The 28th “Conference of the Parties” of the United Nations on Climate Change, or COP28, is being held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, a significant oil producer, from November 30 to December 12. Stay tuned with us for live updates on COP28 as world leaders gather in Dubai to address climate change.
Today, PM Modi from India embarks on his journey to the summit. Our eyes is on it!
The United Arab Emirates has declared its COP28 North Star to be holding all nations and stakeholders responsible for maintaining the target temperature of 1.5ºC. With the world coming together at Expo City Dubai today, that mission begins.
The highly anticipated UN climate summit is being attended by approximately 180 heads of state, 97,000 delegates, experts, observers, and climate activists, as well as more than 400,000 residents of the United Arab Emirates and environmental advocates. This year’s COP conference is taking place from now through December 12.
Before we look at the recent updates, do you know what exactly COP is? Go below to know about it:
What is Cop28?
For nearly 30 years, governments from around the world have been convening annually to address the urgent issue of climate change. According to the 1992 UN framework convention on climate change (UNFCCC), all countries are obligated to prevent harmful climate change and work towards reducing global greenhouse gas emissions in a fair manner.
The COP meetings, held annually under the UNFCCC, have had a mix of tense and dull moments, with occasional bursts of excitement and both successes (like the Paris agreement in 2015) and failures (like Copenhagen in 2009). This year marks the 28th iteration, and is expected to present its own set of challenges following the previous year’s success for developing countries in climate finance.
Most Recent Highlights From The Event:
1. UAE commits $100 million to fund for loss and damage
Immediately after the announcement that the loss and damage funding arrangements had been agreed, the United Arab Emirates, which is hosting the talks, pledged $100m to the fund.
2. Agreement reached on funding arrangement for loss and damage
There has been a recent agreement among nations to establish a fund aimed at assisting less affluent countries in managing the consequences of climate change.
Ani Dasgupta, President & CEO, World Resources Institute said:
“The loss and damage fund will be a lifeline to people in their darkest hour, enabling families to rebuild their homes after disaster strikes, support farmers when their crops are wiped out and relocate those that become permanently displaced by rising seas. This outcome was hard-fought but is a clear step forward.
“The success of this fund will depend on the speed and scale at which funds start flowing to people in need. We call on world leaders to announce substantial contributions at Cop28 – not only to cover start-up costs but also to fill the fund itself. People in vulnerable countries will face up to $580bn in climate-related damages in 2030 and this number will only continue to grow.”
Harjeet Singh, head of global political strategy at Climate Action Network International said:
“Amid the historic decision to operationalise the Loss and Damage Fund within a year of its establishment, addressing underlying concerns becomes critical. On one hand, rich countries have pushed for the World Bank to host this fund under the guise of ensuring a speedy response. Conversely, they have attempted to dilute their financial obligations and resisted defining a clear finance mobilisation scale.
“The responsibility now lies with affluent nations to meet their financial obligations in a manner proportionate to their role in the climate crisis, which has been primarily driven by decades of unrestrained fossil fuel consumption and a lack of adequate climate finance delivered to the global south.”
The announcement received a standing ovation from delegates.
The establishment of the fund has been a persistent challenge during climate talks, and the initial agreement reached on the first day of the conference has been cautiously embraced by numerous delegates. However, the official approval of the agreement will only occur at the conclusion of the conference.
3. Sultan Al Jaber has ceremoniously inaugurated the Cop28 climate talks in Dubai, following the presentation of the symbolic tiny hammer that represents his presidency.
Reuters has released the initial report on his opening remarks to delegates, using a text that was shared with journalists. According to the news agency, Al Jaber expressed significant opinions regarding the inclusion of language on fossil fuels and renewables in the negotiated text… Let’s collaborate and work together.
Sultan also shed light on net zero targets. He said some oil companies have set net zero targets for 2050, those only cover the emissions from producing the oil and gas.
No companies have committed to cutting production of the polluting fuels themselves, which is what scientists are clear is needed.
4. What UN- Secretary General Antonio Guterres said?
UN secretary general insists the 1.5C climate goal ‘is not dead, it’s alive’ on day one of summit in Dubai as India’s foreign secretary says coal is ‘important’
The UN secretary general emphasised the importance of this year’s Cop climate talks, urging for a complete transition away from fossil fuels. He expressed optimism about the 1.5C climate goal, stating that it is still very much achievable.
5. As per the recent update John Kerry, the US climate envoy, arrives.
John Kerry, the US special envoy for climate change, is hopeful that COP28, which got underway at Expo City Dubai on Thursday, will result in significant progress in mitigating climate change.
“I’m very hopeful that this COP can really make a difference,” stated the US Secretary of State.
In order to advance the US international strategy for commercialising nuclear fusion power—which is purportedly superior to the current nuclear fission plants that split atoms—Kerry is attending the UN Climate Summit. Nuclear fusion, on the other hand, is thought to be an inexpensive source of carbon-free electricity because it does not produce long-lasting radioactive waste.
Kerry earlier met with Xie Zhenhua, the Chinese envoy to the United States. “We don’t win this battle (against climate change) without China and the US moving forward aggressively to reduce emissions,” Kerry was quoted as saying following the meeting.
US Vice-President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, announced that she will be attending COP28. “This week, I’m going to COP28 in Dubai,” she tweeted on Thursday. As US President Joe Biden and I continue to work to deliver bold global action to address the climate crisis, I look forward to meeting with our allies and partners.”
6. Roars of ‘Free Palestine’ are being heard amid the COP28 agenda!
“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” was a loud chant heard as the COP28 Coalition concluded their conference at a different location within the Blue Zone.
Scottish 19-year-old climate activist Dylan Hamilton claims that the younger generation supports Palestine.
Human rights and climate justice are inextricably linked. In occupied territories, climate justice is impossible. It is not necessary to have ties to Palestine or the Middle East to recognize the wrongness of what is occurring in Gaza. The younger generation supports Palestine.”
Lidy Nacpil, the Asian Peoples Movement on Debt and Development coordinator and convenor of the COP28 Coalition provides additional information about the organization’s activities.
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