BBC News: UNITED NATIONS Climate Change COP 28 Dubai 2023 Part 3
What is COP28 in Dubai and why is it important?
13th December 2023, 10:04 GMT+7
By Mark Poynting Climate and environment researcher, BBC News
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World leaders have reached a new agreement to tackle climate change at a big UN meeting in Dubai.
The summit followed a year of extreme weather events in which many climate records were broken.
What was COP28 and where was it?
COP28 was the 28th annual United Nations (UN) climate meeting, where governments discuss how to limit and prepare for future climate change.
The summit took place in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It was scheduled to last from 30 November to 12 December 2023, but overran by a day.
What does COP stand for?
COP stands for “Conference of the Parties”, where the “parties” are the countries that signed up to the original UN climate agreement in 1992.
Why was holding COP28 in Dubai controversial?
The UAE is one of the world’s top 10 oil-producing nations.
It appointed Sultan al-Jaber, chief executive of the state-owned oil company, as COP28 president.
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Sultan al-Jaber’s appointment was widely criticized Oil – like gas and coal – is a fossil fuel. These are the main causes of climate change because they release planet-warming greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide when burned for energy.
Mr Jaber’s oil company is expected to rapidly expand production this decade.
Documents leaked to the BBC also suggested the UAE planned to use its role as COP28 host to strike new oil and gas deals.
Mr Jaber previously argued that he was uniquely well-placed to push for action from the oil and gas industry.
He said that as chairman of renewable energy firm Masdar, he had overseen the expansion of clean technologies like wind and solar power.
What was agreed at COP28 about fossil fuels?
For the first time, countries agreed on the need to “transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems”.
The text calls for this to be done “in a just, orderly and equitable manner”. This is seen as an important recognition that richer countries are expected to move away from coal, oil and gas more quickly.
However, the deal doesn’t compel countries to take action, and no timescale is specified.
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The COP28 deal was the first to note the need to move away from the fossil fuels that drive global warming
Many groups – including the US, UK, EU and some of the nations which are most vulnerable to climate change – had wanted a more ambitious commitment to “phase out” fossil fuels.
The agreement includes global targets to triple the capacity of renewable energy like wind and solar power, and to double the rate of energy efficiency improvements, both by 2030.
It also calls on countries to accelerate low- and zero-emission technologies like carbon capture and storage.
- Examining the impact of COP28’s big step forward
- How is my country doing tackling climate change?
- Is the UK on track to meet its climate targets?
Why was COP28 so important?
COP28 came at a crucial time for the key target to limit long-term global temperature rises to 1.5C.
This was agreed by nearly 200 countries at COP21, which was held in Paris in 2015.
The Paris commitment is crucial to avoid the most damaging impacts of climate change, according to the UN’s climate body, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
However, before the final deal was agreed at COP28, there were warnings that the world is actually on track for around 2.7C of warming by 2100.
Recent progress had not been in line with what was required, the UN said, leaving a “rapidly narrowing” window for action to keep the 1.5C limit in reach.
- Five climate change solutions under the spotlight at COP28
- What you can do to reduce carbon emissions
Who went to COP28?
Around 200 nations were represented in the talks.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the world leaders to attend the beginning of the summit.
US President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping did not go, but both countries were heavily represented.
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King Charles gave the opening address, warning that humans were carrying out a “vast, frightening experiment” on the planet.
Nearly 100,000 politicians, diplomats, journalists and campaigners registered for the meeting, making it the biggest climate conference ever held.
This included around 2,400 people connected to the coal, oil and gas industries, which underlined concern about the influence of fossil fuel groups.
Will richer countries pay for climate change?
As COP28 got under way, it was announced that the “loss and damage” fund could start handing out money.
The fund was agreed at COP27. The idea is that richer countries – historically the main contributors to warming – pay poorer countries already facing the effects of climate change.
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South Sudan is one many developing countries ravaged by the effects of climate change
But the details had remained deeply contested, with wealthy countries like the US reluctant to accept liability for past emissions.
A relatively small amount of money has been pledged so far, but getting the fund up and running is seen as a crucial step in building trust between richer and poorer countries.
Separately, in 2009, developed countries pledged to give $100bn (£80bn) a year to developing countries by 2020, to help them reduce emissions and prepare for climate change.
The target was missed in 2020, but is “likely” to have been met in 2022, according to preliminary data.
The COP28 agreement highlights “the growing gap” between the needs of developing countries and the money provided to cut emissions – but there is no requirement for developed countries to provide more support.
Will COP28 make any difference?
Critics of previous COPs, including campaigner Greta Thunberg, accuse the summits of “greenwashing” – that is, letting countries and businesses promote their climate credentials without actually making the changes needed.
But the summits do offer the potential for global agreements that go beyond national measures.
For example, the 1.5C warming limit, agreed at COP21, has driven “near-universal climate action”, according to the UN.
This has helped bring down the level of warming the world can expect – even though the world is still not acting at anywhere near the pace needed to achieve the Paris goals.
Ultimately, the success of COP28 will be determined by the changes the world puts into practice in the years ahead.
For more Information, please visit the following links:
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-67143989
Additional reporting by Esme Stallard.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Context: Climate change
United Nations: Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, mainly caused by human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels.
COP28 Summit 2023 LIVE: Climate Change Summit Underway in Dubai | COP28 UAE | Climate Summit 2023
3.43M subscribers 18,227 views Streamed live on Nov 30, 2023 #firstpost #cop28 #internationalnews
COP28 Summit 2023 LIVE: Climate Change Summit Underway in Dubai | COP28 UAE | Climate Summit 2023 COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber and UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell hold COP28’s opening news conference. Other speakers: Amb. Majid Al Suwaidi, COP28 Director-General Ambassador, and Hana Al Hashimi, Lead Climate Negotiator for COP28. — COP28 UAE | Climate Summit | COP 28 | Dubai | UAE | Climate Summit 2023 | Climate Change | Climate Crisis | Firstpost | World News | Latest News | Global News | International News | Trending News #cop28 #climatesummit #cop28uae #climatechange #uae #firstpost #worldnews #latestnews #globalnews #internationalnews #trendingnews Firstpost is an Indian news and media website. Get all the incisive opinions, in-depth analyses and other visual stories that matter to you and the world right here on this channel. Subscribe to Firstpost channel and press the bell icon to get notified when we go live. / @firstpost Follow Firstpost on Instagram: / firstpost Follow Firstpost on Facebook: / firstpostin Follow Firstpost on Twitter: / firstpost Follow Firstpost on WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029…
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COP28 Summit 2023 Day 2
Context: Climate change
United Nations: Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, mainly caused by human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels.
COP28 Summit 2023 LIVE: World Leaders Attend Climate Change Summit in Dubai | Day 2 | COP28 UAE
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COP28 Summit 2023 LIVE: World Leaders Attend Climate Change Summit in Dubai | Day 2 | COP28 UAE World Climate Action Summit begins as delegates from nearly 200 countries arrive and make their national statements. — COP28 UAE | Climate Summit | COP 28 | Dubai | UAE | Climate Summit 2023 | Climate Change | Climate Crisis | Firstpost | World News | Latest News | Global News | International News | Trending News #cop28 #climatesummit #cop28uae #climatechange #uae #firstpost #worldnews #latestnews #globalnews #internationalnews #trendingnews Firstpost is an Indian news and media website. Get all the incisive opinions, in-depth analyses and other visual stories that matter to you and the world right here on this channel. Subscribe to Firstpost channel and press the bell icon to get notified when we go live. / @firstpost Follow Firstpost on Instagram: / firstpost Follow Firstpost on Facebook: / firstpostin Follow Firstpost on Twitter: / firstpost Follow Firstpost on WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029…
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COP28 Summit 2023 Day 3
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Context: Climate change
United Nations: Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, mainly caused by human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels.
COP28 Summit 2023 LIVE: World Leaders Attend Climate Change Summit in Dubai
3.43M subscribers
10,552 views Streamed live on Dec 2, 2023 #firstpost #cop28 #internationalnews
COP28 Summit 2023 LIVE: World Leaders Attend Climate Change Summit in Dubai The COP28 World Climate Action Summit resumes as delegates make their national statements. — COP28 UAE | Climate Summit | COP 28 | Dubai | UAE | Climate Summit 2023 | Climate Change | Climate Crisis | Firstpost | World News | Latest News | Global News | International News | Trending News #cop28 #climatesummit #cop28uae #climatechange #uae #firstpost #worldnews #latestnews #globalnews #internationalnews #trendingnews Firstpost is an Indian news and media website. Get all the incisive opinions, in-depth analyses and other visual stories that matter to you and the world right here on this channel. Subscribe to Firstpost channel and press the bell icon to get notified when we go live. / @firstpost Follow Firstpost on Instagram: / firstpost Follow Firstpost on Facebook: / firstpostin Follow Firstpost on Twitter: / firstpost Follow Firstpost on WhatsApp: https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029…
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🙂 Happy Holiday for Everyone on Earth 🙂
“UN Climate Change News, 13 December 2023 – The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) closed today with an agreement that signals the “beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era by laying the ground for a swift, just and equitable transition, underpinned by deep emissions cuts and scaled-up finance.”
Ing’s Comments
The COP28 Climate Summit at Dubai has ended. I am glad that a majority of world’s nations came together to agree with United Nations resolutions (mandates). It is important that all nations support United Nations (UN) activities for the purpose of unity and peace. Every nation, no matter rich or poor, developed or under developed, should have a voice in dealing with the problems and solutions. The UN should be the place through which all nations come together to help to solve problems in such places as the COP28, Climate Change Summit. But there are some places that the UN still does not have authority to protect smaller nations. It is true in Ukraine where Russia is destroying much of the country. Many Ukrainian civilians, and many Russian soldiers have died. The families of Russian soldiers are grieving for their love ones, while Ukrainian families face the same situation, but many Ukrainians no longer have no place to live, because their homes were destroyed by Russian soldiers, bombs, missiles and drones.
The world has many other problems, including the terrible war between Israel and Hamas. As of December 22, 2023, twenty thousand (20,000) Gaza civilians have been killed by Israel. How many more innocent Palestinian civilians will die before this war ends? Hamas did evil things and should be punished but not the innocent population Gaza. This unrelenting killing suggests images of Hitler’s killing of Jews in Nazi Germany
The international news is constantly showing us that the world is full of problems that need to be solved. That is why I state in the beginning of my comments that “It is important that all the nations should support United Nations (UN) activities for the purpose of unity and peace.” In a small family unit, parents care both physical and mentally for the wellbeing of children. Families form the larger societal clusters of towns and cities that have Mayors and governing political institutions. These in turn encompass larger governing structures the lead parliaments or congresses with prime ministers and presidents. When a country is well organized, the citizens can live and work obeying the laws and living in peace. There will be problems but there are laws help solve the issues.
On an international level, it is important that United Nations function as the place to govern the world of nation states with agreed upon international laws that are accepted and obeyed by all nations. However, this is easier said than done, because there is only limited unity among nations. Powerful bullying countries can still decide to operate as their own leaders dictate, while other nations are powerless to stop them. Wars continue with no true peace on earth, and the problems that plague the world continue while the cries of ordinary people in need of help go unanswered.
Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Saturday, December 30, 2023, 9:15 am
Edited by John Watts
IngPeaceProject.com – Let there be peace on Earth
Kai DeSantis is our eight-year-old Grandson. He drew the above Peace Artwork for me to remind all adults that however we behave and treat the world, it is going to affect the next generation. Please, do not leave a rotten world for them.
Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, ingpeaceproject@gmail.com, www.ingpeaceproject.com
Please, visit the UNITED NATIONS Climate Change COP 28 Dubai 2023 Part 4
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