COP 28 LACKS TEETH

BY: PRATHAM GOLCHA

It was business as usual, physically as well as metaphorically, at yet another Conference of Parties (COP), the annual Climate Change Conference, held this year at Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With scores of world leaders paving their way to the middle, to wealthy businessmen pushing for their self-interests, this COP was again an amalgamation, showcasing a mix of achievements to appreciate, as well as major shortcomings. The significance of COP28 is inexplicable, for the sheer amount of importance attached, especially at a time like this where climate catastrophes have plagued almost the entire world. The amount of urgency attached was immense, particularly at a time when the world is at a crossroads of climate inaction and apathy. Here, the role of the young climate warriors and activists was absolutely vital, for, like every COP, it is the youth who accurately is, and would in the future, be the most impacted community because of the climate ills.
Among the purple patches that have dotted the COP28 in Dubai, some ambitious commitments were more than welcome, with the participating countries committing to reduce carbon emissions. Some specific targets and initiatives were aimed at achieving sustainability, along with emphasis on renewable energy solutions and the subsequent promotion of clean energy sources. Collaborative efforts among nations to tackle climate change and the importance of unity in addressing global crisis cannot be underscored. Incorporation of adaptive measures to safeguard communities, particularly those impacted by climate change the most in vulnerable regions was the need of the hour, but there was not much food for thought either herewith, either by the world leaders, or the stakeholders.
There were some major misses that have cast a shadow over the conference’s overall impact. There was particularly no mention of the ‘phasing out’ terminology, a critical part of safeguarding climate commitments in the realm. The lack of legally binding agreements left a majority of the stakeholders skeptical about the enforceability of the announced commitments. The conference’s outcomes, through voluntary pledges were severely insignificant and insufficient. Financial commitments, towards the marginalized communities, the indigenous population, the small island developing states, etc. were dismal in nature. The developing and under-developed nations, yet again, were at the receiving end- not just of the climate issues, but also of the bleak financial commitments. This would have serious repercussions on the ability of vulnerable regions to sufficiently mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Moreover, the conference was well short in fully incorporating the diverse voices that are very much critical to crafting effective policies of climate action. The steps taken at COP28 were all but a pale shadow, with little mention and association of the indigenous communities, non-governmental organizations, the marginalized groups, etc. What also went down the drain was the opportunity of facilitating the transfer of clean technology from developed to developing nations, putting a huge question mark over the progress in the quest to marrow the technology gap, as far as global climate action is concerned. There was little takeaway, when it came to the domains of climate financing, climate adaptation, mitigation, etc. This could have been the perfect opportunity for the world to come together and plug the gaps in climate action persisting, because the world is suffering climate ills more than ever before. The 2030 Agenda, which was slow off the blocks, got further overlooked and backlogged due to the pandemic.
Young leaders from across the world came about in huge numbers and rallied for substantive climate action, with the success of the Global Youth Statement. The world needs the youth of today to stand and speak up for climate action, because the question arises as to, “if not now, then, when?” The NGOs and young climate activists played a crucial role in holding governments accountable and pushing for more accountable and effective climate policies, with also a focus on just transition. The youth also was detrimental to the negotiation framework, although little was the impact on the world leaders and the stakeholders involved. The undue influence of lobbyists and certain industries acted as impediments in the formulation of stringent policies and frameworks. The threats to the immediate climate issues, such as deforestation, melting of ice caps, pollution, loss of biodiversity, oil spills, etc. were given a step-motherly treatment. The countries, who were the primary contributors to carbon emissions, unfortunately, did not make commitments proportionate to mitigate their impact. The burden, as always, fell on to the shoulders of the developing and under-developed world, the Global South, particularly the indigenous and displaced communities.
There have been reports with full proof claiming that the COP28 President, Sultan Al Jaber was willing to raise oil and gas commercial interests during the meetings with foreign governments. His Presidency itself remains controversial as he fills the boots of being the Chief Executive Officer of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, one of the largest oil producers across the world. This paradox and the whistleblower’s reports, published by the BBC, reflect the vested interests at play at the COP28 in UAE. Although COP28 broke records for the sheer number of people attending it, it hardly translated to anything substantial or path breaking, considering the tottering dilemma of the climate issues.
Although the challenges clearly outweighed the successes at the COP this year, it is imperative to recognize all that transpired to build upon areas for improvement. The battle continues, certainly, where humans are their own enemies and climate talks and negotiations have all but been sadly reduced to mere protocoled lunches and media statements. After all, only if there is a walk after the talk, does any talk get importance. Here’s to a more sustainable and resilient future, nonetheless. Hope, as they say, lives on always!

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