couple of weeks I will travel to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to participate in COP 28 (Conference of the Parties) - the annual end of the year two week gathering of nations, media, and NGOs to discuss and negotiate climate change policy. I lead two observer teams at the COPs - Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI) and the International Environmental Communication Association (IECA).
This year's meeting includes a "Global Stocktake," where countries report their progress in achieving climate change mitigation and adaptation goals. I will post comments and articles about and from COP 28. As you read this article, what stands out? W#har are your comments and questions?
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-67143989
Reading this article, the firs thing that really stood out to me was how the UAE is one of the worlds top 10 oil producing nations. The location of the COP 28 being in a location that exports so much oil is hopefully a sign that the United Arab Emirates is open to restrictions to combat climate change. The unfortunate part here is that this location being chosen is described in the article by campaign group 350.org as "It is the equivalent of appointing the CEO of a cigarette company to oversee a conference on cancer cures,". The location being made the UAE is can be either a good or a bad thing, and I hope that it is the former. Is a country that relies so heavily on the production of oil willing to listen and adhere to climate change restrictions?
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The article says that Dr Al Jaber is working towards a greener future through alternative power sources, but also expanding oil production within his company. What are his justifications? Is it possible that his sustainability-oriented work will eventually outweigh this expansion?
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting how many countries will be attending the summit. I didn't know that such global gatherings about climate change happened every year, though it is encouraging to see. The article brings up the point of the person appointed to lead the summit being in the head of the UAE's state run oil company, which says it plans to expand production, as being a potential conflict of interest. I personally think that its possible for him to bring valuable insight into the views of fossil fuel companies into the discussion, which I think is very important. Their cooperation would be invaluable in the fight against climate change, and while full cooperation is very unlikely, it can be helpful to understand how to design effective regulation that limits emissions while also preserving economic communities that revolve around fossil fuel production. I do think that holding it in a country which relies so heavily on fossil fuels is a good idea. Holding it in a country like Norway would just seem out of touch to me, like a group of people who tout themselves as having solved their climate change contributions telling the rest of the world what to do, while holding it in a country like the UAE might make the discussions seem more accessible to countries which rely heavily on fossil fuels.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that especially sticks out to me, and contradicting, is that the state-owned oil company CEO Sultan Al Jaber is appointed to talk in COP28. Is the main purpose of the COP28 not to limit future climate change, yet an individual is promoting climate change through use of fossil fuels? The irony of this is quite shocking, as Al Jaber states that he will reduce oil usage instead of halting it from production completely. In addition, the article states that over 200 countries have pledged to limit temperature rises to 1.5C. Consequently, this number seems a little unrealistic. As the article voices that the plant is on track for 2.5C, which gives implications that some countries are breaking their pledges and continuing to use excessive burning of fossil fuels. My final question is: will countries really keep their word on doing their best to stop climate change, or will they revert back to their old ways after this international meeting?
ReplyDeleteOne Idea that I appreciated the discussion of in COP28 is the idea of transferring financials supports from rich to poorer countries. Previously I have felt that the most progress in climate change efforts has come from the rich social-democracies In Europe but I am glad to see that the focus has shifted to helping out the poorer countries. The fact is that climate change is a global issue and if only the rich countries are able to reduce carbon emissions the global conditions will still worsen. I think while climate change is in general a net positive issue for humanity, the innovations and political efforts surrounding it will lead to a more unified and equal world.
ReplyDeleteThe article on COP28 in Dubai raises crucial questions about the effectiveness and integrity of these climate summits, especially given the UAE's position as a major oil producer and the appointment of Sultan al-Jaber, a state-owned oil company executive, as president of the talks. This situation exemplifies the complex and often contradictory nature of global climate politics, where economic and environmental interests frequently collide.
ReplyDeleteThe importance of COP28 lies in its potential to reaffirm and advance the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5C, a target crucial for avoiding the worst impacts of climate change. However, the credibility of the summit is under scrutiny due to the apparent conflict of interest and the host country's ongoing commitment to oil production. This juxtaposition highlights the challenges in achieving genuine progress in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
While COP28 provides a platform for global agreements, the presence of significant oil interests raises concerns about the possibility of 'greenwashing' and the effectiveness of the summit in driving real change. The need for a transition to clean energy, financial support for climate action from richer to poorer countries, and inclusivity in discussions are paramount. However, the success of these initiatives hinges on the commitment of all parties to move beyond rhetoric to actionable and impactful solutions.
As COP28 unfolds, it will be interesting to observe how these tensions play out and whether the summit can navigate these complexities to make meaningful strides in combating climate change. The involvement of various stakeholders, from governments to environmental groups, underscores the multifaceted nature of climate diplomacy and the need for a unified approach to address this global crisis.
Like most people above, I find it both interesting and controversial that the UAE is hosting COP28, and that Sultan al-Jaber is the president of the talks. The UAE is a rapidly developing countries, but their economy strongly relies on the production and outsourcing of fossil fuels, exactly what this climate conference is working against. And the fact that Jaber plans to expand his companies oil production while advocating for cleaner technology is simply contradictory. The BBC also got leaked documents saying that the UAE plans to use this conference to strike oil and gas deals with other countries. I find it all very sad that this conference is being possibly taken advantage of by the very thing it is meant to limit. Something that also stood out to me is that fact that Biden will not be attending, but it is good that the US is represented. On a happier note, I liked that the days of the conference are themed, some of them being health, finance, food and nature! It looks at climate change as a holistic issue rather than just one which affects the Earth itself.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading this article I found it interesting that the COP28 appointed the chief executive of the state-owned oil company. I found it interesting because that company wants to expand productivity capacity, which could make climate change worse. I am confused why the president will not be there. Even though the will be represented I feel like this is a very important event and him not being there could be a symbol of the USA not caring about the climate crisis. It also seems like this 1.5C limit is at its breaking point and it's only a matter of time before it pushes over the limit.
ReplyDeleteDubai snagging the role of hosting COP28 is quite the spectacle, especially when you consider the UAE's heavyweight status as one of the globe's top oil producers. To add a layer of intrigue, they appoint Sultan al-Jaber, the big shot CEO of the state-owned oil company, as the head honcho of the climate talks. Now, this raises eyebrows given the inherent clash between the UAE's oil industry dominance and the global push to combat climate change. Whispers of leaked documents hint at potential oil and gas deals in connection to the host position, sparking valid concerns about conflicts of interest. Nevertheless, amidst this controversy, COP28 is undeniably pivotal in tackling climate goals and underlining the urgent need to rein in temperature increases as per the Paris Agreement. The summit's grand plan for inclusivity aims to smooth over the complexities of steering climate discussions in a nation deeply entrenched in the fossil fuel game.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that stood out to me the most while reading this article was that around 200 have been invited. It didn't realize how large the Conference of the Parties was, I didn't believe that so many different governments were involved in the COP. Do you believe that all 200 governments will be in attendance, or do you believe that some governments will opt out? I also believe that it is a step in the right direction holding the COP in the United Arab Emirates, it shows that they might be willing to try and cut back on all of the oil production that happens in the country. Maybe it will encourage other countries to follow in their footsteps, which could lead to a more successful COP.
ReplyDeleteAt first, I wasn't quite sure what the COP 28 was, but after reading the BBC article, I realize now that it's one of the most vital international conferences in the world. What an incredible honor it is to be a part of something that large and that important! Speaking of large, 200 governments being invited to the COP 28 is a huge amount, considering that each one represents an entire government, each of which, presumably, has many delegates. I think it's so interesting that all these governments and representatives congregate at this international meeting to discuss climate change, no doubt one of the most crucial and pressing issues at this point in time.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article, I have a couple questions regarding the COP in Dubai;
ReplyDelete- In the article, they mentioned how they are trying to be more inclusive. I'm curious how they are doing that and what that means for countries who might not be able to attend the event.
- Has the COP always been held in countries that are contributing to climate change heavily, or is this an exception this year for Dubai and their oil production?
Overall, I'm glad that the conversation is being centralized around fossil fuels. I believe that western countries become very focused on individualized greenhouse emissions that countries and larger organizations are often looked over. I wish that everyone was more aware of events like the COP because it provides so much perspective on the bigger picture of the issue.
I'm pretty sure I have heard of the name COP28 before in the past, but I have never really looked into what it is about. I think that it being held in Dubai is an interesting choice due to the UAEs oil production. On one hand, I think it's important that an international conference designed to unite the world around fighting for a common goal should not exclude countries from hosting it for any reason, but I can see from a public relations perspective that it being held in a country that is a top 10 producer of oil can be an issue for the public. However, I think that the fact that Sultan al-Jaber is the president isn't a good thing because of his possible conflicts of interest as a president of an oil company that is planning on expanding production, and it's not hard to imagine that he would try to steer discussions in a way that benefits him as seen in the fact that he wants to wind down use of fossil fuels, but not fully phase them out. Though, to be fair, these points about Jaber are completely speculation on my part so we will have to see the results of these discussions before making any concrete conclusions about anything.
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