The United Nations climate conference, known as COP28, commences in Dubai, UAE, for a two-week session, seeking global consensus on curbing temperature rise. However, concerns persist about the commitment of the oil-rich nation to address the climate crisis, a problem significantly fueled by fossil fuel dependency.
Since the last conference in Egypt, global temperatures have surged. Climate experts have noted 2023 as the hottest year on record, witnessing record highs in the northern hemisphere and unprecedented heat in Brazil. Developing countries, in particular, have faced severe impacts, such as the monsoon-induced property damage in India and the deadly floods in Libya caused by Tropical Storm Daniel.
While initial climate projections indicated reduced warming, the current impact of climate change surpasses earlier forecasts, leading to amplified global distress. As representatives gather in Dubai, they confront a host of contradictory dynamics.
The conference marks the inaugural evaluation of global efforts against climate change. Paradoxically, it convenes with discussions on whether fossil fuels should be phased out, while being presided over by the CEO of an oil company, Sultan al-Jaber of ADNOC, who also oversees a renewable energy firm.
Al-Jaber and his associates argue that involving fossil fuel corporations in discussions ma壯陽藥 y yield more substantial progress, asserting that industry insiders comprehend the concessions required for effective change. However, environmental activists, including Bridget Burns of the Women’s Environment and Development Organization in the USA, expressed skepticism. They highlighted the irony of holding COP28 in a major fossil fuel exporter and emphasized the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels.