Future Beat: Cop28 and our long-term well-being
Hi there. What is Cop? It's back in the news again, with the UAE announcing Dr Sultan Al Jaber as President-designate for this year's summit in Dubai.
The overarching goal of the United Nations Conference of the Parties (Cop to you and me) is to stabilise greenhouse gas emissions enough that a human-made climate catastrophe is averted. Each year since 1995, the 197 participating nations meet to review their progress on meeting that goal and agree to targets that can achieve it.
The reality is, the climate catastrophe is already under way. The "loss and damage" fund agreed to at Cop27, the most recent meeting, will force major carbon-emitting nations to pay poorer countries to help them cope with the already devastating effects of a warming planet.
But there is also still major and wildly important progress to be had at Cop. Each year the group uses better, albeit alarming, climate science data to inform its decisions, sets bigger and more ambitious targets, and increasingly includes adaptation in its plans — all critical to our long-term well-being. These are three big reasons to pay attention.
And then there's this: Cop has made history by being the largest meeting of global leaders. There is no other issue that drives as much urgent international cooperation as climate change. This does bode well for our collective future.
Be well,
Kelsey Warner , Future Editor
PS: It's that time of the year when thousands of leaders from business and government gather in Davos for the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. Follow all The National's coverage and updates from the Swiss mountain resort here.
The Big Story
In brief | The UAE has named Dr Sultan Al Jaber as President-designate of the UN Cop28 climate change summit, meaning he will take a leading role for the crucial 13-day talks in November.
Dr Al Jaber is one of the most active energy leaders in the climate conversation working today. He is the Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, managing director and group chief executive of Adnoc, and chairman of renewable energy company Masdar, as well as the UAE special envoy for climate change.
He has regularly emphasised the need for a pragmatic and sustainable shift away from fossil fuels, while continuing to supply the world with energy.
Quoted | “The UAE is approaching Cop28 with a strong sense of responsibility and the highest possible level of ambition.” Dr Sultan Al Jaber
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Why it matters | As President-designate of Cop28 and the CEO of a leading national oil company, Dr Sultan Al Jaber is in a unique position to advance climate discourse. So writes The National's energy contributor and CEO of Qamar Energy, Robin Mills. He lays out the argument for why Dr Al Jaber is the right leader for this moment in the energy transition, with energy and economic security balancing the path to net zero.
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