COP28: Why does it matter for the future of the planet? – 05/11/2023 – Environment

After another year full of extreme weather events, world leaders will discuss the fight against climate change at a major UN (United Nations) conference in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), from November 30 to 12 December 2023.

It will be the 28th COP meeting, an annual event where governments discuss how to limit and prepare for future climate change.

COP stands for “Conference of the Parties”, where the “parties” are the countries that signed the original UN climate agreement in 1992.

Why is holding COP28 in Dubai controversial?

Holding COP28 in Dubai is controversial because the United Arab Emirates is one of the ten largest oil-producing nations in the world. The country appointed the chief executive of the state oil company, Sultan Al Jaber, as chairman of the negotiations.

Oil, natural gas and coal are fossil fuels, the burning of which is one of the main causes of global warming. The use of these fuels releases gases that intensify the greenhouse effect, responsible for warming the planet.

Al Jaber oil company plans to expand production capacity.

“It’s the equivalent of appointing the CEO of a cigarette company to oversee a conference on curing cancer,” said a group of activists, NGO 350.

Al Jaber argues that he is exceptionally well placed to pressure the oil and gas industry to take measures to mitigate environmental impacts. He also says that, as president of renewable energy company Masdar, he also oversaw the expansion of clean technologies such as wind and solar energy.

Why is COP28 important?

It is hoped that COP28 will help keep alive the objective of limiting the increase in the global average temperature to 1.5ºC. This limit, crucial to avoiding the most harmful impacts of global warming, was agreed by almost 200 countries in Paris in 2015.

The increase in the planet’s average temperature is already estimated at around 1.2º C compared to pre-industrial eras, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN climate body.

However, if greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current rate, by 2100 the temperature should increase by around 2.5ºC.

The window to maintain the 1.5ºC limit “is rapidly shrinking”, says the UN.

What will be discussed at COP28?

In addition to progress towards the current goals of the Paris agreement, COP28 will focus on topics such as:

• accelerate the shift to clean energy sources, to “reduce” greenhouse gas emissions before 2030
• distributing money for climate action from richer countries to poorer ones and working on a new deal for developing nations focusing on nature and people
• make COP28 the “most inclusive” yet

There will also be themed days on issues such as health, finances, food and nature.

Who will be at COP28?

More than 200 governments are invited, although the leaders of many countries such as the USA, China and India have not yet confirmed their presence.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will attend. Buckingham Palace has confirmed that King Charles will also attend and give a keynote address to diplomatic envoys on December 1.

President Lula also confirmed participation. Brazil must have one of the largest delegations in Dubai, with 15 ministers.

Non-governmental organizations, research institutions, companies and religious groups will also participate.

What topics can generate disagreement?

There is likely to be disagreement over the future of fossil fuels — coal, oil and natural gas.

Al Jaber advocates a “phasing down” of its use, which means a reduction over time, but not a total elimination. However, the European Union is expected to push for a “phasing out”, that is, a total end to the use of fossil fuels.

Proponents of this path say there is no guarantee that carbon capture will work on a large scale.

Money will also be a problem.

At COP27, it was agreed that a “loss and damage” fund would be created, used for the richest countries (largest producers of greenhouse gases) to pay “compensation” to the poorest countries (which face the effects of climate change more heavily). climate change).

But exactly how this will work is still unclear. The US, for example, has ruled out paying climate reparations for its historic emissions.

In 2009, developed countries committed to donating $100 billion a year by 2020 to developing countries to help them reduce emissions.

The target was not achieved, but is expected to be achieved in 2023.

Will COP28 make a difference?

Critics of previous COPs, including activist Greta Thunberg, accuse the conferences of greenwashing — a term in English for when someone promotes themselves based on a sustainability discourse, but without actually making relevant changes.

However, the possibility of world leaders coming together at conferences offers the potential for agreements that go beyond national measures and have global reach.

For example, the establishment of the 1.5ºC warming limit drove “near-universal climate action”, according to the UN.

The text was originally published here.