Instead, urgent action needs to remain the priority
Promotional Image via climatechange.org.
This year, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to host the Conference of the Parties (COP28) starting Nov. 30 to Dec. 12. COP28 is an annual meeting held by the UN where world leaders discuss climate change policy improvements and innovations, and this year’s host has raised controversy.
Many are asking how one of the world’s biggest petroleum exporters can host a climate conference while they are still heavily invested in the fossil fuel sector. The main concern about the UAE hosting this year’s COP is the message it sends to the world — that the conference is not being taken seriously. However, others say that the UAE’s investment in fossil fuels actually make them an ideal host for the event as it gives them a unique opportunity to demonstrate change and innovation. The debate has strong arguments for both sides but regardless of the host, the result from the conference needs to be action.
The UAE government recently announced its goal “to achieve net zero by 2050.” While this may be a step in the right direction, the current president will not oversee these decisions for the next 27 years. If our world leaders are going to make promises and plans for the future the action needs to start now to ensure responsibility is being taken. How helpful are promises when our world is already deteriorating?
“I am very tired of hearing people say that they will do things by 2050,” says UVic climate change professor Andrew Weaver. He believes that active change needs to happen, and it needs to happen now. If history and past COPs have taught us anything, we have not been doing enough, regardless of the promises from our world leaders. While I agree with Weaver, that urgent change must take place, I also worry that debate over the conference’s host is taking priority over more important conversations about these changes.
That’s not all in terms of controversy surrounding the UAE and this COP either. Climate activists are concerned with the potential conflict of interest surrounding this year’s chosen president and the goals of the conference. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the COP28 president, is also the president of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), a state-owned oil company in the United Arab Emirates. The interests of these two entities are challenging to align, to say the least. However, ADNOC has shown measures of investing in decarbonizing technology, a promising step forward for the oil production industry.
Fossil fuel, the very industry contributing the most to the destruction of our planet, is where change needs to happen. To judge the UAE’s hosting abilities before the conference would be a mistake; however, we must understand that action-oriented results need to be the ultimate focus of this year’s summit.
Despite the debate surrounding this year’s conference, as a young Canadian, I am hopeful for the possible positive outcomes of COP28, especially considering the host’s unique opportunity to support decarbonization. The UAE must prove their want to join the climate change fight through the outcome of this event. If this year’s COP results in minimal action, the oil industry, our world leaders, and the conference will have once again failed future generations. Despite the controversy regarding the chosen host, what needs to be fought for and talked about is the action that should result from this year’s COP28.
