Climate change: Abu Dhabi faces challenges

For some compelling reasons, the Conference of the Parties (COP 28), which has become the most important international forum on climate change, will be held in Abu Dhabi from November 30 to December 12. Caused at least as much controversy as its predecessors, and quite possibly, more.

reason? The world’s climate changers, or at least a significant portion of them, now seem to believe that we are indeed now on the “fast track” to irreversible fossil fuel-driven climate catastrophe.

Another, more immediate reason is that, as COP 28 approaches, the chances of the forum allowing us to make a breakthrough in the fossil fuel/climate crisis debate are becoming increasingly remote.

Abu Dhabi does not appear to be a universally popular venue for what could be a last-ditch effort to curb the fossil fuel overlord. Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East. One might think that there are few parts of the world that are more fertile battlefields for deaf dialogue.

Additionally, the meeting in Abu Dhabi will be chaired by Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Member of the UAE Cabinet, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNOC. Clearly, the credentials don’t suggest that when Sudan assumes the COP28 presidency in November, he might be a fervent “flag-waver” for curbing fossil fuel recycling, or even climate change. Instead, Abu Dhabi and Dr Al Jaber are likely to act as lightning rods, making COP 28 a powder keg in the climate change controversy, which continues to swell in an incendiary direction.

After all, regardless of whether the gathering in Abu Dhabi takes place against the backdrop of hopes for even the most modest measures to reduce fossil fuel recycling, we cannot ignore the fact that Abu Dhabi and Dr. Jaber are taking action. We are told that this has effectively become a last-minute pushback against climate catastrophe.

Nor does the UN appear to have any real room for arbitration intervention (COP28 is only four months away), especially as Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appears to have sent the UN clear, A case of compromise challenges. The climate crisis attacks “fossil fuel producers and their financial backers”, accusing them of “racing to expand (fossil fuel) production, knowing their business model is not compatible with human existence”.

Truth be told, this may very well be a signaling moment in all the global debates on climate change, when the UN sheds its diplomatic “gay rags” to leave a clear mark, sending a clear message to the world unmistakable information. Already fed at the expense of the environment, the fossil fuel industry remains indifferent to what Secretary-General Guterres called “the public case for taking the climate change argument more seriously”,

What Mr. Guterres said in Davos was before the so-called Davos crowd, some of whom may even be investors in the fossil fuel industry themselves, which would make his statement even more poignant and relevant actual. .

So far, the various “chapters” of COP forums have been held together through diplomatic “tailoring” that has managed to avoid an eventual split between fossil fuel advocates and climate change advocates. It looks like things are different this time. In Davos, the UN secretary-general declared categorically that the promise to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels “is coming to naught…” He added, “We are joking with climate catastrophe.” Antonio Gutt It’s almost impossible for Antonio Gutteres to go further.

Hopes at Davos that the UN secretary-general’s speech might not be “pointing fingers” were also dashed by his explicit call for the “fossil fuel industry,” some of which investors were likely to be in his Davos audience, and Will probably be in Abu Dhabi again.

Postures in Abu Dhabi that may be aimed at subtly, circumventing, or simply ignoring the compelling reality of climate change entirely will compete with hard-line climate changers (who, come to think of it, may have limited numbers) like Abu Dhabi Such sites) this time have the backing of the UN Secretary-General, who now appears to be issuing a definitive challenge to climate change.