The most important thing about this year’s climate conference Shah or Pope: he met them all: Henry Kissinger in 14 photos

The year 2023 will most likely be the warmest year since measurements began. The consequences of climate change are clearly noticeable all over the world. And this despite the fact that the target of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement was so ambitious: global warming must be limited to less than 2 degrees, or better yet to 1.5 degrees. However, we are currently heading for a warming of almost 3 degrees by the end of the 21st century.

This year’s climate conference, which will take place in Dubai from November 30 to December 12, will now take stock. The states that signed the Paris Climate Agreement received a poor report from the UN before the conference: “Governments are taking only small steps to avert the climate crisis,” said the head of the UN Climate Secretariat, Simon Stiell.

There is reason to hope that emissions can decrease again in the coming year, because, among other things, the growth of renewable energy sources in China has accelerated enormously. The chance of a decline is 70 percent. But emissions are currently not falling fast enough to meet the Paris Climate Agreement target.

What can the Contracting States do now? What exactly is discussed during the 13 days of the conference and who is actually present?

Here are the key questions and answers about COP28:

What is the COP?

COP stands for Conference of the Parties. This is the World Climate Conference, which has been held annually since 1995 and brings together all states that signed the 1992 UN Climate Convention. This year the COP will take place for the 28th time and is therefore called COP28.

Progress in implementing the Treaty and other agreements concluded in this context will be discussed. These include, for example, the Kyoto Protocol, which came into force in 2005, or the Paris Climate Protection Treaty of 2015.

The COP is the only event where all countries in the world come together to discuss common climate protection. It takes place in a different region of the world every year: in Egypt in 2022, in the United Arab Emirates this year and in Eastern Europe in 2024.

Who is participating in the COP?

Nearly 200 countries are now parties to the UNFCCC and are sending representatives. These are usually diplomats, state secretaries and the responsible ministers of a country.

Federal President Alain Berset represents Switzerland this year and is expected to give a speech there on Friday, December 1. Federal Councilor Albert Rösti, head of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (UVEK), is expected to arrive on December 8.

In recent years, more and more journalists and lobbyists have attended the COP. The presence of various lobbies in particular is criticized. Last year, beverage company Coca-Cola, a major sponsor in Egypt, sparked outrage.

What exactly is being talked about?

This year, the United Nations’ global climate protection inventory will be central to the talks and negotiations during COP28. The central message of the ‘Global Stocktake’, published before the conference: The world needs a ‘radical exit from fossil fuels’. Because the international community’s current policies are not on track to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. That is why states must present an interim assessment of their efforts for the first time this year and every five years thereafter.

The main point of contention at COP28 is therefore: how strongly is the fossil fuel phase-out supported by individual countries?

The aim is to triple the global capacity for generating electricity from renewable energy sources and double energy efficiency. Until 2030.

The second central point is about money: poorer countries should receive $100 billion annually so that they can develop climate neutrally and adapt to the consequences of climate change.

Why is the COP criticized?

As early as May 2023, more than 130 politicians from Europe and the US called for the removal of COP28 president Ahmed Al Jaber in a joint letter to the UN. He heads one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world.

In the letter, including European Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen and US President Joe Biden, they warn about the potential influence of the oil industry on the negotiations on the climate conference. Since the main focus will be on phasing out fossil fuels, this influence would be extremely counterproductive.

In general, the World Climate Conference is criticized every year for the fact that concrete decisions are rarely taken. Thanks to the consensus principle, any country can block decisions via a veto. This is why many climate conferences in the past have ended without significant results.

What about the good intentions of previous years?

First of all, it should be noted that the decisions of the COP are generally not binding under international law. An exception, for example, is the Paris Climate Agreement, a legally binding treaty that the 196 states present signed at the time.

Last year, the main outcome of COP27 was the agreement on a climate compensation fund for the countries most affected by climate change. The recommendations for the establishment of the fund will now be presented in Dubai. It is not yet clear who will pay how much into the fund.

Every year since 2015, the focus has been on actually achieving the Paris climate goals. Article 4 of the agreement provides for a regular adjustment of climate protection contributions for the Paris climate goals if previous contributions are not sufficient. For example, at the COP26 in Glasgow there should be better targets for the Member States. Just in time for the deadline, only three of the 184 countries submitted their improved climate targets.

Because many of the initially set climate goals apply until 2030 – for example, greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced worldwide by 45 percent by 2030 compared to 2010 – it cannot yet be definitively said whether the resolutions will actually be complied with. However, the trend so far is quite negative.