The UAE is hosting the Cop28 summit which is supposed to assess the progress made in the Paris Agreement and create actionable steps to ensure protections of the environment globally. This sounds absolutely amazing, and that is the intent of the summit, but the leading world powers want the public to focus on the meeting and the words, not the plans, because it is nothing more than a farce.
When the G20 nations reduce their carbon output, cutback on oil production, and designate land be protected from development and resource extraction, that would legitimize this summit, but all of these participating nations are increasing oil production, consumption, and development.
It is all about the optics of participating and pledging money to developing countries affected by climate change. A major announcement came from Cop28 that the fund for these countries would be amply filled, but many humanitarian and environmental organizations are concerned that the developing countries will not access this money that the World Bank will hold. The concern is that this money will simply go back to organizations of those who donated, and not to the developing countries and people in need. It is also set up in a concerning manner, that of loans and not grants, which completely defeats the purpose of aid. These people who are suffering from the affects of climate change because the world powers are polluting so heavily should not have to pay anything back. It’s a farce.
What really delegitimizes the entire summit is the host of this major environmental discussion, the UAE. The UAE is funding the RSF, a militant group that is decimating Sudan and committing genocide. The people Sudan demand that the UAE cease all funding to the RSF but they continue. Sudan’s major resources are gold and oil. As the UAE destabilizes Sudan for its resources, they have secured mining contracts months prior to the summit in the Congo for 25 years to “artisanally” mine gold and other resources. Besides fossil fuels, the UAE wants to increase profit through resources extraction in Africa. The Congo is also being torn apart by militias, and the UAE assured that their contract would eliminate the warfare that is ongoing, but it has only fueled greater conflicts. The fairness of the contract between the government of Congo and the UAE is also concerning because it benefits the UAE. Innocent Sudanese and Congolese people are suffering and dying over the exploitation of their land and people, but the UAE continues business as usual.
To top it off, there has been proof that the president of Cop28, the UAE, has lobbied and negotiated oil deals in meetings leading up to Cop28. How can anyone respect the outcome of this summit when it is apparent that the goal is not to protect the environment but to use this meeting as a means to harm the environment and human rights.
These nations within OPEC that could have taken diplomatic steps to protect Palestine did not because they wanted to protect their profits and continue their human rights abuses. This is why there has been nothing done from these nations.
While it is admirable to pledge money to fund developing countries that climate change has affected, there must be an actual plan to protect the environment, but leading world powers have only one focus and that is continued profit. Unfortunately, the way the fund is set up, little money will go to those affected by climate change.
The US is increasing oil production. Every major power is increasing oil consumption. The world is moving closer to a 2-degree increase in global temperature and the environment is failing at the hands of man.
We need world leaders to make pledge to drastically reduce their use and production of fossil fuels and to support that pledge with a legitimate, actionable plan.
We need world leaders to hold other countries accountable that attempt to destabilize nations for their resources and for justice to the innocent people suffering.
We need world leaders to respect the sovereignty and human rights of developing nations.
How can you help? Please read and share these articles. You can also join and support environmental groups that help locally and globally.
https://climate-reporting.org/cop28-president-oil-climate/
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2023/11/24/do-not-ignore-the-suffering-of-sudanese-women
https://wipc.org/joint-letter-to-seven-emirati-women-leaders-participating-in-cop28-requesting-their-public-support-for-sudanese-women/
https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/congo-uae-gold-export-deal-raises-great-concern
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/18/uae-signs-deal-to-develop-mines-in-eastern-dr-congos-2023-06-02/
From the river to the sea, may the whole world be free.