The COP28 climate confab in Dubai didn’t end with white smoke on Wednesday, but Biden climate envoy John Kerry is nonetheless singing hallelujah after nearly 200 countries agreed to “transition” from fossil fuels. The point of the deal is to preserve the West’s illusion that its climate policies are accomplishing something.
China and oil-producing countries refused to sign onto an agreement committing to “phase out” fossil fuels. But Mr. Kerry and European leaders insisted that governments at the United Nations summit demonstrate a common purpose to reduce CO2 emissions.
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In a world increasingly anxious about the environmental crisis, the 28th annual Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has been viewed as an important step to addressing the global climate debacle. Held in Madrid this past December, COP28 brought together representatives from nearly 200 countries with the intention of addressing the “important and immediate – global-wide action required to mitigate the damages of climate change.”
Unfortunately, it appears that many of the proposed climate policy changes discussed at COP28 were little more than empty promises. Countries committed to taking action, yet only a handful of countries have so far made substantial commitments to reducing carbon emissions. Moreover, there has been little to no agreement between countries to create clear policy to stop the damaging effects of global warming.
Furthermore, the recommendations adopted within the COP28 sessions asked countries to focus on climate-friendly development models that weren’t properly supported or funded. As such, the plans are likely to be easily forgotten once the summit is over. Without clear, ambitious steps forward, COP28 has been condemned by many environmental advocates and some governments as a critical missed opportunity.
Ultimately, it is important to remember that words alone are simply not enough to tackle this pressing global issue. Progress must be made in the realm of policy and international cooperation in order to systematically reduce emissions and stabilize global temperatures. Without putting these commitments into action, we are likely to witness increasing climate-related disasters in the years to come.
