The world’s governments are about to meet at COP28 in Dubai. The goal of the yearly “Conference of the Parties” is to agree on global policies to limit the impact of the climate crisis.
So, you know, not exactly trivial.
Consider that just last week, the UN released a report warning that the world was on track for a 3°C rise in temperatures within this century, compared to pre-industrial levels. This year, record temperatures have been measured across the globe.
For context, COP21 in 2015 led to the Paris Agreement, establishing measures to keep the global rise in temperatures well below 2°C. The goal is (or was) to avoid irreversible impact on our ecosystems by reaching net zero by the middle of this century, ideally cutting our total emissions across the world by 50% by 2030.
This year, COP28 will start a process called the global stocktake: checking in on how countries are doing with their commitments.
Spoiler: we’re not doing fantastic. Not only are temperatures continuing to rise, but innovative measures from last year’s COP, like the loss and damage fund, which was supposed to get richer countries providing financial support for climate measures to poorer countries, still haven’t been set up.
With stakes such as these, and with the track record being what it is, you would think that everything has been done to make sure COP28 is set up for success. But this is far from being the case. The decision to host it in the United Arab Emirates has been heavily criticized, considering the state’s laws limiting attendees from criticizing the government, or certain corporations and individuals. But if activists can’t denounce fossil fuel corporations, how can we expect policies commensurate with the severity of the climate crisis?
On top of that, the president of COP28, Sultan Al Jaber, is the CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) — yes, you read that right. To make matters worse, hundreds of fossil fuel lobbyists will attend the climate event, often outnumbering the total delegates from the worst affected countries. A recent leak even revealed plans to use the event to promote fossil fuels and facilitate oil deals.
All of this might sound like satire, but it’s real. That’s why, at the outset of COP28, we got together with climate activists to hold COP28 accountable. The well-being of climate-vulnerable communities is no joke. The future of our planet is no joke. So let’s not let COP28 be a joke, either. Share this video to demand better, for all of us.
