28th annual United Nations climate meeting known as COP28It is completing its preparations to be held in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) between 30 November and 12 December. What will be the feature of this COP and what can we expect from it?
Governments around the world will reconvene to review how policies to prevent climate change are being implemented and take new measures to ensure the effectiveness of these policies. So far most of the agreements agreed at previous summits have not been implemented, as has economic aid to the poorest countries, and this is one of the main challenges facing the COP.
COP28 was already surrounded by controversy due to its initial choice of one of ten oil-producing countries in the world as a host. And not just for that. The chairman of this summit will be none other than Sultan Al Jaber, executive director of the state oil company of the United Arab Emirates.
The oil company, headed by Sheikh Al Jaber, plans to expand production capacity in the coming years
Oil, like gas and coal, is one of the fossil fuels that is directly responsible for the current global warming we are struggling with. That is why many countries, organizations and experts do not understand how the president of one of these major oil companies can lead a summit aimed at combating fossil fuels.
Actually, The company, led by Al Jaber, plans to expand its production capacity in the coming yearsThis seems quite far from the goal of a change.
“This is the equivalent of appointing the CEO of a tobacco company to oversee a conference on cancer treatments,” said group 350.org, one of the conservation groups critical of the situation.
Al Jaber, however, argues that by running an oil company, he is in a privileged position to reform the oil and gas industry. Note that, as chairman of renewable energy company Masdar, he also supports the expansion of clean technologies such as wind and solar power.
The “tough” difficulty of complying with the Paris Agreement
Besides this discussion, the aim of COP28 is to Limit long-term global temperature rise to 1.5°C. This limit was accepted by nearly 200 countries in Paris in 2015 and became the common guide in the fight against global warming.
According to the UN climate agency the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the 1.5°C target is vital to avoiding the most damaging effects of climate change.
The International Energy Agency said the Paris target is “very difficult” to meet, given that the world has already reached 1.2°C of warming.
But, have National Energy Agency Just a few days ago this goal was thought to be “very difficult” to achieveGiven that the currently added warming compared to the pre-industrial period is already 1.2°C. In fact, it is very likely to reach 1.5°C this decade rather than by the end of the century.
In recent months, numerous scientists and official organizations have confirmed that: Earth is on track to reach nearly 2.5°C of warming by 2100Even if commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are adhered to. The chances of maintaining the 1.5°C limit are “rapidly narrowing”, the UN says.
Cut emissions further and pay poor countries
In reality, COP 28’s goals appear to consist of continuing to make changes to existing climate policies to accelerate emissions reductions and significantly increase the deployment of clean energy. The goal is to “significantly reduce” pollutant emissions before 2030.
It will not be easy. Strong lobby The oil company, which will once again appear at the COP, is expected to continue advocating for greater flexibility in decarbonisation targets; This is incompatible with the climate emergency the planet is experiencing.
Powerful oil lobby will once again advocate greater flexibility on decarbonisation targets
Have Al Jaber calls for “gradual reduction” Decreasing use means decreasing time, but does not mean ending completely. However, the European Union is expected to press for a complete “phase-out” of this practice.
Climate advocates point out that abandoning a complete halt to fossil fuel production means continuing some production.
However, there is a big issue waiting on which all eyes will be on. Millions of dollars in aid promised to poor countries that are not responsible for global warming (This was basically the fault of the Western nations), but on the other hand, they were the ones who suffered the most from the consequences.
In 2009, developed countries pledged to donate $100 billion a year to developing countries by 2020 to help them reduce their emissions and adapt to climate change.
Last year, After more than a decade of inconclusive results on this issue, COP27 agreed on a “loss and damage fund”” So that rich countries pay poor countries for the same concept. But a year later, it is still unclear how this mechanism will be articulated, and in fact the US has historically already refused to pay climate compensation for its pollutant emissions.
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