What is COP28?
COP28 kicked off on 30 November - but what is it and what can we expect from this year’s controversial host?
Article by: Eveline White
Photo by Saj Shafique on Unsplash
What is COP?
COP, which stands for Conference of the Parties, is an annual conference held by the United Nations (UN).
Although, technically, there are many ‘COP’s each year, discussing a wide range of global issues and agreements, the term ‘COP’ is generally associated with the UN’s Climate Change Conference.
The first COP was held in 1995, in Berlin, Germany, following the creation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in 1992.
Since then, there have been 27 other COPs (including this year’s), held all over the world.
COP brings together delegates from almost every country on Earth (every country that signed the UNFCCC) to negotiate global climate goals and report on progress towards meeting these goals.
Past COPs have led to the creation of milestone climate agreements, including the Paris Agreement, which was adopted by 196 countries at COP21 in Paris, in 2015.
The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change, committing to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
The Paris Agreement is a landmark in global action against climate change, and likely wouldn’t have happened without COP.
COP meets every year, unless the Parties decide otherwise (for example, in 2020, COP26 was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic).
This year, the Parties are meeting for the 28th time, making this year’s conference COP28.
Where is COP28 and what is being discussed this year?
COP28 is being held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), from 30 November 2023 until 12 December 2023.
The focus of COP28 is on assessing progress towards meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement, through the first ever Global Stocktake (GST). The GST is essential in identifying the gaps in countries’ current climate action.
Alongside the formal negotiations, COP28 is also holding an open consultation with governments, businesses, civil society, youth, and Indigenous Peoples - making it one of the most inclusive COPs ever held.
COP28’s two-week programme also showcases other themes, including threats to human health, relief and recovery from climate change, and the transition in trade and energy.
Find out more about COP28 on the COP28 website.
Concerns about COP28
In recent years, there has been growing concern amongst some climate activists that COP is becoming a platform for greenwashing (where countries or organisations make themselves appear to be more environmentally sustainable than they really are).
This is a particular concern for COP28, which is being presided over by Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber, who is CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc).
Since his appointment as President of COP28, climate activists, scientists and the media have been critical of the UAE’s choice to appoint the fossil fuel boss. There is concern that with Al-Jaber presiding over COP28, it is unlikely the much-needed agreement to fully phase-out fossil fuels, quickly and completely, will be reached.
Al-Jaber defends his appointment as President, stating that he sees no issue with being both the CEO of an oil company and a climate diplomat. He argues that the fossil fuel industry needs to be involved in climate discussions if we are to deal with the climate crisis effectively.
Concern has also been raised in recent years over COP’s environmental impact, with thousands of attendees travelling across the world, often in private jets, to reach the event. Some environmentalists have questioned why, in our increasingly-digital age, COP isn’t held online.
Others have defended COP’s need to be conducted face-to-face, stating that a virtual COP wouldn’t deliver the same outcomes. COP involves challenging negotiations, where delegates will often disagree, and where difficult decisions need to be made. Physical presence matters in these moments.
There is also concern that by hosting COP online, developing countries could be at a disadvantage, as they may lack the infrastructure to hold reliable online meetings, and could have less power in negotiating with bigger countries when they are not speaking face-to-face.
For now, it is likely that COP will continue to be held in person, though concerns about greenwashing will likely continue, with the public increasingly holding business and other leaders to account on their sustainability claims.
We will be sharing a full summary of COP28 once the conference reaches an end, reporting on the key outcomes of this year’s event and breaking down what this means for the planet.
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