President Biden and Xi Jinping to skip COP28 climate summit in Dubai: the two worst offenders’ low prioritisation of climate policy
Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
On 30th November, the COP28 global summit began, held in Dubai. About 200 government officials were in attendance. As the largest official climate meeting under the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), COP aims to create a platform for world leaders to discuss climate change issues and develop possible solutions. This year, research has shown global temperatures rising to record highs. Thus, it is especially crucial for this, the 28th climate summit, to focus on the goals agreed to in COP21’s Paris Agreement: limit global warming to below 1.5C and establish assistance for the developing countries that are most severely threatened by climate change. Countries such as Chad, Syria, and Nigeria are among the most vulnerable countries to climate disaster due to their lack of economic power to respond to catastrophic natural disasters.
However, two important figures are missing from this global conference: U.S. President Biden and Chinese President Xi. Although both of the countries have sent representatives in their place, the choice to skip sends the message that neither of them is expecting any breakthrough in policy changes. As of 2022, the United States and China together contribute 40% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, while the vulnerable states mentioned above only account for 1.02% in total. The summit takes place over two weeks so that every stakeholder has the chance to develop possible solutions or strategies. Thus, Biden and Xi’s decision to be absent when their two nations most need to implement change implies their lack of dedication to this urgent topic, which can cause resentment among other nations since they are highly responsible for the consequences of climate change.
Biden and Xi’s absence is far from the only controversy that has raised concerns among participants. For instance, the country hosting COP28 is the UAE, which happens to be the 7th-largest oil producing country in the world. What’s more, the host of the conference, Sultan Al Jaber, is also the chief executive of UAE’s national oil company, Adnoc. This sparks a clear conflict of interest, as the consumption of fossil fuels such as oil and gas is the main cause of rising temperatures and other climate changes.
Different nations must reach a consensus of reducing fossil fuel in COP28, but strangely the host of this conference turns out to be the biggest opponent. Indeed, when questioned about whether phasing out fossil fuels will be agreed to during the conference, Al Jaber has denied the proposal, stating he believed: “There is no science out there, or no scenario out there, that says that the phase-out of fossil fuel is what’s going to achieve 1.5C.”, which is contrary to current evidence. Moreover, leaked documents appear to reveal that COP28’s president himself intended to discuss potential sales of oil and gas by Adnoc during bilateral meetings with attending governments. Although Al Jaber strongly rejected this accusation, it still casts a shadow over the conference.
We may not know the real excuse for President Biden and President Xi’s absences, but perhaps these controversies are a factor. China and the U.S. did recently strike a joint deal to boost renewable energy while reducing the use of coal, gas, and oil, indicating the countries can collaborate for climate change resolution, without needing to be present at a 14-day global summit.
Still, not attending COP28 undermines the value of this vital climate affair, which is one of the few times when leaders around the globe can gather and discuss possible solutions for such a pressing issue. This annual conference has served as a bridge for people of different stances to collaborate and save the only planet we have. Therefore, it is still necessary for everyone, especially large nations to engage in. In this way, countries not only present their own commitments to carry out green policies but also strengthen their relations with other nations.
At this present time, addressing the climate crisis has become so urgent that every nation must work together to save our only home. We are all on the same boat that can lead to an irreversible end if we do not start taking actions. Our climate is changing, and so should we.